Members of a women’s motorcycle club defended families outside a library in Canada where a Drag Queen Story Hour was underway while nearly two dozen people came to protest the event.
Outside the Middlesex County Library in Parkhill, Ontario, people had gathered to menace families who were trying to enjoy a fabulous time of creativity by listening to a drag queen read stories.
Protestors falsely claimed to the Canadian media outlet CTV that the drag queens were going to dress inappropriately to read to the children present.
Over the last year, far-right extremists around the world have cast drag queens and LGBTQ+ people as inherently sexual and dangerous to children.
Protesters blared a siren from a megaphone as families attempted to enter the library, according to CTV. In the parking lot, Strathroy Pride organizers escorted the attendees to the event. The group organized the story time along with Rainbow Optimists.
Members of the Wind Sisters with drag queens who read to children.
“It’s unfortunate that a lot of families have to walk through that, and I feel for the children who had to walk through that,” explained Frank Emanuele, a director with Strathroy Pride told the outlet. “We want to be supportive to everybody that’s brave enough to come to these events. We want to make sure they feel protected.”
To maintain order inside the library, three Ontario Police officers were present.
Nonetheless, a group of self-proclaimed protectors, the Wind Sisters, stood watch outside.
“Historically, a butch — like me, and I’ve been one for 50 years now — our role in the community has always been one of the great protectors,” Patricia Ginn of Wind Sisters, an organized motorcycle club with more than 4,000 people in North America, told the television network.
A chain of Wind Sisters linked at the arms stood guard outside a drag community event.
“Today, we wanted to come here and show protection and help the community celebrate all of our inclusivity,” she continued.
Ginn’s club members gathered from all parts of southwestern Ontario.
In discussing her life-long struggles, she got emotional.
“As a young tomboy, when I came out, there was nowhere for me to go,” said Ginn. “I was born in a small town in Quebec, and it was a scary time for us, so we just hid in the closet. We didn’t come out to big events like this.”
Ultimately, the event occurred without significant incidents, and no arrests were made.
