An LGBTQ+ event hosted by a local youth society has been protested once again.

A Drag Queen Storytime event at the Coquitlam Public Library on Jan. 14 was met with protestors who waved homophobic signs and yelled insults and slurs at attendees. At the event, performers read to children attending the events with their parents.

Samantha Wink, a spokeswoman for the Coquitlam Public Library, said the goal of a Drag Story Time event is to model inclusiveness, kindness and acceptance, as well as to promote a love of reading.

“It is a voluntary event for people who may identify as LGBTQ2IA+, people in same-sex caregiver(s) families, their allies and interested members of the public,” she said in an email.

“Drag Story Time is not the same as drag performance for adults. The content of the story time, such as the books read and the songs sang, was age-appropriate and chosen by a professional librarian.”

The same week, founder of Action4Canada Tayna Gaw spoke at a Mission city council meeting asking what steps the city was taking to remove SOGI 123 and comprehensive sexuality education resources from the district. Action4Canada has been protesting Drag Storytimes since November of last year.

In the summer of 2022, Fraser Valley Youth Society's drag storytime event was held in Abbotsford in collaboration with The Reach Gallery and was protested.

Co-executive director of the Fraser Valley Youth Society Ali Slack and drag performer Frankie spoke with CIVL about the story time events and what's been happening in the valley.   

Listen below for the full interview: