https://www.wral.com/we-will-not-be-silent-drag-queen-story-hour-returns-to-apex-pride-as-equality-nc-steps-in/20323126
‘We will not be silent:' Drag Queen Story Hour returns to Apex Pride as Equality NC steps in
APEX, N.C. — Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community were angry and hurt after Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert announced Monday that Drag Queen Story Hour would be removed from the Apex Pride Festival this weekend.
Some people accused Gilbert of allowing a "vocal minority," who are unlikely to attend Pride regardless, of dictating how the LGBTQIA+ community should celebrate Pride.
"We will not be forced back into a closet," said Equality North Carolina Executive Director Kendra Johnson.
Drag Queen Story Hour released a statement, saying, "It's unfortunate and saddening to find out individuals communicated threatening messages to Town of Apex officials because of [our[ inclusion at Apex Pride." On Thursday, Equality NC stepped in, announcing that Drag Queen Story Hour would return to Apex Pride.
"Equality NC is proud to announce that our organization will sponsor The Apex Pride Festival," Equality NC said in a statement. "We are also celebrating that this will restore Drag Story Hour to the program, and ensure that our community members in Apex have every right to gather and celebrate."
Johnson wrote in a statement that Pride is first and foremost about the LGBTQIA+ community – their collective voices, stories, resilience and hopes.
"What we saw in Apex was an attempt to invade our spaces, to silence us, to disperse us, and limit our freedom to be ourselves in our community," she wrote.
Johnson and other commenters accused Gilbert of allowing "misinformed" and "non-inclusive" complaints from people who are not part of the LGBTQIA+ community to out weigh the voices of the people who Pride celebrates.
"It’s disappointing that the very vocal minority of non-inclusive folks feel so threatened by something they don’t even understand that they, in turn, threaten their neighbors and fellow Apex residents. Those being so vocal weren’t even going to attend the event anyway!" said one comment on Gilbert's page.
<Johnson says EqualityNC is proud to support Apex Pride organizers and see the event take place – with Drag Queen Story Hour restored.
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> very vocal minority
Time to overload the phones to shut this shit down! We are the majority!
Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert
https://apexnc.org/1377/Mayor-Jacques-Gilbert
Apex Town Hall
73 Hunter Street
PO Box 250
Apex, NC 27502
(919) 522-9823
Email Mayor Gilbert jacques.gilbert@apexnc.org