She's coming back!

Saturday 04 January 2020

Aida H Dee is coming back to Guernsey for another sell-out Drag Queen Story Hour session at the Guille Alles Library, just months after her previous visit attracted praise, and some complaints.

The library said it has organised the return visit after the success of her previous trip, saying it is "delighted to announce another Drag Queen Story Hour with the marvellous Aida H Dee!"

The interactive story time sessions are organised by national charity Drag Queen Story Hour UK which says it aims to celebrate creativity, love and acceptance. 

Supported locally by equality charity Liberate, the event being held next Saturday was only publicised by the Library on Thursday 2 January, and 'sold out' within minutes.

Aimed at children up to the age of 8, the free event is being held at 11:00 on Saturday 11 January, just four months after Aida H Dee's previous visit to the island. 

At that time her visit attracted some concerns, with one politician going public with his own belief that a drag queen is not the best role model for young children. 

Deputy Barry Brehaut questioned whether the character's name, which is a play-on-words of ‘ADHD’ was appropriate for someone performing to children.

"A drag act is essentially for adults, and I don't think the play on words ADHD lends itself to a performance in a children's library," he explained to Express. 

“This person is not a children’s performer – it is a gentleman who is a drag queen and who usually plays to an adult audience and perhaps that kind of play on words works in that context.”

Pictured: Deputy Barry Brehaut and others raised concerns about the Drag Queen Story Hour during the initial event in September, 2019. 

Deputy Brehaut, and others, also raised concerns about other aspects of Aida H Dee's performances, away from the Drag Queen Story Hour circuit, which saw the character down shots of alcohol in quick succession.

However, there seemed to be huge amounts of public support for the Drag Queen Story Hour and the sell-out event held at the Guille Alles Library in September was seen as a huge success.

I'm with Deputy Brehaut on this one. Silence from other Deps I note https://t.co/Ti1UYHMkXt

— tothevale (@tothevale) September 23, 2019

Aida H Dee herself is played by a young man who has family links to the island, through his grandmother. He visited Guernsey frequently as a child and has said his drag queen alter ego will be back in the island again later this year for Pride 2020.

Speaking to Express during her visit in September 2019, Aida said the island had given her a warm welcome and "the support she had received overall outweighed any negative comments".