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I was really taken aback after reading the article in the Austin Daily Herald regarding the Drag Queen Story Hour and the comments from Connie Rose.  I feel the need to respond to these ridiculous and offensive comments.

May I remind her and others who may believe this way that the lack of empathy towards others who may not be like her are still creatures of God and mere mortals have no right to judge.  That is not their prerogative.wThe lack of cognitive thinking leads to not being able to understand the medical explanation into why some people have more testosterone or estrogen than others as one of the leading factors into why some people are gay and others are not, or as we are coming to comprehend, some are “bi.”

So what! What real impact on Connie and the likes of her does this have on their life?  No one is forcing her male counterparts to dress in drag, like no one forces Irish men to wear kilts or women in this country to dress in slacks instead of dresses as our mothers’ generation did.  We ladies have been liberated and can now dress in “men’s” clothing like pants, and even ties if we feel like it!  I guess Connie only wears dresses?

It is a lack of compassion and understanding that makes this kind of thinking  so toxic. Children will not and I repeat, not become “gay” by seeing a man dressed in drag. It may not even register with them that this is even a male person, just a women with a lot of fun clothes  and make-up. It’s the parents who teach children how to hate.  So stop it!  Back in the 1940 when Rogers and Hammerstein wrote the music to “South Pacific” they wrote a song called ”You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught.”

At first they were told they could not keep that song in the show, but with perseverance it was allowed. Look up the lyrics for yourself. Children are taught to hate and it’s this kind of stupid, insensitive, non-loving thinking that has got us to this place in our country.  Many of these people are products of Evangelical brain washing  Try to remember the messages of Jesus to love one another, regardless!

So if children are going to become “gay” after a  Drag Queen Story Time then none of us would be here now because every Shakespearian play from “Macbeth” to “Hamlet” to “The Taming of the Shrew” were all cast  by men!  Lady Macbeth was a man in drag!

Did all the audience members turn gay after seeing one of the many Shakespeare plays.? No! Nor will the children of Austin go that route unless they are hormonally predestined to.

I suggest those who think this way about others spend some time reflecting and see what they are so afraid of. It’s fear that is causing all the hatred in the world. Get reacquainted with the messages from Jesus and spend some time with people not like your self and you will see there is a lot every one of us have in common.

Roberta Mistretta

Austin, MN