LANCASTER, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from March 25.
In a reportedly contentious meeting last night, East Hempfield supervisors voted to withhold their donation to Lancaster Public Library after a bomb threat derailed a scheduled Drag Queen Story Hour, according to LancasterOnline.
Four Republicans on the five-person board voted to withhold funding, and the only Democrat opposed the motion. The supervisors said they would not pay out the donation until library officials came up with a written policy agreeing to keep programs nonpartisan and promising to never schedule a Drag Queen Story Hour again.
LNP says the library offered to hold off on another drag event until the political and cultural atmosphere in Lancaster County supports it and the event can run safely, but they would not outright ban it.
Lancaster Online says there was not enough space in the meeting room for every resident who attended, with some standing out in the hallway. The meeting was also streamed over Zoom.
Reports say the tense atmosphere at the meeting reflected some of the county's political feelings towards the Drag Queen Story Hour. Residents and organizers accused elected Republicans in the county of misrepresenting the Story Hour on social media, fanning the flames of opposition.
On March 11, House Minority Leader Bryan Cutler released a statement that read in part: "Whether it is in our public schools or our public libraries, the hyper-sexualization of our children at publicly supported institutions must come to an end."
"Drag is obviously about adult themes. This performer (who previously used language so explicit about children that they would be disqualified from being a coach, teacher, etc.) is obviously an adult performer."
"Of course it is not appropriate for this public venue or for babies, toddlers, & children as advertised," commissioner Josh Parsons posted on Facebook.
On the contrary, drag queen Christopher Paolini, who performs as Miss Amie Vanité, has done drag story hours and performed in Lancaster for years.
"They want to say that my programs aren’t safe or appropriate for children, that I’m endangering their welfare and causing trauma," he said in a statement to FOX43 on March 24. "What happened yesterday is what is unsafe, not appropriate, endangers welfare and causes trauma for a whole community of people, young, old, gay, straight, and everyone in between."
Drag Queen Story Hour organizers echoed that it was not a political event, and no taxpayer money went towards hosting it. Lancaster Pride was one contributor.
Comments from residents at the meeting were divided, with some applauding the supervisors' decision to withhold the donation and others denouncing it, LNP said.
Some of those opposed to withholding the funding argued that it was unfair to punish the Mountville branch of the library—which is where the $26,700 donation was headed—for an event that was never scheduled to take place in its building, LancasterOnline reported. The Story Hour was planned for the Lancaster City branch on Queen Street.
Library board chairman Josh Schwartz says the donation was designated for Mountville because that is where all of East Hempfield's monetary support goes, according to LNP.