Calgary's Nicholls Family Library was host to two drag kings Wednesday as they read to parents and toddlers for the Calgary Public Library's Reading for Royalty story hour..Drag king artists The Frizz and Nola Neptune read various LGBTQ2+-themed storybooks to a group of bemused children and their parents in a late-morning story session..Approximately 14 parents and 17 children attended the show, some of whom were dressed in rainbow colours with LGBTQ2+-themed accessories..Two of the books sung to the audience borrowed tunes from classic children's nursery rhymes..The diminutive and surprisingly reserved Nola Neptune delivered his rendition of one book titled The Hips on the Drag Queen go Swish, Swish, Swish inviting the audience to sing it to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round..Another book titled If You're a Drag Queen and You Know It went with the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It and asked the audience to "strike a pose" and "blow a kiss.".Lyrics from the books, both written by Lil Miss Hot Mess, include, "The shoulders on the drag queen go shimmy, shimmy, shimmy" and "The jewels on the drag queen go bling, bling, bling.". Drag king story hourCalgary's Nicholls Family Library users chat to drag artists after the show .The storytime went for 45 minutes after which parents and children were granted a selfie opportunity with the drag artists. Parents also chatted with the drag kings and the library organizers..After the show, the Western Standard asked one parent how she thought drag king story time events contributed to the social and emotional development of children.."I think it's so good for all ages — to be exposed to everyone. I think it's really important that they know that everyone can be accepted and that everyone can dress the way they want. If they see that in a different setting, it's not labelled as weird or strange — that it's just accepted with love," said Calgary mom Sarah Staple, mother to a little girl almost three years old..Staple said that she'd had trouble finding a drag story event with any spaces left. "This was the first one that we could get into. All the rest we tried to get into were completely booked," she said..One father said he thought bringing children to drag artist events helps develop their imagination and courage.."It teaches them that they can be what they want to be without fear of ... well, people show up and protest these events," said Paul McCarroll, father to two small girls..McCarroll said his daughters "seemed to have a blast" but acknowledged that the fact that the artists were two women dressed as men was completely lost on his toddlers..Most children in the audience ranged from age 6 months to around four years old..Amazon's LGBTQ2S+ Parenting & Families book department currently offers approximately 1,000 fiction and non-fiction titles whose topics range from single-sex parents to handbook guides on transgender teens for parents and professionals..The Nicholls Family library in Calgary has been hosting drag storytime since 2018, according to one librarian. Performances will continue throughout Pride Month.
