Upper Lachlan Shire Council has come out swinging against what it described as "disturbing leaflets and misinformation" being spread about Rainbow story time.
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The council had invited Bathurst drag queen, Betty Confetti, to conduct a story time at Crookwell library in June to coincide with pride month. CEO Alex Waldron said as Ms Confetti was not available at that time, it would staged later in the year instead.
But on Saturday, three men reportedly placed pamphlets on windscreens and dropped them into businesses, encouraging community members to voice their opposition.
"Upper Lachlan Council want to bring 'drag queens' to tell stories to little children aged three to eight years old...Do you think this is a good idea?," it stated.
"Little children should be out playing sports, learning life skills, being with parents and friends...This can't be good for our children; they will grow up taking all these problems with them."
The material carried Betty Confetti's image, listed councillors' contact details and asked people to let the council know what they thought.
The dissemination follows Goulburn Mulwaree Council's cancellation of story time with Betty Confetti, scheduled for June 3. Council general manager Aaron Johansson said he could not guarantee staff "physical and psychosocial safety," following "intimidating behaviour" directed at them.
In a joint statement, Upper Lachlan Mayor Pam Kensit, councillors and CEO, Alex Waldron, said "propaganda spreading hatred, vilification, and attempting to force the cancellation of rainbow story time later this year has no place in our community."
"Upper Lachlan Shire Council, the mayor and councillors will receive and note these type of emails only and no further response will be made," the statement read.
"Rainbow story time is about embracing everyone in our community. The books are read by a drag entertainer dressed in brightly coloured, sparkly drag, and are intended as a fun way to encourage reading, acceptance of diversity and inclusion. Story time includes titles such as; 'You're fabulous just the way you are.'
The council said people were free to attend the closed event with their children and choice was an important part of Australia's freedoms
"If we remove choice and inclusivity then where will we be? Drag as a form of creative expression has existed in Australian theatre and cultural performance for decades so we are shocked to find this kind of hatred and homophobia still exists. Please do not let it infiltrate our community," the statement read.
The council said it would hold specialised story time sessions at libraries throughout the year that promoted visible diversity and inclusion, and freedom of expression. This included Aboriginal Dreamtime stories read by First Nations people, sensory story time, rural based story time, simultaneous story time and more.
Council CEO Alex Waldron said it would also include rainbow story time.
Crookwell businessman, Floyd Davies, said while he wasn't in town on Saturday, he was advised three unknown men distributed the material. It did not carry a name. His newsagency didn't receive one.
"I understand they were walking up the street and handing out these pamphlets," he said.
"...I don't have an opinion one way or the other on Rainbow Storytime but there appears to be some anti-sentiment out there."
Council CEO Alex Waldron said the people handing out the leaflets "were not known to be Upper Lachlan residents."
Either way, Betty Confetti, described it as "a pure and simple hate crime."
"Once again it is targeted at me and it's something the LGBTQIA+ community has to continually defend itself against," she said.
"I get frustrated when all we are trying to do is help people understand diversity and love. But we are met with hatred, bigotry and death threats."
She stressed that Rainbow Storytime was not about "indoctrination or sexualisation" but showing how uniqueness and diversity could be embraced and celebrated and "it was okay to be different."
In addition, drag queens wore appropriate costumes for the setting, she said. In her case, it included colour, vibrancy and big pink "Marge Simpson" type wig which said children loved."
Betty said it was "inhumane" to treat people as though they didn't belong in society.
Do you have something to say about this issue? Send a letter to the editor. Click here for the Goulburn Post
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
