Derry, New Hampshire may be officially celebrating Pride month for the first time, but the town’s public Taylor Library wasn’t quite ready for a drag story-time reading by Michael McMahon, performing as Clara Divine. The library canceled Divine’s appearance last week in response to complaints from a pair of conservative locals — a library trustee and a state rep.
The good news is that the town’s Tupelo Music Hall quickly picked up the event, which takes place tonight, Thursday, June 16, at 6 p.m.
“Myself and the entire Tupelo Music Hall family were disheartened to hear about the cancellation of Drag Story Time with Clara at the Taylor Library last week,” Tupelo’s owner Scott Hayward told the Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass. “I’ve always thought of New Hampshire, specifically Derry, as a community of love and inclusivity.”
Reports the Eagle-Tribune:
According to his social media site, McMahon’s presentations offer “an hour dedicated to teaching children the meaning of what it’s like to be prideful,” featuring stories about acceptance.
Tupelo Music Hall Owner Scott Hayward said his venue is proud to be hosting the event this week.
Hayward went on to say it was unfortunate that McMahon had to endure the kind of backlash he received from a small number of individuals who felt his event was not worthy of being held in the library.
That included Derry Republican state Rep. Katherine Prudhomme-O’Brien and Lorraine Lindenberg, a trustee at both Taylor Library and Derry Public Library.
Both posted their opposition on social media. …
Hayward has witnessed his own backlash for hosting the event, he said, including comments about him and his business on social media. He said he was “reminded again of the great lengths we must still go in terms of acceptance of our LGBTQ friends, family and neighbors.”
Many have supported the event from the beginning, including Derry Town Council Chairman Jim Morgan.
“Derry is most certainly not what it is being portrayed it is in the media or online,” Morgan said. “The bigotry of those that opposed this event is not what our community stands for and this now lays at their feet.”
Derry town councilors supported an effort to honor the month of June as Pride Month in the community. A Pride Month banner is on display in the lobby at the Derry Municipal Center and will continue to be throughout the month.
Morgan added that this is the first time Derry has acknowledge Pride Month, supporting diversity and inclusiveness among the community’s 34,000 residents, but said it’s unfortunate the story time was canceled while many cheered about the cancellation on Facebook.
For Morgan, what he witnessed on social media is not what he feels represents Derry.
“Hatred of any race or sexual orientation is not a badge of honor to wear,” he said. “We need to do better.”
Read the complete Eagle-Tribute article here.
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