A few weeks ago our local library allowed Draq Queen Story Hour to take place at the main branch. A friend and I attended. I want to write about my experience here so the emotions from that day remain in my heart and as an encouragement to other followers of Christ to do the bold things He is asking us to do.
When I first heard from another friend that DQSH was coming to our town, I was angered. How dare "they" come to our town and exploit the children of this area. Yet at the same time, I felt the Lord prompting my heart to do something to reach "them" with His love. Yes the homosexual / transgender agenda is a hot button item these days, but sin is sin in God's eyes. Not one worse than another in His mind, no varying degrees of sin. ("For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." James 2:10) My first thought was to make a poster. I would go and hold a poster which read, "Jesus loves you but He wants His best for you!" Talking it over with a few ladies, my friend Brandi said, "I don't think that's enough. We can't convey our heart to them in just a phrase on a poster. I think we should go." My mouth dropped. What an idea. As followers of Christ, we are called to love those around us like He did. Jesus didn't carry posters; He ate with the least of society in their homes.
The story hour would begin at 3 pm so Brandi and I planned to meet at the library around 2:30 pm. When we arrived there was a small crowd gathering outside the conference room in which the event would be held. It was not the type of crowd I was used to being around. Families of mixed gender and same gender parents, children of all ages, and 4 or 5 "Sisters". The event was being hosted by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. (I had googled them after doing some "research" the night before. I honestly wanted to desensititze myself to drag queens as I've only been around them a few times. There was a story hour in a nearby city so I watched all the news coverage on that and checked out the website of the hosting organization.) The "Sisters" are African-American men who dress in nuns' robes, wear platform combat boots, and paint their faces white with turquoise eyelashes and make-up. Needless to say, Brandi and I were out of our element. We made our way to a side table in the waiting area to write short notes to the readers / performers (not sure what they would prefer to be called). I had brought a bag of HomeLife magazines and devotional books from our church to leave with the readers as well but Brandi and I wanted to add a personal touch with our notes.
About 10 minutes later, the doors opened and we found a seat near the back of the small auditorium. Sitting in that room was awkward, almost comical (Are we really here?), saddening (probably 30-40 preschool children brought by their parents to experience something which they don't even understand), and faith-building all at the same time. My silent pray which I also whispered to Brandi as we waited was, "Jesus, help me to see these people as You see them." What I saw was a story time going along as they normally always do with something different involved, something under the surface. Each reader sat down in a chair before the group of children who were seated on the floor. Some readers had a calmer demeanor than others. These men obviously don't speak publicly before crowds of people on a regular basis. Reading a story book to a crowd that size would make me nervous myself. Some of the books I had heard of and even read to my own children ("The Rainbow Fish" and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"), but others were new to me (a tale of a boy who liked to try on all the shoes in his parents' closet). The reader of "The Rainbow Fish" was introduced as Miss Spartanburg Pride 2018 and his pageantry was on display. Wearing a skin-tight, shimmery gown covered in a fish-scale pattern, he walked back and forth before the children, caressing his hip and buttock with the hand not holding the book. Brandi and I were uncomfortable watching this reader. Not something I would want my children to experience.
Once all the readers had finished, an announcement was made that they would remain in the room for 10 minutes for autographs and pictures. I looked at Brandi and said, "Well, now it's time we speak with someone or else we've come in vain and just attended a story hour without our children." Thankfully it was the moment our strength came from Jesus and not ourselves. In my own ability, I would have run for the hallway!
We approached one reader who happened not to have a crowd gathering around him (the flashier the make-up and sparklier the gown drew the bigger crowds). Brandi and I introduced ourselves and shook hands with the reader. Very politely, Brandi just told this person that we wanted to take a different approach than the people outside. We spoke with him and then two of the Sisters in the entryway. Our conversations continued like this... "We just want you to know that there are people who love you and who will come inside to tell you that. We want you to know that Jesus loves you, but He wants something better for you. We all struggle with things in life and He is the one who can help. We didn't bring our children with us as we don't agree with this lifestyle, but we just wanted to come and say hello and tell you we love you." One of the Sisters said he really appreciated us coming inside. The other almost had a sadness in his eyes as if our words did hit home.
I wonder if we were bold enough. Maybe that's just a starting point in making these men wonder if there is something more to life. I pray the magazines we left and our notes (I suggested listening to "Love Like This" by Lauren Daigle on youtube) will be seeds watered by Jesus in their hearts to draw them to Him.
I write about this experience like I mentioned earlier to keep the fire alive in my own heart but also to ignite it in yours. Jesus could come back any day and until then we need to lay aside our own pride, insecurities, or honest laziness and share Him with others.