10
BROOKLYN WEEKLY, JUNE 16, 2019
SAME DAY
SERVICE
AVAILABLE
ANTIQUES AND ESTATE BUYERS
SEE OUR AD IN THE SUNDAY POST
ASK FOR CHRISTOPHER
We buy anything old. One piece or house full.
MILITARY
Collections Wanted
Swords, Knives,
Helmets, etc.
Protesters clash
in Gerritsen Beach
Drag Queen Story Hour sparks controversy
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Protesters gathered in Gerritsen Beach on
June 6 to express outrage over the appearance
of a drag queen at a reading event for
children, which they said would be detrimental
to the welfare of minors.
“I was rather appalled by it simply because
I really feel that it is not just a diversity
issue but a morality issue,” said James
Bickle. “It’s especially bad because it’s an indoctrination
of little children.”
The event, which hosted Angel Elektra
at the Gerritsen Beach library, was part of
a citywide series to connect members of the
LGBTQ community with New York City
youth.
“Drag Queen Story Hour captures the
imagination and play of the gender fl uidity
in childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive,
and unabashedly queer role models,”
read the event’s promotional material.
Bickle, who has lived in Sheepshead Bay
for 23 years, said he wanted to discourage
parents from bringing their children to the
event.
“Parents should at least be confronted
with the truth. They don’t know what they’re
doing to these little kids,” he said. “It’s perverting
them. It’s unnatural.”
Bickle, who repeatedly made
clear that he would have no problem
with an African-American
story teller, said a queer narrator
was simply a step too far.
“I would also have a problem
if it were a gay person. And
it’s not that I hate gay
people. I actually have
compassion for them,
and I want to help
them out this lifestyle,”
he said. “I
think its a choice.”
Counter-protesters
also gathered
outside the
library, setting up
a clash between the two
factions.
One drag queen,
who came out to support
the event, said
the protesters
were less than unwilling
to engage
in a proper dialogue.
“The protesters
were very
diffi cult to reason
with on any
DRAGGED: A woman protests the Drag
Queen Story Hour in Gerritsen Beach on
June 6.
level,” said Barry D’Ellive “The self-appointed
head of the group had a megaphone,
and just put on a siren whenever he didn’t
GOOD VIBES: A woman appears in support of the
event at the Gerritsen Beach library.
Photos By Steve Solomonson
want to talk.”
For his part, the megaphone-wielding
man claimed the drag queen supporters
simply lacked open-mindedness.
“They were very vulgar, and they
were nasty. They showed me very little
tolerance, and very little love,” said the
man who asked only to be identifi ed as
Tag.
Tag, an 11-year resident of Sheepshead
Bay,
took issue
with the library’s
taxpayer
funding.
“At best,
it’s irresponsible.
At worst,
it’s state-sponsored
child
abuse,” he said.
D’Ellive said
the storytime event was perfect
for combating the mindset
of people like Tag’s.
“Drag queens have been
almost inextricably linked to
promiscuity and sexual misconduct,
and something as
mundane as storytime is going
to help diminish that
stigma,” said D’Ellive.
Through the commotion,
NYPD offi cers cordoned off the entryway
to the library, where the event went off as
planned.
TOP $ PAID
FOR JUDAICA
COLLECTIBLES
HOUSE
CALLS
SAME DAY
SERVICE
AVAILABLE
HOUSE
CALLS
SERVING BROOKLYN
AND THE ENTIRE
TRI-STATE AREA
WE PAY $ CASH $ FOR
ALL GOLD, GOLD & STERLING SILVER
COSTUME JEWELRY, ALL COINS, PAPER
MONEY & STAMP COLLECTIONS
ALL GOLD...BROKEN OR NOT
PRE- 1960 FURNITURE, CLOCKS & WATCHES
(WORKING OR NOT) TIFFANY,
BACCARAT, LALIQUE
The List is Endless
YERS
www.AntiqueAndEstateBuyers.com
for Antique
ANTIQ
ES
ANTIQUES AND ESTATE BUYERS
WILL TRAVEL. WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS.
FREE
Estimate
WILL TRAVEL
ENTIRE TRI-STATE
/www.AntiqueAndEstateBuyers.com