Trouble in River City, um, Norwood

but I think that's a woman.

/Debating gender cues in a thread about drag queens. Thank you, Universal Hub!

That's kind of like saying if cops read to kids, they're encouraged to dress in these uniforms.

Yes, it is real. Any other questions?

"...they're being encouraged to dress up in any costume or outfit that makes them feel their best?'"

Think about drag. It is a form of dressing up. It also a form of costume. Just like Catholic bishops dress in pretty gowns and where colorful hats.

Dressing up could be boys or girls dressing as cowboys. It's cute when boys and girls dress up as cowboys and cowgirls. Ah-oh. I know where this is going: to the idea that boys or girls might dress up as princes or princesses. Worse, that boys or girls might refuse to dress up appropriate to what they are told is the correct way to dress.

Oh, what a world it might be if human beings could access the many forms and styles of clothing that have been created over the centuries. Personally I would favor a wardrobe filled with clothing appropriate to Renaissance Florence for Winter, 30's Berlin and New York for Spring and Fall, a bit of Scottish Tweed for tweedy evenings all yer round, and, perhaps for summer a warm sunny day, a flowery sundress with a flowing blouse that has billowy sleeves. Modest of course. Below the knees, with comfortable sandals.

...the idea of a WBC font. Perfection.

There is a group of mostly elderly residents (it seems) who have been big Trumpies and have held signs in that area and others near by (Mostly rt. 1 in dedham, westwood, norwood, walpole).

I think these people are from that group.

The X's make the signs read "Drag Queens" and "Pineapple."

Sounds like the notes for the start of a John Waters' film.

Drag performers can be cis or trans. Some identify strongly with the queer community and others not as much, but there's certainly the long-standing association and overlap.

Most drag performances are all-ages friendly. Some drag performers also are part of 18+ entertainment, but the same can be said for models, dancers, musicians, actors, etc. -- it doesn't make the whole profession "adult" because a small portion are involved in that. Most people who do participate in 18+ professions are very ethical and almost paranoid about making sure nothing gets into the hands of minors, everyone is carefully carded, any necessary consent is clearly obtained, and so forth. They work hard to make it absolutely clear they are not sex traffickers, exploiting anyone, or having their goods or services anywhere they aren't warmly welcomed.

Most of us in the queer community and queer-adjacent/overlapping communities (furries, drag, etc.) are pretty tired of having ourselves and our communities equated with being inherently sexual. Yes, queer people have sex, but it's not most of what we do. Gatherings in the queer community are generally not about sex. Queer spaces I am a part of for youth and all-ages are very definitely NOT about sex, other than when it periodically comes up as part of a discussion topic in older teen groups just like it does in non-queer older teen spaces.

Especially for those of us who are older, and constantly got told "it isn't appropriate to bring your sex life into the workplace" if we mentioned having a same-sex spouse, the "being queer is a sex thing" is just really old.

Drag is about being yourself, being proud, being your own person, exaggerating fun parts of yourself, and/or being someone else. It's a great message for youth, really. And as you and others have said, if someone doesn't like these messages for their kids, the events aren't mandatory. Personally if I had little kids I'd much rather take them to drag story hour than ice cream with a cop or similar bullshit.