Thank you to our contributors for their wisdom and experience in making this FAQ possible!

• Dr. Kristopher Wells, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, MacEwan University

• Rev. Nobuko Iwai, Ministry Personnel at Grosvenor Park United Church, SK

• Hazel Woodrow, Education Facilitator, Canadian Anti-Hate Network

• Karmella Barr, Drag Queen and 51st elected Emprex of the Dogwood Monarchist Society

• Toddy, drag artist, standup comedian and musician, winner of Season 1 of “Call Me Mother”

• Shane Onyou, Drag Artist (King)

• Keith Murray, queer faith leader, mystic and transdisciplinary artist

• Rev. Tori Mullin, minister in the United church of Canada, graduate of the United Theological College at the Montreal School of Theology (now United Church Studies @ Dio)

• Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai, minister in The United Church of Canada

• Anonymous drag community member, 5+ years of experience hosting and producing drag shows and member of the Gender and Sexually Diverse Community

Keith Murray: Drag is a playful expression of identity, it is costume, it is dress-up.

Toddy: To “get into drag” is to become a curated character or heightened version of yourself.

Karmella Barr: Drag is a form of creative expression that includes but is not limited to performing, make-up exploration, activism and performance.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: At its best, it is entertaining, thoughtful, and asks questions of what gender and gender expression means to individuals and society.

Anonymous: Drag is a performance art form involving depictions and characterizations of gender and sexuality. It is an explicitly queer art form, although it is inclusive towards those outside of the queer community. Drag performers often fall into one of three categories: Drag Queen, which involves portraying a female gendered character; Drag King, masculine-based characters; and Drag Monarchs who mix conventional masculine and feminine signifiers while identifying as either both or neither.

Today the stigma regarding permissible genders performing certain roles is less often seen. For example this means that cis women can be Drag Queens, or any other type of drag character, etc.

Shane Onyou: No, but none of these are mutually exclusive and can exist together.

Toddy: Cross dressing refers to the act of wearing clothes that are socially assigned to the “opposite gender.” This is what most folks who don’t understand drag see drag as. Some folks have used drag or cross dressing as a first step to understanding their trans identity, but drag, cross dressing, and trans identity are all vastly different.

Karmella Barr: Drag was originally an acronym that meant Dressed as A Girl back in the Shakespearean era. Many female roles were actually played by men as women were not allowed in the theatre at the time. However, drag has evolved over time and does not necessarily mean that someone is dressing in a different or opposite gender. Drag is more of a personal performance and expression that usually happens exclusively on stage, and transness is something that people are all the time. There is no clear on or off switch for transness.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Although drag has been widely popularized by 2SLGBTQ+ communities as a form of art and entertainment, anyone can be a drag performer. Drag is not based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather it is a form of artistic performance designed to question, challenge, and poke fun at gendered norms, roles, and assumptions. Drag is both a critique and an art form, which deliberately exaggerates forms of femininity and masculinity. Even celebrities like Dolly Parton have jokingly called themselves a “living drag queen,” which is in reference to her deliberately exaggerated feminine persona.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Drag is an activity in which an entertainer puts on a costume and a character for a period of time. Transgender people are not wearing costumes or pretending. Instead, when we do things to help our gender expression (our outsides) match our gender identity (our insides) we’re being our most authentic selves. A cross-dresser is someone who enjoys putting on clothing of a different gender than their own, this is for personal enjoyment and self-expression as opposed to a performance.

Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai: It would depend on who you ask. The most beautiful part about a healthy thriving 2SLGBTQ+ community, is that it offers people space for creative self-expression alongside support and affirmation. For some people, drag is a safe space to explore gender identity and expression. For others, drag is an opportunity to explore, express, and celebrate femininity and masculinity which doesn’t relate to their gender identity at all. Drag, cross dressing, and trans experience are all separate from each other but have the potential to be in conversation with each other.

These two concepts must be defined historically and also contemporarily.

Anonymous: Historically the two concepts were often linked together because of an indistinct boundary between the two terms. In the postwar era, popular transgender or historically “transsexual” representation was often minimal and stigmatized around sex work. This meant that many closeted transgender individuals were hesitant to claim a trans identity or unsure if they were “trans enough.” Additionally lack of information made many uncertain what these terms meant and to whom they applied. Cross-dressing was historically, as late at the 1990s, often a way that closeted trans people experimented with expressing a gender other than the one assigned at birth.

Historically, the term “transsexual” was more commonly used until the early 2000s when an effort to deprioritize medical intervention led to the popularity of the term transgender, focusing more on gender than sex. This change in terminology also reflected a greater understanding of the differences between sex and gender.

Currently, there is a larger gap between the concepts of “cross-dressing” and being “transgender.” Cross-dressing is a type of gender non-conforming behaviour which still can be a stepping stone identity towards exploring one’s transgender identity, however is also quite commonly an activity that occurs mostly for men during sex. Both homosexual and heterosexual crossdressers exist.

Transgender individuals are not individuals playing roles or dressing in gender non-conforming ways. Instead transgender people are those whose gender and sex assigned at birth do not match up. For example, someone who is a trans woman would be assigned male at birth but their gender is female. A trans man would be someone who was assigned female at birth but their gender is male.

Often transgender individuals fall within the gender binary, or they may define themselves as trans/non-binary or just non-binary if they do not fit within the gender binary.

The acronym D.R.A.G. (Dressed Role As Girl) refers to patriarchal social norms in the late middle ages and early modern eras. This designation was to inform theatre producers that the role would be female-presenting, even though contemporary social restrictions meant that only men were allowed on stage.

Repression of women is not the origins of modern drag however. This comes from William Dorsey Swan who earned the title “The Queen” for their series of drag balls held in Baltimore and Washington in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The term “drag” referred to the costumes worn by attendees. Advertisements for the drag balls would instruct patrons to “arrive wearing their drags,” which referred to the long petticoats worn by women at the time which would drag on the floor. Importantly, the balls did not just exhibit men dressed as women, but many different types of what would currently be termed “gender non-conforming behaviour.”

Shane Onyou: Absolutely not.

Toddy: The idea that drag is “inherently sexual” is a label that has been placed on our community in two different ways. The first is that historically drag was not safe to perform anywhere other than secret cabaret venues. We only need to look back a couple decades to see the criminalization of drag. The second is that we have been given the label of a “sexualized art form” because a lot of people cannot see dressing up as the opposite gender as anything BUT sexual. For us, gender exploration is something that is beautiful and expansive. Just like dance, there are adult dancers and there are jazz dancers. Some dancers can do both and some dancers prefer to do one or the other. Just like actors, some can do both R rated movies and voice a children’s character. Some are better at one or the other.

Karmella Barr: Drag can have many different styles. Some people may choose to express themselves in a way that some people may consider sexual, however that is not the only form of drag expression.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Drag is not a sexual behaviour or identity. It is a type of public performance designed to question and challenge societal understandings of gender identity and expression. You often hear of “drag queens,” but there are also “drag kings” and a range of different kinds of drag performances that defy binary classifications. Ultimately, drag invites us to question how our identities are actively constructed and regulated by societal expectations and norms, which often devalue femininity and privilege masculinity. As RuPaul famously stated, “We’re all born naked, and the rest is drag.”

Rev. Tori Mullin: Drag is very similar to clowning, in that a costume and persona are put on to entertain. At times, this persona may be sexual but that is up to each entertainer and depends on the audience they are performing for. Is a Cirque de Soleil performance inherently sexual? No, but at times Cirque de Soleil showcases more “adult” themed acts which they clearly label as such. Drag is much the same.

Rev Michiko Bown-Kai: No. In some cases, drag creates space to express sexuality/sexualities in ways that are unapologetic as a way of pushing back against the stigma/phobias that 2SLGBTQ+ people experience. But drag characters have the capacity to take on many roles that are not sexual at all. For example, drag kings and queens often act as emcees at special events, perform dance routines, read books to children at libraries, and march in Pride Parades.

Anonymous: There are so many rightwing anti-drag commentators who argue that drag is inherently sexual which means that it should be restricted and controlled. This is then used as a way to restrict the rights of trans people.

Karmella Barr: This means that the show caters to any person of any age, and performers and showrunners make a conscious effort to choose performances and costumes that highlight this fact as well.

Toddy: Unlike drag storytime, where the entire show is geared towards children, “all-ages” shows do have an element of parental discretion. All ages refers to content that would apply to the masses, think in the realm of PG rated movies, top 40 music, and live concerts.

Shane Onyou: “All-ages” shows can mean one of two things: performers are all ages, or the audience welcomes all ages. Youth who perform drag are creative and choose material and costume that is no less appropriate than a music video or a cheerleading performance.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: An all-ages drag show is a show in which people of all ages entertain other people of all ages by singing, lip singing, dancing, and telling stories. Often this includes dressing in clothing which calls us to examine our stereotypes around gender.

Anonymous: The term “family friendly” is a micro-aggression against queer people implying that families equates to the presence of children, and that families and queer art and thus queerness are incompatible.

Toddy: A child friendly drag show is showing kids that adults can be sparkly, so that if later in their life they meet a sparkly person, they know to treat them with dignity, kindness, and respect. Drag storytimes are about the celebration of ourselves no matter who we are. We will often speak about kindness and acceptance, and messages that are universal to every child. If a child in the audience happens to resonate deeply with our message or the drag performer, then that child might not see themself represented in the media or in their daily life. We are showing that everyone is loved no matter what.

Karmella Barr: Usually there are a few performances with radio versions of songs or Disney songs (songs appropriate for all ages) and some stories being read. Usually the stories highlight diversity like protagonists of varying experiences and expressions. Some books I have read: “It’s okay to be Different”, “Charlotte’s Web”, and “I Am Enough.”

Shane Onyou: Joyful, creative, fun, kind, encouraging, playful. All of the material is age appropriate, and all of the performers have police checks. No adult content, except the hateful messages brought by protesters, which can be violent and frightening.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: The hardest part is walking through those protestors who create a context of hatred, or who yell at performers, in particular in front of children. Without this element, it’s a story time with well-dressed storytellers.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Family drag shows, also known as “Rainbow or Drag Queen Storytime,” typically occur in places like public libraries and often as part of 2SLGBTQ+ community Pride celebrations. They are very colourful and vibrant events, which are designed to promote themes of acceptance, inclusion, and diversity. Normally, one or two drag queens will read stories while wearing fabulous colourful outfits. The stories read are always age-appropriate children’s books, many of which have been written by award-winning authors like Todd Parr. Children are often invited to read and sing along with the drag performers. Sometimes there is also a question-and-answer session that is included in the event. It’s important to remember that Drag Queen Storytime events are very different from drag shows found within adult spaces like bars and nightclubs.

Toddy: This question is asked a lot. In the same vein, why would a Disney mascot want to put on their outfit and spend all day taking photos with children, why would a clown want to do children’s parties, why would a magician want to make kids happy? We are bringing joy to kids when we do these shows. If there’s one kid that sees themselves represented in what we do, then we hope that we are providing a positive influence for that kid to feel that they are valid and loved, especially with all of the hate against queer people.

Karmella Barr: Why does anyone do anything they enjoy? This particular individual gets joy from expressing themself in this way, and they want to share that joy with others.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: There’s so much that is difficult in this question. There are many different motivations for what many people do. I would think the answer might contain motivations such as to entertain, to educate, for joy, for love, to create safe spaces for diversity.

Hazel Woodrow: Not all drag performers are cisgender men performing as women. People of all gender identities and expressions perform drag as all different gender identities and expressions! Some trans and cis women even perform drag as women.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Drag performances for children often highlight the importance of being proud of your identity and not being afraid to challenge gender norms and stereotypes about what boys, girls, and nonbinary people should look like, act like, or who they can be or what they can do in their lives. Drag also inherently parodies and challenges binary gender roles by embracing the fluidity of identity. Drag reminds all of us that the greatest act of creativity is to be your true and authentic self.

A person’s sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and innate characteristics that cannot be changed, and attempts to change them cause great harm. This is one major reason why conversion therapy practices have been banned and criminalized in Canada. Research indicates that first awareness of an individual’s sexual orientation is, on average, around age 10. For gender identity, it is much younger, beginning around age 5 or 6. This is another important reason why children need to have access to positive role models in their lives. Denying or feeling that you have to hide who you truly are can have great consequences on a young person’s self-esteem, mental health, and wellbeing.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Why wouldn’t an adult want to do that!? Drag is incredibly fun and silly. Just like clowning or wearing a mascot suit, drag can bring joy to those present. Especially when it comes to something like Drag Storytime, a drag performer can encourage a child who isn’t normally excited about books to be interested in reading.

Rev Michiko Bown-Kai: I’m sure there are as many diverse answers as there are diverse people. If we want to ask this question of drag performers from a place of judgment or criticism, it may be helpful for us to also consider what motivates other adults to do the same such as those who work at amusement parks, people who dress up as faeries, mermaids, and clowns to entertain at children’s birthday parties, people who attend cosplaying events, etc.

Shane Onyou: There is a difference between gender expression and gender identity. And neither of these have anything to do with sex.

Karmella Barr: There is no risk of sexualizing children. Of course as a parent or caretaker you are able to make the decision on what media/entertainment your children participate in, but much like any entertainment or interactions outside the home, there are some aspects that may lead children to ask questions, and we would invite you to use these educational opportunities to chat about how others can express themselves.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: The word “sex” often confuses or embarrasses people. It is important to remember that a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity are not synonymous with sexual behaviour.

Many children know who they are from very young ages. We all have an innate sexual orientation and gender identity. These characteristics are central to who we are as a person and how we express our sense of identity to ourselves and others. Sadly, some people still conflate being a 2SLGBTQ+ person with particular sexual activities or behaviours, and we still hear people using the words “lifestyle” or “choice” to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This is an outdated and dangerous stereotype. In the same way that no one “chooses” to be heterosexual or describes heterosexuality as a “lifestyle,” it is wrong and inappropriate to describe the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the same way. What people do often “choose” is to find a community that accepts and supports them for who they are.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: Children should question and play with their gender. Many children like to play dress-up and pretend to be what they are not: fire-fighters, doctors, parents. Gender expression, which is different from gender or sexuality, is also culturally informed. To tell a Japanese child that there is something wrong with wearing a kimono is biased, and harmful. In some Indigenous nations, there are more than two genders recognized. I think setting rigid parameters around clothing and gender expression creates harm and confusion.

Hazel Woodrow: These are two different questions, so let’s answer them separately. First, “Do all-ages drag shows risk sexualizing children?” What does “sexualizing children” mean? Some people might mean “children being exposed to sexually suggestive material.” If this is true, there is a lot of entertainment and media that could be considered “sexually suggestive” that kids are regularly exposed to, including NFL cheerleading, music on the radio, competition shows on TV, perfume ads, and so much more. People do not protest against children being admitted to NFL games. It is also important to remember that plenty of drag performances are not sexually suggestive at all. When some people say “sexualizing children,” they might mean “encouraging children to behave in sexual ways.” That is just not what happens at an all ages drag show. So no, all ages drag shows do not risk sexualizing children.

The second question is, “Do all ages drag shows make children question their gender and confuse them?” The answer is “Maybe!” But children questioning their gender, and even being confused about it, or gender more broadly, is not an objectively harmful experience. As anyone who has spent time around children knows, kids ask lots of questions and are often confused about things. It is their grownups’ job to encourage asking lots of questions, and to accompany kids in learning more about things that are confusing. What can be harmful is if a child does not have supportive and caring adults in their life to walk with them through these questions and confusion. It is also very harmful if a child only has adults in their life who believe that it would be a bad thing if the child were queer or trans.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Drag at its best can allow a gender-creative child to see themselves in another, providing acceptance as opposed to confusion. Drag doesn’t turn kids transgender, if anything it illuminates gender possibilities in a child who doesn’t feel they quite fit into the box.

Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai: In my experience, children love the glamour and drama and sparkles of drag costumes and appreciate the high energy nature of drag performances. If anything, children are able to feel inspired to see the many ways others express themselves and/or affirmed by seeing many different forms of gender expression being celebrated. I would argue that taking children to sit on Santa Claus’ knee at a mall - which is a rather intimate experience to be encouraged to have with a stranger - is perhaps a more confusing experience.

Shane Onyou: Grooming is when an adult intentionally influences a youth via deception and coercion, and the term is generally used to refer to sexual coercion. Drag communities encourage youth to be who they are, but never attempt to change a youth's perception of their own gender or sexuality. 2SLGBTQIA+ identities may be fluid, but they cannot be changed intentionally by an outside party.

Karmella Barr: There is absolutely no way in which drag shows can groom anyone. If the idea of “grooming” or “converting” actually worked, everyone would be heterosexual. The simple fact that we are all not the same in a variety of factors proves this is not possible. For example, my parents are heterosexual and they are still able to have kids that may not be. The only thing that drag does is show people who are happy in their own skin, and that authentic happiness may inspire people of many experiences or ages to explore their authentic selves. There is absolutely no recruiting of people to change any aspect of themselves in any way.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: The word “grooming” when used to refer to 2SLGBTQ+ communities is not only inappropriate, it is harmful and offensive. Grooming is most frequently used in reference to the activities of sexual abusers and is often linked to pedophilia, sexual pathology, and the abuse of children. This false connection with 2SLGBTQ+ communities can be traced back decades and was popularized by Anita Bryant and the religious far-right evangelical community, which supported her campaign to “Save Our Children” from the so-called dangers of homosexuality. Through her Christian revival tours, which came to Edmonton and other parts of Canada in 1978, Bryant propagated the false belief that since gay men “cannot reproduce, they must recruit” children into a “homosexual” lifestyle. Bryant’s religious campaign was successful for a time in convincing local governments to roll back legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Today, it is important to remember that sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression are protected grounds against discrimination in all provincial and territorial human rights acts across Canada. In addition, criminal acts motivated by hatred towards sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression can face enhanced sentencing in Canadian courts of law.

It is also important to remember that there is absolutely no scientific evidence that links a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity to attending a drag show, watching a movie, reading a book, or learning about 2SLGBTQ+ identities in schools. No child is born with hate in their heart. Hate is a learned value, which also gives us hope that it can be unlearned through inclusive education and community support.

Hazel Woodrow: “Grooming” is when a person who is in charge of, or has authority over, someone else tries to make another person trust them so that they can hurt or harm that person sexually in the future.

Lots of people use the word “grooming” when they are talking about drag performances for children. They also use this word when they are talking about other ways children learn about 2SLGBTQ people, such as going to Pride events or reading books about different kinds of families. Sometimes these people use the word “grooming” literally — they mean that these activities put children at risk of being sexually abused. This is wrong. These activities are as safe for children as any other library program, community event, or classroom subject.

Sometimes people use the word “grooming” when they actually mean “recruiting.” “Recruiting” is when someone tries to get another person to join them in an activity. Recruiting is something someone does on purpose, with a goal. People get recruited to jobs. People get recruited to sports teams. People do not get recruited to be 2SLGBTQ+.

The learning goal of teaching children about 2SLGBTQ+ people in the classroom is to help them be kind, respectful, and inclusive. The learning goal of taking children to a drag performance is the same as taking them to a musical—it is a kind of creative expression that enriches people’s lives. The learning goal of taking children to a Pride event is the same as taking them to a multicultural festival—learning about all different kinds of people makes us more empathetic and inclusive. “Recruiting” children to be 2SLGBTQ+ is not the goal of any of these activities. Some people, including children, may realize that they are not straight or not cisgender, after learning about 2SLGBTQ+ people at a drag performance, Pride event, or classroom learning. This is not the same as being recruited.

Toddy: Teaching kids to just be themselves without societal pressure is the most “let kids be kids” thing you could possibly do! We are showing them that they are amazing no matter how they present and act.

Karmella Barr: Letting kids ask questions and see other forms of expression is actually letting kids be kids. Kids are not inherently judgemental, they pick up on all of the biases from the adults in their lives and mirror how the adults in their lives react or behave toward certain things.

Shane Onyou: Kids ARE being kids when engaging in drag activities. There is nothing inherently adult or sexual in drag.

Hazel Woodrow: Attending all-ages drag performances is a great way for kids to be kids! Drag performances have so many things that kids like—bright colours, fun costumes, silly songs, interesting stories. Sometimes adults who learn about drag from what they see on TV and in the news worry that drag performances will confuse kids. This is often because the adults are confused. It is okay to be confused. If you are confused about a drag story hour, try looking at it as if you are a kid. Look for the things that other kids’ entertainment has.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth. Why can’t we let kids be kids and enjoy the silliness of listening to someone read books in a hilariously large wig with wild face makeup on?

Anonymous: Queer kids also exist and therefore should have spaces for them to express themselves. Just as cisheterosexual children have spaces in which they may freely express their identities, queer children exist and should have the same opportunities.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: I’m pretty sure Jesus never wore pants. I may not always like the drag performers I’ve seen, but that would be true of any performers. I’m also sure that Jesus never said anything about what people wore, except that perhaps if they had too much, they could give their clothes away. My Christian values are ones of love, acceptance, caring. Jesus made it a point to care for those who were considered to be outsiders: Samaritans, children, and people whom other people considered to be sinful. Drag is not sinful. It does, however, go against a hate-filled binary heteronormal white hegemony.

Shane Onyou: All the ways drag is called "sinful" are rooted in fear and disinformation. Nothing sinful happens at all-ages drag shows. Adult drag shows may feature adult content and humour, but similar explicit content exists in film, music, art, and literature. If you don't personally feel comfortable with it, you don't have to engage with it.

Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai: For me, the central Christian value I live my life by is that of love that is interconnected and inseparable from justice. When I approach any situation I ask myself, “how might I be a source of love? And how does this love which I offer embody justice?” For many of us in the queer community, we see drag queens and kings as the embodiment of fierce and resilient self-expression. So when we see people attacking drag performances, claiming that drag performances are unsafe or immoral, we feel the impact as a community: we have dealt with that shame and stigma too. There are infinite ways to be loving and justice-seeking and support drag performers: you can make a point to thank performers and offer a moment of personal connection, you can work to ensure drag performers feel safe getting to and from events and are being compensated fairly, you can talk to people who are misinformed about what drag events are.

Karmella Barr: If you feel like drag is immoral, I would ask you to consider why that is. We understand that drag is not for everyone and it doesn’t have to be, however, considering why you do not like it and unpacking that will help teach you more about yourself and your biases. Also, consider if you have any other “moral discomfort” with other forms of entertainment or if it is just the fact that it is very closely linked with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community that leaves you uncomfortable. If you do not enjoy drag because it is not for you, that is fine.

Toddy: I grew up as a Christian and was always told it was my “God given gift” to perform. I sang opera professionally and the industry almost killed me. It wasn’t until I found drag that I was able to use my “God given talent” in a way that was not hurting me emotionally and physically. When I perform my goal is to make people happy. I am able to do that through drag, I build community through drag, I share my art through drag. There is nothing about drag that does not align with what I was taught as a Christian.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: You are not being forced to be a drag performer. No one is. And be clear about whether it is your morals, or simply a discomfort because of the style, or maybe it’s a discomfort in living in our own bodies. You don’t have to like something, or even someone, but that doesn’t give us the right to stop others from expressing themselves in ways we don’t understand. Where are we in this story? Even if we live in intersections of oppression, and we may not appreciate how others express themselves, that doesn’t mean that they should not be allowed to do so.

Keith Murray: What is it in your morality that makes dress-up feel wrong? It is important to bring self-inquiry to concepts of morality. If another person’s self expression is not harming anyone, what about it feels immoral? Where can you trace and track the roots of that assessment in yourself? Do you understand where it comes from? Is it a cultural difference? Is it because you identify strongly as one gender identity? Could it be possible that it is both ok to identify as the gender you are, and for others to have a different sense of gender, and different ways of expressing ideas and express that differently?

Another way to look at things, is to understand drag as an artform. Art is subjective. You may love the painting above your couch, and your spouse or friend might have a different reaction, and vice versa, when you see what they find aesthetically pleasing, it rubs you the wrong way. And that’s ok! There’s room enough for every form of expression of art, and appreciation of art. Some art forms use the body, and if it's not your cup of tea, that's fine, you don’t have to go to drag shows, or watch tv shows with drag performances. We don’t have to like every type of art, but we can appreciate the freedom to have differences of identity, creative expression and appreciation.

Shane Onyou: You certainly don't have to attend a drag show personally. That doesn't give you the right to decide that universally, drag is immoral. Drag artists who perform only adult content perform only for adults. Those who enjoy performing for youth do so in age appropriate and safe ways. We do know the difference between those.

Hazel Woodrow: If you are not religious, but feel like drag falls outside your morals, it is a good idea to reflect on why. Sometimes people use morality to justify being against things that they are unfamiliar with, or that make them uncomfortable, or that they do not like. They do not always do this to be hurtful, but the impact is still harmful. Here are some questions to reflect on if this might be the case for you:

If drag feels uncomfortable: Did you grow up in a community that had strict rules about gender? Drag challenges our ideas about gender, and that can be uncomfortable for lots of people, especially people who learned strict rules about gender as children. That is okay.

Do you have anxiety about performances that involve audience interaction with the performer? Drag is a kind of performance that often involves interactions between the performer and the audience. A lot of people feel uncomfortable in situations like this. That is okay.

You may want to challenge yourself to become more comfortable, or you may not. Regardless, being uncomfortable with someone else’s behaviour does not mean that the other person is necessarily doing anything immoral. It is okay to be uncomfortable. It is not okay to make moral declarations about other people just because you are uncomfortable.

If drag feels unfamiliar: Does the community you live in now have a visible 2SLGBTQ+ community? If not, you may be experiencing queerness for the first time through something like a drag story hour at your local library. Drag is a kind of performance that may feel unfamiliar to a lot of people. That is okay. Instead of deciding like drag falls outside your morals because it is unfamiliar, consider being curious about it. If you are reading this FAQ, you are probably already curious about it, which is awesome!

If you just do not like drag, that is okay. It is okay to have preferences about what kinds of entertainment we like. A lot of the time, we can choose what entertainment we consume. Sometimes, though, we cannot. We might not like sports but find ourselves in a bar with a big baseball game on all the televisions. We might not like a children’s performer but take our kids to their show. We might not like musicals but go to see one with a loved one for their birthday. If you are in a place and find yourself experiencing a drag performance, you don’t have to like it. But you do have to be respectful of the performer and the other people around you who do like it. Being respectful means not making moral judgements just based on not liking something.

Some ways to challenge yourself to feel more comfortable or familiar with drag is to ask people who go to drag performances what they like about it. If you attend a show but are uncomfortable with interacting with performers, you could attend a larger performance or sit further to the back. Try watching different kinds of drag performances! If you are trying to challenge yourself to feel more comfortable with diverse gender expressions and performances, you could start by watching videos of men playing women’s roles in a traditional theatre environment. Here is a video from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night where all the characters, including the women, are played by men. This is not the same thing as a drag performance, but it could help you feel more comfortable with “gender bending” performances.

Rev. Tori Mullin: The great thing about drag is it’s very easy to avoid. If you are uncomfortable with drag you do not need to then purchase a ticket to a drag performance. The question is this, is someone else required to live their life according to your moral compass? I would suggest the answer is no. If you don’t like drag that’s perfectly fine, but harassing or hindering drag performers from working is not acceptable.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Jesus was a storyteller, he used drama to invite his listeners to learn more about the Kin-dom of God. Drag similarly invites us into a world of imagination to think about how we approach gender. Listen for the parables that drag performers are teaching with their art, and look for Christ’s light alive within it. Remember, it is through the stranger that we most often meet Christ!

Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai: Yes! I can’t recommend enough Peterson Toscano’s work: Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender in the Bible for some really great work that dives deep into a handful of stories from the Bible.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: Jesus calls us to love: to love in many ways, many people, many diverse people. Our faith calls us to follow this pathway of love, to create pockets of safety and welcome in particular for those who live in oppression. Being affirming means being public, intentional and explicit in how we express our love to, in this instance, those who are hated, shunned for their gender identities and orientations that do not fit a North American majority norm. It is being people of drag in our faith, playing with our understandings of God, the Spirit, Jesus, and trying to be loving and accepting as we do so.

Shane Onyou: Jesus said "love your neighbour" - not "love your neighbour unless they are gay." Jesus welcomed prostitutes and tax collectors with open arms. If caring for fellow humans matters to you, then protecting drag artists and queer youth should matter to you, because our communities are violently under attack by people who claim to be doing God's work as they terrify children with their horrific messaging. They aim to sow the seeds of distrust via disinformation.

Keith Murray: Many cite The Hebrew Bible (sometimes called the “Old Testament”) passage in Deuteronomy 22:5 to claim Drag is sinful: “A woman shall not wear a man’s apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the Lord your God.” But let's look a bit more closely at this.

We have to understand the context in which this is written: in the period after the exodus out of Egypt, Moses is passing leadership onto Joshua. As the ancient Hebrew people are in search of land to settle, they encounter many other tribes and nations. It's also important to understand that the ancient Hebrew people were a community of diverse cultures and polytheistic. There was a desire in this period of exile to congeal an Israelite way of being, and to create a code and laws that would help preserve the culture, in the face of many other cultures. Many Deuterocanonical laws were referencing other cultures doing things in another way, so as to create and preserve a cohesive Israelite culture. Wearing what might be deemed a woman's dress could be a direct reference to the toga-type dress of Pagan and Egyptian cultures from which the Hebrew people were fleeing.

In the The Hebrew Bible’s book of Genesis, we have the story of Joseph, whose father Israel loved “more than any other of his children,” (Genesis 37:3) and he gave him that famous coat of many colours. The Hebrew word here is כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, or ketonet passim, and is referred to again in 2 Samuel to describe what Tamar was wearing: “She was wearing a ketonet passim, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore.” (2 Samuel 13:18) This is describing a type of garment worn by daughters of the King, a princess dress! It might make more sense now reading the famous story of Joseph of Genesis, seeing them as a gender-non conforming person. The resentment of Jo’s brothers, and also Jo’s role as advisor to the Pharaoh (a role often associated with Eunuchs, the third gender of the ancient world), might give us more clues about their identity. But more importantly, as in Genesis 37:3, that Israel, blessed by God to father the 12 tribes of Israel, was the father of Jo, and loved them more than any other child. There is a theme throughout the bible of God siding with the underdog. Wherever one is persecuted by society, God favours that person, chooses that person. If we read the story of Joseph closely, we might understand that God blesses those whom society may not accept.

It is also helpful to understand, as philosopher and gender studies writer Judith Butler summarizes: “Gender is instituted through the stylization of the body and, hence, must be understood as the mundane way in which bodily gestures, movements, and enactments of various kinds constitute the illusion of an abiding gendered self.” Gender is not a solid thing, but is a culturally agreed upon idea, which is performed using gender markers (make-up, clothing, even gestures of expression).

It is important to understand that culturally agreed upon concepts of gender are different from culture to culture, and change. Adam was born naked, and Eve was too. Since the beginning in our ancient sacred stories, the outer expression of identity, and styles of clothing and cultural expression have changed wildly. Men have worn wigs, powdered their faces, and worn high heels; women have worn shoulder pads. Many cultures across the planet have more than two genders. The Indigenous nations of Turtle Island have had up to seven genders in their cultural identities. This was met with violent opposition by Christian colonists, who had a two point binary gender system.

Gender is performed; it changes. Maybe our attachment to our own notions of gender is culturally influenced. If we understand that, we can also understand that throughout time, there have been other genders and people challenging norms. Our sacred stories make a point to say God supports these transgressive acts, which liberate us when our cultural ideas of who we are limit us. Drag in this way is just that: it's a way to break down the burdensome weight of constantly trying to measure up to being “woman” enough or “man” enough.

Rev. Tori Mullin: The Hebrew bible Gospels and Acts speak about how God’s Kin-dom embraces all peoples, including gender minorities (Deuteronomy 23:1; Isaiah 56:1-8; Matthew 19:12; Acts 8:26-40). We are instructed to love our neighbours, including our two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual (...I could go on) neighbours, as we love ourselves.

Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai: Throughout the Bible we can trace a thread where God continually cares for the oppressed (the sojourner, the widow, the poor, the imprisoned, the enslaved, the ones displaced by war, those suffering from disease or illness) through acts of healing, liberation, and solidarity. As we seek to live out our faith today, we see the oppressed in our modern day context: the disproportionately high rate of 2SLGBTQ+ youth who are homeless, the alarming rates of murder we bear witness to every year during the Trans Day of Remembrance, the homophobic and transphobic laws which makes 2SLGBTQ+ people feel unsafe to access public space to do something as simple as use the washroom, and the number of people beyond count who feel unsafe and/or unseen even in their own homes simply for who they love or how badly they fail to conform to gender roles and norms in our society. Our calling as Christians is to remember that in our seeking of collective liberation for all, we must include our 2SLGBTQ+ siblings. When one part of the body suffers, the rest suffers with it.

Toddy: To be perfectly honest, it is proven that there is a lot of overlap between the trucker rally group and the anti-drag group. I know this first hand because I’ve been protested by people who have the same trucks. They pretend to preach freedom and yet are directly targeting a group that is trying to be free. We cannot talk about this movement of anti-drag hate without talking about the group of people running this hate. This movement is also hand in hand linked with the anti-trans rhetoric and legislature in the States. But with any major societal push forward, there is always first going to be backlash. We are experiencing that backlash, but soon people will realize that their hate was part of an intentional movement to target queer people.

Hazel Woodrow: This is such a good question! Whenever we notice a subject suddenly coming up really often in the news or on social media, we should always ask “why is this happening?” and “why is this happening right now?”

There are multiple reasons drag is a really big subject for a lot of people right now. First, drag is a topic that a lot of people don’t really understand. When people don’t understand something, they can be scared of it. Sometimes when people are scared of something or someone they express that by being mean and hateful.

Second, sometimes when people are scared, they turn to authority figures and other people they trust to explain it to them. A lot of the time the people they trust are the people they see on TV, in the news, and in social media. There is a lot of false and hateful information about drag on TV, in the news, and in social media. On social media, it is easy for false and hateful information to spread. One reason is that there are not enough people working to stop that from happening. Another reason is that false and hateful information actually makes social media platforms a lot of money. This is because false and hateful information makes people angry, and they spend more time on the platforms, and see more ads. People seeing ads is the main way social media platforms make money. Many people do not realize that child-centred and all-ages drag performances like Reading with Royalty have been around for many years, and in Canada since at least 2018.

Karmella Barr: Drag has been around for ages, and unfortunately it just recently became politicized because people wanted to have political talking points and wanted to drum up an imaginary “boogey man” to become politically relevant again.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Unfortunately, drag is increasingly being weaponized against the 2SLGBTQ+ community by those who have political and/or religious motivations and beliefs that see 2SLGBTQ+ people as sinful, immoral, and dangerous to their view of society, which privileges heterosexuality as the only, preferred, or “natural” way of being and acting in the world.

Drag storytime events have been happening for more than a decade without much public fanfare or controversy. Recent protests against drag queen storytime events are part of a larger coordinated movement designed to roll back human rights protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. These orchestrated attacks do not see 2SLGBTQ+ individuals as having legitimate identities and, in many countries around the world, are connected to the rise of populist movements and far-right governments that seek to scapegoat, criminalize, and eradicate the very existence of 2SLGBTQ+ people.

Protests against drag queen storytime events have also been linked to “bad faith” actors in far-right protest movements such as the freedom trucker convoy and anti-vaxxers. Many of these protestors are increasingly targeting classroom materials and discussions about 2SLGBTQ+ issues in schools and have even attempted to ban books in school and public libraries. These protest movements also have direct connections to attacks against women’s reproductive health, threats to racialized communities, and a wide range of government related conspiracy theories, many of which centre White supremacy and blame minorities for the ruin of society. It is important to remember that attacks against one minority community represents a threat to all minorities.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Drag is just the hot-button topic of today, a rallying cry that certain factions are using to garner support by spreading harmful misconceptions. But, uniting over hatred of a marginalized group is an incredibly dangerous thing. Don’t be fooled; pay attention to where you’re getting your information from, and whether they’re working for the inclusion or exclusion of people.

Anonymous: While it is is reductive to say that just one single factor is responsible for the increased focus on drag, many of the recent discussions start with the increased popularity of the art form due the rise of RuPaul’s Drag Race. This show became a cultural phenomenon and brought drag into new spaces and mainstream culture. This combined with consistent progress towards more civil rights for the gender and sexually diverse community. A cultural backlash was promoted by conservative political leaders looking for campaign issues to distract from unpopular fiscal policies in the last 8 years.

Toddy: Yes we are. I have personally been threatened many times. I have been told that I should not be protected or have the same rights as everyone else. I have been personally told to hide. I have been personally told that this “will not be good for me” if I do the drag story time.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: Yes, they are. Some performers are children. Bystanders and witnesses to the hatred spewed against drag performers are children. They have been yelled at. They have been threatened. We know that hatred kills. We remember the life and witness and murder of Matthew Shepherd, of Rita Hester, and of others. The more this kind of hatred remains unchallenged, the more it festers and grows.

Hazel Woodrow: Unfortunately, drag performers and other members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community are definitely at risk because of the hate being directed at them. There are different ways this happens.

First, the hateful language being used against drag performers and 2SLGBTQ+ people is very hurtful and damaging to their mental health. Second, Many drag performers do their performances as a job. Hate and harassment against drag performances has caused performers to lose jobs. Sometimes this happens because the place the performance is happening feels like it is too unsafe or unpopular to host the performance. Sometimes this happens because the performer feels that they are at risk. However it happens, hate and harassment against drag performances can put performers’ ability to make money and provide for themselves at risk. This is especially harmful because the average income of 2SLGBTQ+ people is already much lower than non-2SLGBTQ+ people.

Additionally, the language used against drag performers and other 2SLGBTQ+ people is dangerous because it makes people think it is okay to be physically violent and intimidating. This is because the language makes it seem like drag performers and other 2SLGBTQ+ people are a threat to children. When people think someone is a threat to children, they may think any action taken against that person is justified, because it protects children.

Rev. Tori Mullin: In Southern New Brunswick over the past year, our local drag performers have experienced significant vitriol and harassment. As a minister, I am deeply concerned about their safety especially as the Policy 713 protests have become more and more violent. No one deserves to be harassed in their workplace.

Anonymous: Yes, violence towards drag artists has risen considerably both in real life and online.

Toddy: People mask their transphobia in a hate for drag performers. They are trying to find the closest thing to target their hate towards and they chose drag performers.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: I don’t have an answer to this except that I believe that there is a percentage of the population who have privilege and power, but who feel as if these are being challenged and threatened. We have lived through political leaders who have made it okay to spout lies and hatred, to taunt and jeer and create a context where it seems okay to be mean and uncivil.

Hazel Woodrow: For the last several years, child sexual abuse (CSA) has been a really big topic in the news and on social media. CSA is a serious problem. However, a lot of the information in the news and on social media about CSA is not true. An example of this is that some people think drag performers and other 2SLGBTQ+ people are trying to sexually abuse children. False information about CSA does not protect children—it harms them. It also harms people who are trying to help children. An example of this is how anti-2SLGBTQ accusations of “grooming” were targeted at the Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to preventing suicide in 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

A big problem is that when people use language like “groomer” to describe drag performers and other 2SLGBTQ+ people, they are labeling us as people who are dangerous to children. When they do that, they are making it okay to say and do horrible things to us because they think we deserve it.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Unfortunately, thanks to deliberate misinformation and harmful stereotypes, hate crimes targeting sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression have been increasing all across Canada. These hate-filled attacks are premised on the belief that gender identity is not a “real” or legitimate identity and that, in particular, men dressing in drag are a perceived threat to a dominant heterosexual masculinity and male privilege. These protests have also been linked to other extremist movements, which pose a threat to public safety and Canada’s increasingly diverse, multicultural, and pluralistic society.

Anonymous: Anti-drag actions are often a cover for transphobic attacks. The language of the American anti-drag laws demonstrates the connection between the two forms of discrimination. It is important to note the connection to wider homophobia as well.

Toddy: Just love us the same you would any other person. Challenge those who preach hate before love. Vote in a way that ensures our basic human rights. Come to a show and be surrounded by community and joy.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai: We can write letters of support to those who are hosting drag shows. Or letters to local newspapers. We can invite drag performers to talk about their experiences. We can support them personally if they have been attacked. We can ask that our faith communities and our civic communities enforce the laws that are already in place to support people. We can show up at protests to counter-protest. We can pray. We can remember that the Jesus whom we follow, is one of love and justice.

Hazel Woodrow: People of faith and faith communities can support drag performers and other members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community by committing to confronting and preventing hate wherever they see it. They can have compassionate and firm conversations with people who are being sucked into conspiracy theories. They can speak out when their faith is being used to harm drag performers and other 2SLGBTQ+ people. They can push for their faith community’s positions on drag and 2SLGBTQ+ issues to be clear, transparent, and accountable. They can find ways to work with others to address hate, disinformation, and conspiracy theories when they come from leadership. They can defend drag, Pride, and other 2SLGBTQ+ community events, including with signs and banners that spread affirming religious messaging. Most importantly, they should listen to the needs of their local drag performers and 2SLGBTQ+ community, and show up in whatever ways they need.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Be an ally. When there are protests against drag performers, show up and support them. When protesters try to cancel drag performances or rainbow storytimes, the best response is not to back down, but double down by holding even more events. When individuals deface rainbow crosswalks, paint new ones. When they tear down pride flags, put up even more. We cannot be intimidated by hate and live in fear. Hate must be met with love. Fear must be overcome with courage.

Educate yourself. If you are unsure what happens at a rainbow story time event, attend one and find out for yourself. Watch a film or read a book about the 2SLGBTQ+ community. If you hear people using inappropriate or derogatory language to demean or hurt 2SLGBTQ+ people, stand up and speak out, if it is safe to do so. Use your own privilege to help support those who are experiencing hate and discrimination. In Canada, freedom of religion is a sacred value, but it does not mean that religion should be used as a weapon against others.

Rev. Tori Mullin: Speak up - If you hear someone spreading misconceptions about drag, share what you know. Even better if you can share a personal anecdote about your experience with drag.

Support Artists - Go to the Dolly Parton-themed Christmas Drag event! Bring your friends along and tip your performers.

Show Up - If there is a local event and performers are concerned about protestors, head on down to show your support, and enjoy the storytime/show!

Karmella Barr: We recommend that you actually go to a Storytime event and see what they are actually doing at them then make your decision from that. Many people just read sensationalized articles and most people actually have no idea what happens at a Drag Storytime because they have never been to one.

Hazel Woodrow: Watch videos like this one of a drag story hour to learn what it is like. Read interviews like this one with drag performers, to learn why they do it. You can learn more about hate directed at drag performers and the 2SLGBTQ+ community, as well as other equity-seeking groups, at www.antihate.ca.

Dr. Kristopher Wells: Encourage your local municipal government to pass a public places/safe access bylaw similar to the City of Calgary’s new bylaw. This bylaw restricts protests to be at least 100 meters away from a planned event and ensures protestors cannot block access to your facility or event or attempt to intimidate your guests.

Affirming Connections started the United Against Hate campaign to address the surge in misinformation, conspiracy theories, threats, and violence targeting drag performers and trans people that we’ve observed over the past few years.

In researching this rise in hate crimes and speech, and in talking with experts and other organizations focused on advocating for and with 2SLGBTQ+ communities, we’ve encountered many frequently asked questions. Sometimes these questions are asked in good faith out of genuine confusion and with a desire to learn more. At other times, these questions are “red herrings,” couching hate, prejudice and bigotry behind statements such as “just asking questions to protect children.'' These bad-faith actors can be tied either explicitly or implicitly to theological concerns, often traceable to misinformation and disinformation deliberately spread by Christian far-right and other extremist individuals and groups.

With this FAQ, we hope to address both types of questions. We compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions, then we asked experts from a variety of fields—including affirming faith leaders, drag performers, educators, academics and researchers—to answer them.

People with curiosities and doubts will hopefully see their concerns addressed and be able to move to a place of increased understanding and support. Those who are already allies will hopefully discover new information and ways to demonstrate solidarity with 2SLGBTQ+ communities. And if you’ve ever heard these questions asked in bad faith but haven’t had the words to challenge them, this guide can empower you with the language and tools to confidently address these myths and misconceptions head-on in the future. It is important to remember that the best way to reduce hate is through education and understanding.

One way to challenge the bigotry that is often implicit in discussions around drag and queer identities is to bring it to the surface and address it head-on. For instance, if we take a closer look at claims of drag performers “grooming” children, we can see those accusations for what they are: offensive and inaccurate. However, our deliberate inclusion of offensive questions and language might make some questions and their answers hard to read, or may even be retraumatizing, especially if you’ve been on the frontlines of receiving harassment around these issues.

If these questions sound anything like questions you’ve heard from members of your community (or even if they sound like questions you’ve asked yourself), let this be an opportunity for you to learn without shame or judgment, and without causing harm by asking vulnerable individuals or communities to answer these questions for you. There’s no shame in learning, because in the immortal words of Maya Angelou, “When you know better, do better.”

If you’re a drag performer or 2SLGBTQ+ person who has been asked these questions before, or about whom these questions have been asked, know that we see you and we value you. Please access the resources below if you need them.

If you’re looking for a resource and can’t find it, feel free to contact us and we’ll help however we can!