A lefty city councillor has raised eyebrows in Germany after turning up to a plenary session dressed as a drag queen.
Thomas Lechner arrived at Munich City Hall on 17th May in a skirt, high heels, and an oversized blonde wig.
He was clutching a handbag and his face was caked in makeup.
He also had false eyelashes and lipstick on.
Lechner told how he had decided to attend the session in drag following protests after it was announced that drag queen “Vicky Voyage” and drag king “Eric BigClit” would read to children on 13th June.
Lechner, who is gay, said that he found the debate “unspeakable”.
He said: “I wanted to show how absurd the whole thing is. I wanted to show: I am who I am, no matter what clothes I wear.”
At the end of his speech at the plenary session, he invited Mayor Dieter Reiter, 64, of the centre-left SPD to attend the event, which Reiter had criticised.
Lechner told him: “Bring your grandchildren along, and then I’ll come dressed like this again.”
On 13th June, drag performers are hoping to talk to children aged four and above about “boys in dresses” and “princesses with their own will”.
The announcement by the city library reads: “Drag Queen Vicky Voyage with Drag King Eric BigClit and trans* young author Julana Gleisenberg take you into colourful worlds that show, regardless of gender, what life has in store for you and that we can do anything if we hold onto our dreams!”
Eric BigClit is a 33-year-old woman from Austria who works as a “post-pornography performer” and also goes by the name “Mushido”.
The organiser of the event is local drag artist Vicky Voyage, 34, who is otherwise a mechanical engineer.
Also involved is the young author Julana Gleisenberg, who wrote the book “Finally Me! My Journey from Boy to Girl”.
Teaching young children about transgenderism and transsexuality is currently a controversial topic across the Western world.
Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Hubert Aiwanger, 52, of the centre-right Free Voters has called for the Youth Welfare Office to get involved and cancel the reading.
The centre-right CSU in Bogenhausen and the right-wing AfD have also demanded a ban on such events.
Lechner describes himself on social media as a “human rights activist, cultural worker, DJ, volunteer city councillor in Munich” and on his website as an “independent city councillor in The Left/Die PARTEI faction.”
Drag Queen Story Hour began in San Francisco, USA, in 2015. The initiative aims to promote inclusivity, diversity, and acceptance by having drag queens read books to children in public libraries, schools, and other community spaces.
Proponents argue that it helps to challenge gender stereotypes and create safe spaces where children can learn about diversity and empathy.
However, critics express concerns over age-appropriate content, questioning whether drag performances are suitable for young children.
Additionally, some opponents argue that Drag Queen Story Hour introduces politics and sexuality into spaces traditionally associated with childhood innocence.
