Missouri Republican proposes bill criminalizing drag queen story hours

It’s called the Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act, but the bill a Republican lawmaker just introduced in Missouri is specifically targeted at libraries’ drag queen story hour events, according to NBC News.

Related: Mrs. Kasha Davis on the importance of drag queens reading books to kids

State Rep. Ben Baker said his bill would require all Missouri public libraries to establish voter-elected parental review boards tasked with approving library display material and events. But he specified that he’s not aiming to censor books; he’s seeking to stop drag queen story hours.

“They’ve had these drag queen story hours, and that’s something that I take objection to and I think a lot of parents do,” Baker said. “That’s where in a public space, our kids could be exposed to something that’s age-inappropriate. That’s what I’m trying to tackle.”

Under the bill, any librarian who defies the parental review boards would face misdemeanor charges and the potential of a $500 fine or a year in jail.

Related: Drag queen shuts down anti-gay protestor saying gays will be ‘cast into a lake of fire’

Shira Berkowitz, communications manager for the Missouri LGBTQ advocacy organization PROMO, told NBC News the bill is “just based on fear.”

“The oppositional spin is that these [events] are supposedly dangerous in a religious context, or dangerous because LGBTQ people are sexualized,” Berkowitz explained. “Right-wing media spinning a reading experience for children into something sexual is what is creating bills like this.

They added: “I think….

Read full story, and more, from Source: Missouri Republican proposes bill criminalizing drag queen story hours

Share

About Gay Today

Editor of Gay Today