Drag Queen Story Hour To Visit Jackson Heights Library

JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS -- If you judge Angel Elektra by the flashy outfits, glamorous makeup and ever-changing wigs she boasts on Instagram, you may not expect to find her reading stories to a roomful of children.

But she'll be doing just that, glam getup and all, on Thursday at the Jackson Heights Community Library's first Drag Queen Story Hour. The program has been making its way through New York City to "raise awareness of gender diversity, promote self-acceptance and build empathy among children."

In other words, it reinforces the age-old lesson: Don't judge a book by its - or their - cover.

"It's about teaching kids to celebrate differences and to not be afraid of people who look a bit different than them," Rachel Aimee, director of Drag Queen Story Hour NYC, told Patch.

Drag Queens Story Hour first launched in San Francisco in 2015 and has since made its way to libraries, schools and other community centers in New York City and Los Angeles. The events for ages 3-8 are led by drag queens like Angel Elektra, who dress in their signature fabulous attire to read stories, sing songs and lead a craft activity.

"We want children to know that there's no such thing as girls' clothes and boys' clothes, and that everyone should wear what's comfortable to them," Aimee said.

The NYC program started out of Brooklyn in 2016 and then spread to Manhattan, but it just this year reached Queens with the help of City Councilman Daniel Dromm, she said.

Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) provided funding for the program to host a series of story hours in Queens throughout the spring, including events in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst at least once a month until June, Aimee said.

The Court Square branch of Queens Library in Long Island City hosted the borough's first Drag Queen Story Hour in late January. Thursday's event in the Jackson Heights branch, 35-51 81st St., will be the second.

Angel Elektra will kick off the event at 4 p.m. by reading children two stories in both Spanish and English. After a short singalong, she'll lead kids in making either wands or necklaces to take home, Aimee said.

A spokeswoman for Queens Library's Jackson Heights branch told Patch she expects around 10 or more children and their parents to show up to the free event, but it's open to everyone.

Aimee said the story hours are generally well-received by parents, who are "just really excited that it's something different than your average story time."

"We usually get a pretty good crown," she said.

Lead photo courtesy of Drag Queen Story Hour.