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WEBVTT >> DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR HAPPENS AT LIBRARIES GLOBALLY. IT’S INTENDED TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT ACCEPTANCE, DIVERSITY, AND GENDER FLUIDITY. BUT NOT ALL SEE IT IN A POSITIVE LIGHT. BORN AND RAISED IN GREENVILLE COUNTY BOTH RYLEE AND BROCK PLAN TO VISIT THE 5 FORKS LIBRARY NEXT MONTH. BUT THEIR REASONS FOR BEING THERE ON FEBRUARY 14 COULDN’T BE MORE DIFFERENT. >> CHARLIE LOVES TO PLAY BALL. >> THAT’S WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT OUR COUNTRY. IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH SOMETHING YOU CAN PROTEST. >> FOR TWO HOURS, DRAG QUEENS WILL READ STORYBOOKS TO CHILDREN. SOMETHING THEY HOPE WILL TEACH KIDS INCLUSION UNDERSTANDING AND CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES. >> IF THIS IS HOW YOUR FEELINGS ARE, THEN THEY’RE VALID. >> ACCORDING TO THE FACEBOOK EVENT, OVER 200 HAVE REPLIED AS ATTENDING. OVER 500, INTERESTED. WHAT IS BIG, A CHANGE.ORG PETITION TO STOP THE STORY TIME. WITH NEARLY 1200 SIGNATURES AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS STORY >> I JUST SIMPLY DISAGREE THAT YOUNG KIDS SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THIS IN A LIBRARY. >> BROCK CALLING THE STORY HOUR A PUBLICITY STUNT AND THAT THE SEXUALIZED NATURE OF DRAG QUEENS IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS. >> -- RYLEE SAYS HE HAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. >> THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON IN THE CLUB THAT I WOULD NEVER DO IN A LIBRARY. JUST LIKE HOW THERE’S CERTAIN THINGS THEY DO THEY WOULDN’T BRING TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING. >> BUT BROCK SAYS,THIS GOES BEYOND HIS PERSONAL FEELINGS AGAINST THE EVENT. AND THAT A PUBLIC PLACE LIKE THE LIBRARY, HAS NO BUSINESS IN HOSTING IT. >> IF YOU WANNA DO IT IN A PRIVATE SPACE THAT’S ONE THING BUT IN A PLACE WHERE MY TAX MONEY LITERALLY BUILT, I JUST HAVE A DEEP FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM. >> RYLEE SAYS THAT’S FINE. HE DOESN’T HAVE TO COME. NIGEL: THE GREENVILLE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM ISSUED WYFF NEWS 4 THIS STATEMENT SAYING IN PART WE ARE RECEIVEING A MIXTURE OF QUESTIONS,COMPLAINTS,AND POSITIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT A DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR. THIS EVENT IS NOT SPONSORED OR PROMOTED BY THE GREENVILLE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. IT IS A RESERVED USE OF A PUBLIC MEETING SPACE WITHIN THE MEETING SPACES USE POLICY AND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE GREENVILLE COUNTY LI

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A Drag Queen Story Hour planned at an Upstate library has led to strong reactions, online petitions and condemnation from a county councilman.The event is planned for Sunday, Feb. 17, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Five Forks branch of the Greenville County Library System, according to the event’s Facebook page.The story hour will involve four drag queens reading to children in the library. Mom's Liberal Happy Hour SC reserved space at the library, but the event is not sponsored by the library. Organizers say the event will feature “fabulous queens, inspiring books and fellowship with your amazing friends and neighbors.”GOP Politics of South Carolina is planning a counter-event to be held at the same time outside the library, featuring pastor and political spokesperson Mark Burns and special guest Sen. Lee Bright. The event organizers posted the following on Facebook: “We will not allow this type of evil, liberal agenda to come in and pollute our town and disrupt our community using a public platform to profit off of this publicity stunt being pulled by the left. Let’s stand together.”Two online petitions are soliciting signatures, one supporting the story hour, the other demanding it be canceled.By midday Thursday, the petition supporting the story hour had more than 1,900 signatures, and the petition against the story hour had more than 5,375 signatures.Greenville County Councilman Butch Kirven, who represents District 27, released the following statement Tuesday: “Speaking for myself, I believe that if it were in County Council's power, the activity scheduled at the Five Forks Branch Library on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 17, would be shut down immediately. “I believe that the County Council in no way condones the organization, its agenda, or supports this group’s purpose. County staff has researched available lawful ways to address this affront to our community's moral standards and values that are overwhelmingly opposite those represented by this small group. “County Council, as well as the Library Board, is constrained by U.S. Constitution and the holdings of the US Supreme Court. Clearly, this group has an agenda designed to get as much attention as possible. If they accomplish their goal, they will have achieved their purpose. “Greenville County Council will continue to do all it can to support and uphold the strong moral values and standards held by the vast majority of our good citizens.”James Wooten, community engagement manager for the Greenville County Library System, released the following statement to WYFF News 4: "We are receiving a mixture of questions, complaints, and positive comments from the public about a drag queen story hour at the Five Forks Branch of the Greenville County Library System."This event is not sponsored or promoted by the Greenville County Library System. It is a reserved use of a public meeting space within the Meeting Spaces Use Policy and Regulations established by the Greenville County Library System’s Board of Trustees."Users interested in reserving a public meeting space must complete an application and agree to comply with the Meeting Spaces Use Policy and Regulations which can be obtained from any Library location and online at https://www.greenvillelibrary.org/meeting-spaces."All library meeting spaces are available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of the individuals or groups requesting their use. Approved use of library meeting spaces does not constitute endorsement of the applicant’s viewpoints."