LANCASTER, Pa. — A planned "Drag Queen Story Hour" next Saturday at the Lancaster Public Library has received pushback from local GOP leaders. The group organizing the event, Lancaster Pride, is fighting back.
Pennsylvania House Minority Leader Brian Cutler (R-Lancaster) released a statement earlier in the week criticizing the event and the library for hosting it.
“The Lancaster Public Library has lost its way and perhaps that is why it has lost significant donor support to further its operations," the statement read. "Instead of remaining neutral in some of the most divisive issues of our time, the Lancaster Public Library has clearly thrown its doors wide open for one exclusive set of values – one that is not reflective of the majority of our community. Whether it is in our public schools or our public libraries, the hyper-sexualization of our children at publicly supported institutions must come to an end.”
Similar statements were released by other Lancaster County state representatives, saying the event is immoral and is meant to sexualize children.
Tiffany Shirley, the president of Lancaster Pride, which is organizing the event, told FOX43 that the event and the many similar events across the country do not promote anything sexual or immoral to children.
"It is 100% family-friendly, age-appropriate," Shirley said. "There's nothing going on that is not appropriate for children."
The event, which sees drag performers reading books to attendees, has been held in other parts of central Pennsylvania, including Cumberland County in 2022. Shirley says critics of the event have misconstrued it.
"They are turning something that is so innocent into something that it's not," Shirley said. "This is a family-friendly, fun time where we all get together and enjoy each other's company. There's no agenda, there is nothing indoctrinating or sexualizing in this event."
Shirley says both she and the library have received hateful calls and messages since the criticism began, but the event will go forward.
"We're humans, we want to exist without political persecution," Shirley said. "We want to be who we are and exist as a person and not have a story time turn into a whole political debate."
The event will take place at the Lancaster Public Library on Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. Extra security will be on hand.