“Drag Queen Story Hour ” has become the target of protestors voicing old tropes about the “grooming of children” by LGBTQ+ people. What was once a dog whistle against the acceptance of the community during my early childhood has become a popular cry for those that oppose the celebration of the authentic self in the literary arts. From rural towns with smaller queer communities to large cities seen as haven for all walks of life, these protests not only endanger the performers but also the families seeking to provide their children with an opportunity to become engaged in reading and literacy.
PEN America reported that more than 2,500 books, the majority of which include themes related to race, racism, and gender, were banned in 2022. The irony of course is that some of our treasured and talented writers, both past and present, from Maya Angelou to Walt Whitman, James Baldwin to Zora Neale Hurston, Brandon Taylor to Art Spiegelman, have explored the trauma created in an oppressive society. Banning books, a headline that surprisingly hasn’t been ripped from a headline from 1930s Germany, not only silences the voices of literary talent, but also harms the self-esteem, mental health, and well-being of our country’s already marginalized and maligned communities, impeding an opportunity for all readers to connect to some of the most primitive human experiences of survival. What is the role of our writing community in protecting our artists?
The answer may be found in the word community. Whether or not we relate to a particular identity or expression, I believe it is our duty as a writing community to unify on a platform that situates us as allies to those most marginalized in literature. The stated mission of the Paper Dragon is to “provide a platform for the amplification of and discourse amongst communities that have historically been underrepresented in literature.” However, this goal cannot be met in a vacuum. Our Editorial Team recognizes that justice in literature extends beyond the amplification of underrepresented voices.
In a time of increased polarization, it is important to consider ways in which our community can support the literary arts. We can purchase at local booksellers, share new releases from underrepresented authors on our social media stories, and fight back against the demonization of events, like drag queen story hour, that support literacy and reading for our youth. Our literary community must stand in support of our fellow artists, whether or not their message is for us. As the great Ray Bradbury wrote, “There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”
From Your Paper Dragon Editors,
Adam Zahn Editor-in-Chief