Locals Defend BK Drag Story Hour With Rainbow Umbrellas

CROWN HEIGHTS, NY — Supporters donning bright rainbow umbrellas defended a Drag Story Hour at the Brooklyn Children's Museum Thursday afternoon as protesters yelled outside, according to a representative and videos posted to social media.

About a dozen protesters yelled and cursed outside the children's event scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Crown Heights museum — and they were met with a group of supporters about twice the size, according to a representative of the museum.

Videos posted to X show a wall of rainbow umbrellas standing guard outside the museum, as supporters of the Drag Story Hour created clanking noises to drown out the protests.

"At least the rainbows are outnumbering them,” one passerby told freelance reporter Talia Jane.

It's not the first conflict to arise outside a Drag Story Hour in Brooklyn this year — in September, a bomb threat was reported just 30 minutes before a Drag Story Hour event was scheduled to begin at Brooklyn's Cortelyou library, police said.

And, as the library did in September, the Brooklyn Children's Museum defended the value of such programming.

"As an institution dedicated to education, cultural enrichment, and the well-being of children, we believe in providing programming that reflects the rich tapestry of our city and our country," a spokesperson for Brooklyn Children's Museum told Patch.

"Literacy is not only about reading words on a page but also about understanding and appreciating different perspectives, experiences, and identities."

Similar Drag Story Hours across the city have faced protests and pushback, including one on the Upper East Side in February. In December 2022, protesters vandalized City Council Member Erik Bottcher's home over his support of Drag Story Hour events, the New York Times reported.

"By exposing children to a variety of voices and stories, we are helping seed compassion and understanding in children that will bloom for generation after generation,” a spokesperson for Brooklyn Children's Museum told Patch.