Public library taps drag queen to host children's story hour

As issues on gender sensitivity, gay slur and LGBT rights continue to intensify worldwide, a non-profit organisation has been quietly giving voice to queer writers and artists.

Radar Productions, which curates public events that support emerging queer artists, has partnered with the San Francisco Public Library in California, US to host Drag Queen Story Hour for children on March 12. The event will feature Honey Mahogany at the Eureka Valley Harvey Milk Memorial Library, according to the group’s Facebook page.

Honey, whose real name is Alpha Mulugeta, is a drag performer, singer and television personality. Honey gained worldwide fame as a cast member on Season 5 of the reality television cult phenomenon “RuPaul's Drag Race.” As a singer, Honey became known for covering Adele's "Hometown Glory," and in Feb. 2014, the six-track debut EP “Honey Love” was released. Honey is also known for appearances on HBO’s “Looking,” and starring in Star Trek LIVE! Mudd's Women as Uhura.

Honey will come to the event fully made up and dressed in true drag queen fashion, and will be reading stories to children. The activity will also feature face painting and cookies for guests.

This is not the first time that Radar Productions held a Drag Queen Story Hour. The March 12 event comes on the heels of two successful runs, according to Radar executive director Juliana Delgado Lopera.

“It's a kid's world to be very imaginative. If children were allowed they would dress up every day,” Lopera told SFGate. “I don't think they're thinking about gender assumptions. They're just seeing the drag queens as other people who are being imaginative.”

The event falls under the group’s larger effort called Queering the Castro that seeks to shed light on the full range of queer culture, according to the report by SFGate. Radar Productions was founded by queer writer and spoken word performer Michelle Tea in 2006. In addition to Drag Queen Story Hour, the group also produces the monthly Radar Reading Series, sponsors the Sister Spit Next Generation tours, and hosts the Radar Lab writers retreat.