A spokesperson for the Washoe County Library System confirmed Wednesday that Drag Story Hour events have been canceled.
The decision comes after a librarian was injured when a self-described First Amendment auditor tried to force his way into a recent Drag Story Hour at the North Valleys Library.
In a letter to library staff, county manager Eric Brown said the Workplace Violence Committee unanimously voted to recommend the events be discontinued over concerns for staff safety.
“Despite ongoing efforts by library staff and volunteers to enhance safety measures, including increased security presence and de-escalation training, the committee concluded that the risks posed to county employees have reached an unacceptable level,” Brown wrote.
Brown cited ongoing protests against the events led by members of the Washoe County GOP as a concern.
Almost two years ago, far-right activist groups like Moms for Liberty pivoted from attacking public schools over mask mandates to targeting libraries. At around the same time, Washoe County Republicans started disrupting local library board meetings and Drag Story Hour events.
The decision came as a blow, according to Stacey Spain of Our Center.
“We are desperately disappointed,” she said.
Our Center, a Reno nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ residents, hosted the events in partnership with the library and paid for the drag performers.
Spain said that while they could find another venue for the events, it’s still a loss to the community.
“Separate is not equal,” she said. “The fact that we could produce Drag Story Hour at a venue that is not the library does not mean that it will have the same effect as having the program in the library, with other programs that celebrate other kinds of diversity.”
The next Drag Story Hour was scheduled as part of Northern Nevada Pride on Sept. 8, at the South Valleys Library.
But while the event series is canceled for now, the library system says it remains committed to working with Our Center and other LGBTQ+ groups.
The Nevada Independent is a news partner of KUNR. View the original publication of this story, reported by KUNR’s Bert Johnson on July 25, 2024.
