It wasn鈥檛 the first time that Old Nick鈥檚 Pub in Eugene hosted its Drag Queen Storytime event. Even so, news of the event on Oct. 23 drew hundreds of people to protest outside.
A couple hundred counter protesters formed a wall to protect the pub that morning, as about 50 people across the street grimaced back, brandishing guns and hateful protest signs.
Meanwhile, inside the pub, an 11-year-old girl, who goes by Vanellope, sat on a couch next to her mom, tearful.
鈥淲e鈥檒l make sure you鈥檙e so safe,鈥� an event organizer reassured her. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got all these people here to make sure you鈥檙e so safe.鈥�
Vanellope is a cis-gender girl who, for years, has been dressing in femme drag 鈥� big, glittery gowns, fake eyelashes, and wigs. Because of her age and for safety reasons, we鈥檙e not disclosing her full name.
Vanellope was listed as one of the guests of Drag Queen Storytime, during which people read stories to children while wearing drag. Several venues, libraries and schools host similar events across the country, including in Oregon.
But this one grabbed the attention of an online mob, who falsely claimed that children were being sexualized and that the event was put on by pedophiles. Event organizers said they were overwhelmed with hateful and threatening messages leading up to the event, so they considered canceling. But Vanellope didn鈥檛 want to give in.
鈥淚 thought to myself that, if that little girl can stand up for what鈥檚 right, then we can too,鈥� said bar owner Emily Chappell.
Chappell said they鈥檝e hosted drag events for a long time, but this is the first one that sparked a protest. She and other organizers think the online harassment and subsequent protest has a lot to do with political agendas.
鈥淭here is a targeted offense by right-wing media groups right now to target us because they want to push through anti-LGBTQ legislation,鈥� Chappell said.
Drag Queen Storytime organizer Jammie Roberts agreed. They said they鈥檝e hosted similar storytime events in Eugene and Southern Oregon for years.
鈥淭he fact that it鈥檚 blowing up now shows that there鈥檚 a narrative where they鈥檙e trying to vilify the queer community and drag people to fit their narrative for politics,鈥� Roberts said.
One piece of legislation Roberts and others are tracking is the so-called 鈥溾�� bill, which proposes a federal ban on any instruction that mentions gender identity to students between kindergarten and third grade. It mirrors a similar law that recently passed in Florida.
There鈥檚 also an effort in Idaho to in public venues.
Roberts said bills like this and protests like the one in Eugene stir up hate toward queer people, and it鈥檚 scary.
鈥淵es, it鈥檚 scary, but we have to show that we鈥檙e not weak and they can鈥檛 defeat us,鈥� Roberts said.
That鈥檚 why Roberts and other organizers decided in the end to push forward with the event. Old Nick鈥檚 Pub hired private security, and Eugene police had officers stationed around the area. Everyone who came into the pub, including children, was scanned with metal detectors for weapons. And before the event started, they were advised as to where the evacuation route would be.
鈥淲ho鈥檚 feeling good?鈥� Roberts asked the crowd, and got a loud applause in response.
鈥淚 love that energy, because we want to be as loud as we can be to show them that they won鈥檛 stop us,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be here, we鈥檙e going to be loud, and you can鈥檛 keep us down.鈥�
鈥淣o! You cannot,鈥� a child in the crowd responded.
Roberts wore a long sparkling gown with a bright orange wig. They read 鈥淯nicorn Club鈥� by Suzy Senior to a group of children sitting by the stage. In between readings, performers took to the stage, dancing to Disney hits and weaving through the venue as children waved.
Vanellope didn鈥檛 get her moment on stage for safety reasons, but she did get to read a book. She read 鈥淣o, David!鈥� by David Shannon. And over time, the yelling and protesting outside slowly quieted, and the readings inside the pub carried on.
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