Posted June 11, 2019

A Havertown mother and grandmother is rallying residents to protest the planned Drag Queen Storytime set for Saturday, June 15 at the Haverford Township Free Library.

The event features men dressed as women as they read stories to children. According to the library’s website, the event “entertains children by teaching diversity, friendship and acceptance through reading children’s stories.”

Resident Lorraine Williams, who in an email message called Drag Queen Storytime “a scourge” on the community, said the harm that it does to children is “unspeakable” and should not be allowed.

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“While the drag queens impersonate women,” she said, “the womanly image they portray is degrading, over sexualized and garish. I know of no woman who uses makeup like the drag queens do. This is an affront to the human person on so many levels.”

In organizing a response to the planned event, Williams led a prayer vigil at her home Sunday night, June 9, attended a township commissioners’ meeting Monday night and is encouraging people to attend an open meeting of the library’s board on Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m., all in order to cancel the event at the library.

If the event proceeds as scheduled, Williams plans to hold what she called a “peaceful prayer vigil” 10 a.m. Saturday at the library.