UPDATE 15:40pm 13/01: According to reports, Wilson Gavin, the president of the University of Queensland’s Liberal National Club has died in a suspected suicide.
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The Veronicas singer Jess Origliasso has called out a group of protestors after they stormed a drag queen storytelling event in Brisbane over the weekend, reportedly traumatising a group of children in attendance.
Origliasso posted an Instagram video of the protestors, who entered the LGBTQ event and began chanting “Drag queens are not for kids.”
According to News.com.au, police were called to Brisbane Square Library after people complained the protestors were scaring the children.
“This morning a good friend of mine took her daughter along to a children’s storytelling event in Brisbane by two gorgeous Drag Queens, when a screaming group calling themselves the UQ young Libs stormed the event in a public library, causing chaos and distress to the children and everybody there,” the singer captioned the video.
“What they did today was unnecessarily add to the bigotry, division and trauma young children are left to face in today’s society,” she added. “This was a fun morning put on for families who wanted to be part of it – if you don’t like the idea – don’t go.”
“But you don’t get to decide what other parents get to enjoy with their children,” The Veronicas singer added.
Speaking to Sunrise, drag queen performer Johnny Valkyrie said the protestors “put children, families, staff and the public in the line of conflict and vilification.”
“This is not about politics. This is about humanity,” they told Sunrise. “The family and the children were distressed by the event.”
In an Instagram statement, Rainbow Families Queensland said their event, which was run by “two Blue Card registered and fully trained drag queens,” saw the children enjoy “singing and dancing, reading, and doing craft.”
Rainbow Families also stated that “drag queen storytime is a highly successful event that has been held four times in Brisbane over the past two years,” and added the quote from coordinator Holly Zwalf, “Love makes a family. There’s no room for hate in our hearts.”
The Veronicas, Johnny Valkyrie and Rainbow Families Queensland all make valid points. Protests like this breed hatred, traumatise children and turn a harmless and beautiful event for families into awful experience.
Echoing the comments of Origliasso, if you don’t agree with it – don’t go, but don’t disrespect and discriminate against others in the process.
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