The first time I remember hearing of Drag Story Hour, it was around 2016 through a United Church Observer magazine from my granny. Fay Slift and Fluffy Soufflé, two Toronto based queens, were featured in an article about the Drag Story Hours the duo were hosting. I know what you might be thinking: “There’s nothing positive a church magazine could possibly have to say about gay people”. But if you know of the United Church’s belief system, you won’t be surprised to hear that this was a beautiful article celebrating us and our contributions.
Reading this was a pivotal moment for me, because seeing the positive reception of DSH by non-queer people, especially religious ones, showed me that the world might be more ready for us. This seems to be both true and untrue at once, because the world is complicated. A few years later (2022) Fay and Fluffy’s names popped up again when I heard about The Fabulous Show, which is basically their drag story project translated into a kids TV program on Family Jr. I was thrilled that a show like this had made it into mainstream media, because I know that as a child seeing myself reflected in this way would’ve helped me feel more so much more comfortable in my own identity. This was the moment where I felt the world had become better equipped to handle us, in all our glitter and pizzaz.
But again, because the world is complicated, this boost in drag queen visibility came with a tsunami of backlash. I probably don’t need to give you proof, but if you haven’t seen it yourself, look at the reviews for and articles about The Fabulous Show. A lot of people are very angry and very afraid of us, and it hurt my heart to hear some of the things people had to say. But my heart was also warmed by the glowing reviews left by many other parents. Digging more into the public reception of The Fabulous Show reminded me that visibility is a bit of a paradox, because when the whole internet is in your audience, there’s inevitably going to be people who didn’t buy tickets to the show.
Part of the safety of DSH in libraries is that the chance of someone in opposition taking the time to show up is probably much slimmer, so even though there is still backlash, the floodgates aren’t fully open. On top of that, people seem to be more embarrassed by their bad behaviour when they are physically present. With these things considered, I gravitate more to the idea of DSH being an in-person event if I ever were to host one- which is something I have been considering for a while. I am so grateful for the existence of The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy, and it is a resource I will certainly share with others, but this week’s research has shown me that I am not ready for the risk of participating in digital Drag Story Hour.
Sources:
https://www.familyjr.ca/shows/the-fabulous-show-with-fay-and-fluffy