We’re just trying to read to kids.”īut even with the protests, Noche says she won’t stop reading to the kids. “We try to educate them, to show them that we’re not trying to recruit, we’re not trying to indoctrinate anybody. “We understand that certain people have ideologies that don’t mix” with ours, Noche said at the time. In fact, Nassau County’s first-ever storytime with a drag queen - held at the East Meadow Public Library in early 2019 with Bella Noche - also drew a couple-dozen protesters.Īt the time, Noche - whose alter ego is a Manhattan native who studied journalism and creative writing at Hunter College, before working at the Generation Q LGBT youth center in Queens - said it was the first time she encountered such a reaction. Yet, it’s not the first time protests have followed Drag Queen Story Hour. Noche needed extra protection on this particular trip, watched over by two security guards. “I can count on one hand how many actual protest times that there’s been, and so everything surrounding this one it was quite out of the ordinary to be honest,” she said. None of this is new to Noche, whose real name is Isaiah Cruz, and who’s been doing story hour for four years as the Long Island chapter director. Others asked where she gets her books from. The burning questions focused on her shimmering star dress and mermaid accessories. “It can be holding a door, giving a compliment, sometimes just giving a hug.”Īfter reading a book and playing a game of Simon Says, Noche opened the floor to questions about anything and everything. “Kindness is taking it upon yourself to do something nice for somebody,” she said. Inside the JCC, Noche explained to the kids, who ranged in age from preschool to elementary, the many ways people can be kind to each other. “I mean, it’s just kind of absurd,” Harkins added. “I want people in my community to feel like they can live their lives however they want.” “I just came to show our support,” said Wollweber, an Oceanside native. On the flip side, Luke Wollweber, Sean Harkins, and more than a dozen others held pride flags and signs in support. It’s the issue they’re trying to push this on 6-, 7-, 8-year-old kids. “We have no problem with gay, lesbian, (transgender), LGBT - that’s not the issue. “We’re all parents,” said Christine Chapman, who joined about a dozen others to protest Bella Noche’s visit. Those gathered outside were evenly split between those who supported the storytime, and those who were against - with police in the middle. But while the kids gathered around Bella Noche were eager to hear what she was going to read, some protesting outside were not as thrilled. Started in 2015 in San Francisco by author and activist Michelle Tea, the idea of Drag Queen Story Hour promotes reading with a little bit of diversity and inclusivity mixed in. There, decked out in her Sunday best, the popular performer read to children as part of Drag Queen Story Hour. It was a special visit to the Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center last weekend by the “mermaid of New York,” Bella Noche. The lessons for the day? Self-love, kindness and acceptance.
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