A “queer” drag queen story hour performer has claimed that he is a “role model” who can help children begin “living their true selves”.
Sab Samuel, who performs under the name Aida H Dee in drag queen story hour performances, has described himself as being a “role model” for children and young people.
It comes after the performer hosted three drag queen story hour sessions at the Tate Britain gallery in England, prompting protests from both pro and anti-trans campaigners, who ended up clashing outside of the venue.
According to a report by The Telegraph, Samuel rejected any suggestion that drag queen story hour could be damaging to children, saying that he wanted to be a “role model” for children with the performances.
In particular, the performer described some youngsters as “coming out” to him after one reading, saying that they go on to live happy lives due to the influence of the events.
“[T]he catalyst to them living their true selves was coming to Drag Queen Story Hour,” Samuel, who is described by Tate Britain as being “the first drag artist in Europe to read stories to children in a nursery”, reportedly said.
The “queer hero of literature” went on to say that they were a good “role model” for children in that he enabled them to be true to themselves, adding that he wants to be the kind of person he believes he needed in his youth.
“I hated myself growing up because I thought being gay was negative,” he said. ” All I want to do is be the role model that I wish I had when I was five years old.”
Although Samuel believes that critics of his performances are blowing things “out of proportion”, others in Britain do not seem to hold the same view, with a small demonstration erupting on Sunday outside the Tate Britain to protest the drag queen event aimed at children.
The protesters were themselves reportedly challenged by counter-demonstrators advocating transgenderism, with GB News reporting that violent clashes between the two sides soon broke out.
Police are said to have eventually intervened between the two sides, with only one individual said to have been arrested “on suspicion of making a racially aggravated comment towards a police officer”.
Five individuals said to be protesting the event are also described as managing to gain access to the gallery, though it is reportedly claimed by Samuel that no performances were actually disrupted on the day.
It is not the first time that protesters have attempted to disrupt a drag queen event in Britain, with Samuel himself previously seeing one of his drag queen story hour events interrupted by concerned mothers last summer.
“You’re probably teaching kids that there’s 100 genders, there’s only two sexes, no man can be a woman,” one woman reportedly told the drag queen. “We’re here to protect children.”
Another accused Samuel of enabling “child grooming to take place”, calling the event “disgusting”.
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