The Vernon and Kelowna branches of the Okanagan Public Library will be holding a Drag Storytime for families in the area.
"Join us for a joyful and inclusive storytime featuring Ella Lamouroux!" reads the library's event page.
"This storytime is for all ages and includes songs, rhymes, and stories celebrating the diversity of our communities."
A post asking for thoughts on the upcoming storytime has garnered 934 comments in the private Facebook group Vernon Rant and Rave (uncensored).
A number of the comments on the Facebook post pointed to things like Twisted Sister or Mrs. Doubtfire as past examples of children/young adult content similar to drag storytimes. Community Advocate Dawn Tucker said they want people to understand that the storytimes are adapted for the audience.
"Robin Williams used to do really raunchy comedy. And then he got into acting and then he did a lot of children's voice… And people need to realize that people can adapt for the audience," said Tucker.
"I think it's important to understand that this is adapted for the audience. This person going in is adapting their clothing and what they're doing for the audience."
Tucker says people who aren’t interested in the event can simply choose not to attend.
"Ultimately, it's parental choice. If it's not a storytime that you're interested in, the library puts on lots of other types of storytimes," said Tucker.
"This is a special storytime, and if people are not interested in going to a drag storytime, by all means, do not take your kids to go. If you want to go see a drag storytime, please come and see the drag storytime."
Drag Storytime has been surrounded by controversy in the past.
Back in 2019, former CEO of the Okanagan Regional Library, Don Nettleton, circulated an internal memo stating the event was controversial and potentially divisive.
"The announced program, while claiming to be promoting diversity and acceptance, will be offensive to a significant segment of our society," Nettleton wrote at the time.
Nettleton was later asked to attend diversity and inclusivity training after the comments he made.
Drag Storytime is set to take place in Vernon Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. and Kelowna with Freida Whales on Jan. 27 at 12:30 p.m.
