Do Brits back drag show bans? Pantomime dame Mama G on teaching children about self-love
Family-friendly events like ‘Storytime with Mama G’ are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, despite protests from right-wing political groups like Turning Point UK and Patriotic Alternative
Tennessee lawmakers are submitting a bill to make it illegal for 'male or female impersonators' to perform anywhere in view of children, but a poll from More in Common UK found 62% of Brits would not support a similar ban on drag shows here in the UK.
I went along to a 'Storytime with Mama G' event in Brighton, held at vegan café, bookshop and community space The Queery, to meet the pantomime dame and find out more about these events.
Mama G sashays into the room, wearing a technicolour dress covered in sequins and stars. Her coiffured wig is cemented in place, standing tall above her head, and she's wearing a big smile.
When asked why she calls herself a pantomime dame and not a drag queen, Mama G grins and chuckles: "Drag queens do amazing makeup and this is what I'm capable of... "
Mama G explains that the pantomime dame 'exists between genders' and their over-the-top appearance is a key part of that:
"It's about wearing bright colours, and helping the audience, especially young children, understand that the pantomime dame is existing between genders. You look at a lot of pantomime dame costumes, and you would never see a female-identifying person wearing them."
The 'cover girl' of Petite Pantos, Mama G started performing five years ago as Mother Goose and launched the storytime events as a way to promote the pantomime. She's worked with Disney, Pride in London, Waterstones and many other big brands, and also appeared on our TV screens auditioning for Britain's Got Talent in 2022 with 'Dame Nation'.
When I ask about the Tennessee bill, her face quickly changes...
Mama G says the wording of the bill ('male or female impersonators') particularly targets trans people:
"A trans person is a trans person. Who they tell us they are, that's who they are. That's not an impersonation."
Mama G at The Queery, Brighton
Mama G at The Queery, Brighton
She mentions that drag is an art form that existed before Shakespeare's time and adds that there are some cultures where a third gender exists, between the masculine and feminine. "Those cultures are thousands of years old," she says. "How can a senator in Tennessee, negate an entire culture and also an entire community? It's crazy."
Mama G describes growing up during Section 28, when 'promotion of homosexuality' was illegal in Britain, and how invisible she felt during that time: "For years, I was hidden. Legally, I was hidden. There were no stories, no history, no books or anything about me."
She says these experiences were a key motivator behind Storytime with Mama G, where she reads inclusive stories that promote self-love, acceptance and respect for others:
"I genuinely think that if everyone grows up hearing that they can be who they want and love who they are, not only will they respect themselves, but they'll respect other people, and people who are not like them."
Mama G reading to children at Storytime with Mama G at The Queery, Brighton
Mama G reading to children at Storytime with Mama G at The Queery, Brighton
Parents attending The Queery event described it as 'magical', and said it was important that their children could 'learn that not everybody is the same and that's okay.'
But there have been protests at some of Mama G's other events, including in South Wales, Wembley and Hull. When this happens, she invites the protesters to come in and watch, 'so they can see what actually happens'.
Despite having over 65,000 social media followers, Mama G's also experienced backlash online. Her strategy on dealing with online hate is to address the comments and stand up for herself, in solidarity with the rest of the LGBTQ+ community:
"In me standing up, in any queer person standing up for themselves, they're standing up for their entire community. And actually, if I don't battle these people, they're going to think they're right."
Political groups like Turning Point UK and Patriotic Alternative have spoken out against drag queen story hour events, expressing concerns about child safety.
Laura Towler, deputy leader for Patriotic Alternative, said:
"We are against children being exposed to drag queens because drag queens are often highly sexualised caricatures of women. They often feature extremely sexual content in their shows, not to mention bad language, drug references and references to prostitution."
They clarified: "The pantomime dame is a comedy character that’s not taken seriously. It’s the same as a clown. There’s no risk of young children looking up the character (or the actor playing the character) and discovering highly sexualised and perverse content."
Beth, a parent of two from Salisbury, also disagrees with drag queen story hour but believes that it's each parent's choice:
"If people want to take their children to these events and they think that's right for their children then that's fine.
"But in the same way, I think that people should be allowed to protest outside it, and not be ridiculed and called 'racist' and 'homophobic' and all the other litany of insults that are thrown at anybody who objects to what's happening."
When asked if she would agree with a total ban on male and female impersonators, Beth was strongly against the idea:
"Drag is entertainment. It's fun. I don't have a problem with it in the right spaces. I think it'd be very sad day if we ever went down that slippery slope."
Do you agree with drag queen story hour events? Tweet me at @jennalloyd27 or vote in the poll below and have your say:
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