Fort Hamilton High School hosted a Drag Story Hour in the library on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. Approximately 75 students listened as drag artist Harmonica Sunbeam read selections from LGBTQ+ children’s books, which explored the experiences of people with non-binary identities and sexual orientations.
The event proved a major hit with students and teachers alike, many of whom said that the story hour marked an important step in Fort Hamilton’s journey to amplify and honor its queer community.
“I am hoping that in addition to events on LGBT+ education and awareness, we can also keep hosting events that celebrate LGBTQIA culture, joy, diversity, and excellence,” commented school social worker and GSA Act Out Club moderator Sabrina Crimmins.
The story hour was the product of months of planning. After Equity and Restorative Justice Coordinator, Luanda Rivera, told Crimmins that the Drag Queen Story Hour Program would do high school visits, Act Out began planning for the event. School librarian Toni Rosario designed and disseminated flyers advertising the event and set up the sound and library.
When asked to reflect on the event’s significance to the school community, Crimmins recalled the message behind each of the stories. “The best part of the event was the message about being unapologetically yourself, being unapologetically queer, and the freedom that follows,” she said.
Students shared Crimmins’s sentiment. “The Drag Story Hour meant a lot to me,” said junior Elias Lac. “As someone who had to find out what LGBTQ+ was by myself, with a storytime like this, easily comprehensible to people like me, I wouldn’t have felt so alone as a child.”
Drag Story Hour has become an increasingly contentious children’s event across the United States. Politicians across the country have proposed legislation to ban it, and threats of violence against drag artists and parents who bring their children to the events have increased exponentially in the last year. However, many studies have shown that the best way to address such flagrant displays of intolerance and tackle a lack of understanding surrounding LGBTQ identity is simply through increased representation and education on these matters.
According to one Pew Research poll, partisan differences when it comes to being pro-LGBTQ are far milder among young people than in any other group. While this can be attributed to more young people identifying as a member of the queer community, it could also be attributed to a wider push for LGBTQ representation and inclusion.
Moreover, many have also said that drag story hour helps LGBTQ youth feel less alienated from their peers. One such instance of this being a statement by drag artist Madame Bonjour JohnJ who, when interviewed by the United Nations, said that drag story hour could help young queer people develop a more positive self-image.
Considering how many anti-LGBTQ and specifically anti-trans bills have been passed recently, it is not entirely surprising to many that many LGBTQ youth have felt even more isolated as of late. LGBTQ-inclusive events promote queer visibility, acceptance, and assurance that LGBTQ+ students can feel included and safe in their community, no matter what. After Fort’s first Drag Story Hour, there are now many more students who can say they feel included in the Fort Hamilton community.
