Literacy queens: Saint John's drag performers host reading event for kids

Books aboutlove, tolerance and self-acceptance take on a whole new meaning when they are being read by drag queens and kings.

Shawn Craft,ElyseMcWilliamsand Alex Saunders were in full performance attire as theyreadto children in Saint John at Drag Queen and KingStorytime, part of Pride Week in southwestern NewBrunswick.

"I am always happy to answer kids' questions because they are so basic," said Saunders, who performs as drag king Justin 2D.

"The reason I do this is to broaden 'normal,'" said Craft, dressed asdrag queen Dia Monde. "There is no normal."

Drag queens and kingsare individuals whopresent as one gender during their everyday life, but dress up and perform as another for entertainment and self-expression.

Hyper queens are peoplewho typically present aswomenbut takeon the exaggerated features of a drag queen when they perform.

This was McWilliams's hyper queen persona.

"I really just didn't want people to label me. Once you get a label, that becomes the defining thing about you."

The three performers read books with messages of love, self-acceptance and tolerance of others.

One story tellsof a blue crayon mistakenly labelled as red, another of a young boy and his purse.

Mick MacNeilsaid he's glad he brought his four-year-old daughter.

"Me and her mother got a divorce so we have a non-traditional family structure," he said. "So it's good for her to realize there's different kinds of pairings."

On top of that, he said it's simply a fun activity for his daughter, Rosalie.

All three readers did drag at different times in their lives andsay they wish they'd been exposed to stories like this earlier.

Craft is also gay and only started doing drag recently.

"[During) most of my middle school, high school, I was just afraid to be who I was," he said. "I just pretended to be the typical ... as straight as I could be. So I'd fit in, not get teased."

"I was bullied extensively in elementary. I think if I had had these types of examples I maybe would have been more open to being just myself. I learned to go with the flow and be myself [but]I could have done it and been happier at a much earlier age."

The drag performers said children asked them questionsand also pointed out it's not typical for a boy to carry a purse, but there was no hidden motive behind it.

"'My brain made up this question just now, please satisfy it. I need the answer,'" Saunders said, imitating the thought process of children.

Asking questions is OK and in fact, encouraging curiosityis the whole point, the readers say.

"If we can reach one kid that maybe does have an interest in drag, or is confused about their gender, or think they might like boys or girls and they're a boy or a girl it was worth it," said Craft.

"Hopefully, they can walk away and say, 'oh, there are people like me. I'm not alone.'"