Drag Queens in society -what's appropriate and what isn't (3 Viewers)

[VoxPopuli]

There has been an interest in discussing the role of drag queens in the public arena, and what is appropriate with children. This specifically was an area of concern:



So, are there dangers present in transgenders reading stories to children. If so, what are they? What is government's role in this? Is it a local or federal issue?

 

[CoolBrees]

When my girls were little the loved My Little Pony. LOVED IT. I am proud to say I was rainbow dash in the family pony costumes. That is a girl pony I was dressed as.

Was I confusing my kids?

in what reality is a 4 year old able to process sexual thought, let alone make the mental leap to associating drag with something they physiologically can’t understand in the first place? Those children are identifying with the person, not their sexuality. They don’t have sexuality yet. But they do have a feeling of personal identity.

I don’t mean this to sound rude but I think working in strip clubs for 30 years has saturated your view a bit. I think it would anyone by the way.

The fact is, my kids see more real sexuality in commercials, when I force them to watch the Saints game with me, than they did when a drag queen at Seismic Reduction (coffee house) read green eggs and ham (and brought homemade pastries that were sublime)

 

[coldseat]

Do you think kids and adults go home and pretend to be those characters with equal frequency?

No.

That doesn't mean that most boys that saw a drag show would go home and dress up in drag though. And I think if you took 50 boys and showed them both a Marvel movie and a Drag Queen show, the overwhelming majority would still want to go home and dress up/ play a Marvel character and not drag.

 

[coldseat]

Is Drag a sexual activity?

I say it is at its core. Most gay men and women that I have talked to agree. They find it a little crazy that in today's progressive environment it is trying to be 'repackaged' as an asexual expression.

Nope.

Not sure what type of sex you're having, but it's not a sexual activity. Can drag shows be sexually explicit and have a lot of adult jokes and innuendos? Absolutely. Drag shows are adult activities, but it's about being seen, presenting, preforming, etc.

That doesn't mean that Drag Queens in every incarnation and at ever place are sexually explicit. I'm sure that in the presence of children, they're able to restrain themselves and do kid appropriate activities. As most adults do.

 

[Incumbent]

Is Drag a sexual activity?

I say it is at its core. Most gay men and women that I have talked to agree. They find it a little crazy that in today's progressive environment it is trying to be 'repackaged' as an asexual expression.

In what way do you think dressing in drag is, inherently, a sexual activity (if understanding sexual activity to be physical stimulation involving genitalia)?

I think men dressing in traditionally women's clothing and makeup is still broadly taboo, sure, so there are negative connotations. I think that is less true for women who dress in styles more traditionally associated with men. Is a female with a short hairstyle, jeans, a flannel short, no makeup, and sneakers expressing her style, or engaged in sexual activity? I don't think a man dressed in drag and reading books at a library is sexual in nature.

I don't understand the observation you are sharing.

 

[dtc]

This is just a joke so be forewarned.

Did all you guys arguing that dressing in drag is a sexual act catch wood over Mrs. Doubtfire?

Not funny, I know.....

 

[Incumbent]

This is just a joke so be forewarned.

Did all you guys arguing that dressing in drag is a sexual act catch wood over Mrs. Doubtfire?

Not funny, I know.....

I mean, the cooking scene was pretty hot.

 

[Incumbent]

Some guy dressed in drag might be hoping that leads to sex but then so does a guy wearing one of his "nice shirts", new jeans, expensive boots, and walking around in a cloud of cologne.

 

[dtc]

Some guy dressed in drag might be hoping that leads to sex but then so does a guy wearing one of his "nice shirts", new jeans, expensive boots, and walking around in a cloud of cologne.

boots?

 

[Incumbent]

boots?

Your part of the south is different from most of the rest of it.

And I don't own boots, fwiw.

 

[Joe Okc]

I don’t mean this to sound rude but I think working in strip clubs for 30 years has saturated your view a bit. I think it would anyone by the way.

No problem. One day I'd love to address this one day on its own thread

 

[dtc]

Your part of the south is different from most of the rest of it.

And I don't own boots, fwiw.

We ride our horses in flip flops and wrangle our cows in topsiders - no socks.

 

[samiam5211]

Do you think kids and adults go home and pretend to be those characters with equal frequency?

Is it ok with you if some if the kids decide they want to go home and dress in drag?

Do you feel there is something about dressing in drag that is more enticing than dressing up like Ironman?

Not every kid who dresses up like Ironman will grow up to be a cosplayer, but some will.

Same goes for drag.

 

[dtc]

My guess is that if you went to see an Avengers movie you would not go home and want to dress up as one of the characters either. But, you know kids do.

I saw star wars at about 6 and never wanted to become princess leia or a wookie.

I rode in a car on the way home from being born at the hospital and never wanted to become a windshield wiper either.

 

[BobE]

never wanted to become princess leia or a wookie.

I never wanted to be her but well.................

 

[Beach Friends]

I never wanted to be her but well.................

Please don't tell us what you did when you got home.

 

[V Chip]

Is Drag a sexual activity?

No.

I say it is at its core. Most gay men and women that I have talked to agree. They find it a little crazy that in today's progressive environment it is trying to be 'repackaged' as an asexual expression.

You're wrong, and I seriously doubt you have actually talked to gay men and women who think dressing in drag is sexual.

 

[Incumbent]

What an unfair statement and poster smear tactic. As I have clearly stated if female strippers read book to children in the library to tell kids they should be tolerant of strippers that would be unacceptable as well.

People need to keep their personal sexual preferences private and not try to share it with children under the guise of tolerence.

I think you are greatly exaggerating the impact of story hours and relatively obscure YouTube channels in an era where kids have easy access to really extreme, graphic, mature content. If you're worried about sexualized material that might look fun and inviting, there is a lot worse than what you have chosen to highlight. This is why I think it's much more important to emphasize education and understanding because the alternative is continuing to have kids that are unprepared for the world they are growing up in. That and eventually really draconian measures that would fundamentally change the information that is available to anybody, and threaten the existence of industries like the one you've made your livelihood.

I think we are better off doing a more thorough job of preparing young people for adulthood in a rapidly evolving, technological world, and working to change attitudes around diversity and acceptance. If you really think environment plays a much bigger role than others want to give it, then I think you have to quit being stuck on these mundane little things that bother you personally, and understand that there are far worse influences out there, and ignorance around gender and sexuality is only making young people more vulnerable and at risk.

 

[MT15]

I’ve been fairly offended at the child beauty pageants where small children, usually girls, are dressed up as mature adults, with teased hair, heavy makeup and even sometimes in suggestive attire, and sing adult torch songs. But I wouldn’t try to ban this activity; it’s a show, and it’s really none of my business.

I was also a bit uncomfortable with the young child dancing at the male bar, but as long as no laws were broken, ie underage drinking and such, and the parents consented and were present, it’s really none of my business. It’s a show.

If you have a different reaction to the first example than the second example, you may want to ask yourself why that is. Far more children are sexually abused or trafficked by means other than these shows. There’s practically no correlation between doing these shows and sexual abuse that I’m aware of, at least.