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A New York Post article revealed that New York City spent more than $200,000 in funding over the past five years to get Drag Queens into classrooms to interact with children as young as 3 years old.
The Post reported that last month alone, Drag Story Hour NYC, a nonprofit whose performers interact with children as young as 3, earned $46,000 in city contracts for appearances at public schools, street festivals and libraries.
Drag shows for children
On its official website, the organization proudly tells about its programs. “So far in 2022, we’ve produced 49 Drag Story Hour programs for 34 individual public schools and special needs schools in English, Spanish, and Cantonese. In May, we launched Reading with Royalty, our new middle grade and YA book discussion program for middle and high school students, with discussion questions on five of our favorite queer middle grade and YA books. This year, we have also provided four paid trainings for our drag storytellers, on topics ranging from working with older adults to redefining beauty in drag.”
In light of the situation, parents assured the New York Post that such initiatives should not be promoted with public money. “I would be furious if [my child] was exposed without my consent. This is not part of the curriculum,” said one mother.
The newspaper detailed that “the tally includes $50,000 from New York State through its Council on the Arts, along with $157,000 from the city’s Departments of Education, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Community Development, and even the Department of Transportation, city data shows.”
Williams Perdomo es periodista y escritor, especializado en las fuentes Política y Cultura.