By Kevin Ferrisi –

GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT – As Connecticut begins celebrating Pride Month, a reminder of why that celebration remains necessary unfolded in Guilford this week. Local drag performer BLEACH! was scheduled to host Drag Storytime at Guilford Free Library yesterday afternoon, but the event was canceled after the library received backlash through phone calls and emails opposing the event. The decision has sparked concern among the LGBTQ+ community, who feel that the controversy highlights the ongoing challenges faced by queer communities and the importance of Pride as both a celebration and a call for visibility and acceptance.

On Wednesday, the day before the scheduled event, BLEACH! took to social media to announce that the drag story hour had been canceled. In a video message, the performer said the library had received concerns and threats, leading administrators to cancel the story hour for safety reasons and instead host an adults-only question-and-answer session. 

Despite the cancellation, she shared in her video that plans to attend remained unchanged. “Due to backlash the story hour has been canceled, however, I will still be there. Adults only and come get to know me. If you have a question about a drag queen, here I am. I’m not that scary, I swear. There might be protesters, they said. Am I nervous or afraid? A little.”

The Big Hearts Book Club at the Guilford Free Library had planned to host a Pride Month-themed Drag Storytime yesterday, June 4th, for children ages 5 to 8. The program was scheduled as part of the library’s ongoing series of social-emotional learning events designed to help young children develop empathy and understanding. Drag performer BLEACH! was expected to lead a discussion about the LGBTQ+ community, read picture books focused on queer experiences, and guide participants through a related craft activity. Children who attended were also set to receive a free book connected to the theme of Pride Month. However, the event did not take place as planned.

Following the event, ConnecticutDrag.com reached out to BLEACH! and she shared, “It’s disappointing that due to backlash, a community centered event had to be canceled. Not only does that mean less visibility, which is what matters the most, but it, inadvertently, also undermines all of the hard work that the staff put into organizing this type of event. Pride is about inclusion and visibility and that was taken away.” 

Regardless of the change in plans, BLEACH! said the event still turned into a meaningful experience for those who attended. The smaller gathering gave audience members an opportunity to ask questions and hear more about her personal journey. During the event, BLEACH! was presented with a drawing from a young fan, a gesture that meant a great deal to her. She shared that handmade gifts, including drawings and friendship bracelets, are among her most treasured keepsakes because they represent the time and care someone invested in creating them. Throughout the afternoon, attendees listened closely, asked questions, and connected with the performer in a more intimate setting.

In attendance was local photographer Linda-Cristal Young, a familiar presence at drag shows and community events across the state known for documenting many of Connecticut’s most memorable drag moments. 

Linda shared with ConnecticutDrag.com, “The cancellation of the Drag Storytime at Guilford Library feels like a betrayal of the acceptance the town of Guilford just showed in their Pride event on the Guilford Green just a few weeks ago. My own children at the ages of 5-8 just wanted to hear stories of acceptance in all the ways we are as humans, and to hear that a library receives phone calls against this, to the point where the event has to be canceled, is heartbreaking.”

The debate over drag story hours has played out in communities across the United States and around the world, with some events drawing protests from opponents. Supporters of the programs argue that drag is a form of artistic expression that celebrates gender identity and provides visibility for LGBTQ+ people. They contend that seeing adults openly express themselves can help young people feel accepted and understood, particularly those questioning their own identities. 

Critics, however, have increasingly targeted drag-related events, reflecting broader cultural and political disputes over LGBTQ+ representation. Advocates say those efforts are not simply about drag performances themselves, but about limiting the visibility of queer identities in public spaces. Opponents of drag story hour events have often portrayed drag queens as sexual predators, morally corrupt individuals, or people attempting to “groom” children into becoming LGBTQ+, characterizations that advocates and LGBTQ+ organizations strongly reject.

A drag story hour can be a positive community program because it encourages literacy, creativity, and a love of reading in an engaging environment. Children are exposed to diverse forms of self-expression and learn values such as kindness, inclusion, and respect for people who may be different from themselves. Supporters argue that these events help foster empathy, reduce prejudice, and create welcoming spaces where families from a variety of backgrounds can come together around books and storytelling.

Many supporters also note that children typically view drag performers in a similar way that they view people dressed as princesses, superheroes, or other colorful characters at family events. Young children generally focus on the costumes, storytelling, and entertainment rather than interpreting the performance in a sexual manner. From this perspective, drag performers are simply another type of costumed entertainer using creativity, humor, and imagination to engage children and make reading fun.

Photographer Linda-Cristal Young continued with, “What is really the difference between a librarian running a story hour and a person performing as a self-made character that is representing a queer viewpoint reading a book aloud? These books with LGBTQ representation are already in the library’s collection, and are beloved by families, there’s nothing wrong with sharing them together as a group, especially with someone with a great dramatic reading voice!”

The situation in Guilford is not the first time Connecticut has seen controversy surrounding a drag story hour. In recent years, similar events have drawn local debate and, in some cases, cancellation. In 2024, an Enfield Pride program scheduled to include a drag story hour at the Enfield Public Library was canceled following community backlash linked to the event. Earlier that year, the Enfield Town Council voted to prohibit the display of the Pride flag at town hall, a decision that also drew public attention. The Guilford Free Library’s cancelled program adds to that broader pattern of contested LGBTQ+ programming at public institutions, even as similar events continue to be scheduled across the state.

The planned Guilford event would not have been BLEACH!’s first drag story hour appearance of the year. On May 17, she participated in a drag story hour hosted by Milford Pride outside Mermaid Books, where a small group of children and their caregivers gathered for an afternoon of stories. Similar events continue to be scheduled across Connecticut throughout Pride Month. Middletown PrideFEST will feature a drag story hour at RJ Julia Booksellers on June 6th, while Capital City Pride in Hartford has a drag story hour planned for June 13th. The East Hampton Public Library is also set to host a drag story hour on June 20th with Summer Orlando.