SNP MP Mhairi Black masterfully shuts down critics of primary school’s drag queen story time
Scottish National Party MP Mhairi Black. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
SNP MP Mhairi Black has hit back at critics after visiting a local primary school with a drag performer for LGBT+ History Month.
The out MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South paid a visit to Glencoats Primary School in her constituency alongside local drag performer Flow on Thursday, reading a story to pupils.
Black, the school and the drag performer are all now facing a barrage of criticism from anti-LGBT+ campaigners online.
The Daily Star tabloid branded Flow an “adult entertainer” – noting that she has performed drag shows for adults under the name “Flowjob”.
Critics also dredged up Twitter posts from the performer in which she spoke about her struggle with addiction and made sexual references.
Anti-transgender campaigners take aim at drag queen story time.
The tabloid quoted anti-trans lobbying group ForWomen.Scot, which has previously hit out at Mhairi Black over her defiant support for trans equality.
On Twitter, Flow responded: “Yes ‘Flowjob’ is my stage name, but I was introduced as ‘Flow’ and I’ll have you know when the children were asked what they wanted at LGBT+ History Month, the first thing they wanted was a ‘drag queen’.”
She added: “It was amazing to see what the kids have learned, we live in a time where kids will be going to school with two mums/dads or LGBT+ family, we are showing them that it’s normal.
“Seeing how much the kids loved it honestly is worth all this online abuse, if we can teach them now it means stuff like this won’t happen to them when they are older.”
Mhairi Black wrote: “If my school had invited a gay MP and a drag queen to visit during LGBT+ History Month, or even acknowledged that LGBT+ History Month existed, it would have made an immeasurable difference to the difficult childhoods my LGBT+ classmates and I had.”
Mhairi Black MP fired back at critics of the event
Mhairi Black says anti-LGBT+ motives are ‘completely transparent’.
She continued: “So many people in my mentions want acknowledgment of LGBT+ people shut down because you still think there’a something inappropriate in our existence. You’re willing to see another generation of LGBT+ people growing up believing that who they are should be hidden away.
“Never mind the fact that doing so in the past has left a massively disproportionate number of LGBT+ people, generation after generation including my own, suffering severe mental health problems and higher suicide rates.
“The Simpsons has been mocking your ‘won’t somebody think of the children!’ faux sincerity since the 90s. I don’t know why you think repackaging it now isn’t completely transparent.”
LGBT Youth Scotland added: “We’re horrified to see the abusive messages and tweets targeting Glencoats Primary School for their bold and brilliant LGBT+ inclusive education practices.
“We are proud to work with their pioneering headteacher, and recognise the school as an example to others across the country.”
