A reading workshop for children with drag queens “reoriented” by the town hall of Toulouse
Through Melina Le Corre
Published on
A controversial event. Program at the Toulouse media library, a reading workshop for children led by drag queens was “redirected” by the town hall of Toulouse, under pressure from the extreme right.
5,000 signatories
Intended for children aged 3 to 6, this workshop was to take place on Saturday February 18 animated by two drag queen performers : Brandy Snap and Shanna Banana, as part of a festival on Queer culture. Another event was planned Saturday, February 4 at the MJC Roguet.
The two drags are used to this kind of event, it was the third reading for one of them in Toulouse, specifies the artists in a video. “The purpose of his readings is to promote tolerance, the respect, self-acceptance imposed only on gender or linked to sexuality”.
But the town hall of Toulouse has decided to reschedule the event for kids. The reason ? The publication of a request induced by the identity group French fury. She collect nearly 5,000 signatories to finally be deleted, according to our colleagues from France Blue. Since then, Twitter has been on fire between violent reactions to this reading workshop and to the decision of the Mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc, to “redirect” the event.
An act of “appeasement” for the town hall
Contacted by Actu Toulouse, the town hall defends itself The Toulouse Library has programmed, with Espace Diversités Laïcité, a sequence of activities (exhibition, conferences, debates and readings) in order to better understand the changes in our society. Regarding what is planned for Saturday, February 18, this is a reading that intends make young people aware of the differencein a playful way from works that do not only deal with gender issues.
This choice of programming – which did not give rise to no visa we endorsement by elected officials – can destabilize part of the public. This is obviously not the will of the Collectivity. ”
However, the town hall condemned condemned all forms of extremismthreat or discriminatory expression towards Shanna Banana and Brandy Snap, who work in the workshop in question.
Jean-Luc Moudenc, Mayor of Toulouse and President of Toulouse Métropole, will also ask Gerald DarmaninMinister of the Interior, the dissolution of the “Furie Française” movement, at the origin of the threats and disturbance to public order. »
In a ” concern for appeasement“, the reading will be “redirected” for an adult audience. “Parents wishing to involve their children in this type of workshop could, of course, do so, but in a private setting”, discovered the town hall.
Other events of this kind have already provoked lively controversy, particularly in Brittany or Bordeaux.
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