Key Points
- Drag performers in Australia have become the targets of "amplified hate" campaigns.
- A combination of religious conservatism and right-wing extremism imported from the US is driving the hate.
- Despite the protests and threats, many drag performers say they will continue to do what they love.
Dolly Diamond has been hosting storytime events for children for years without issue.
"I know that when I tell a story about The Queen with the Wobbly Bottom, or My Unicorn Farts Glitter, that they listen and they love it," the Melbourne-based cabaret performer and comedian told SBS News.
But ahead of her appearance at Mount Gambier Library in South Australia in March, a death threat was made to the venue.
"It made me really nervous for my safety, and anyone around me," she said.
"On that morning, it spoiled, obviously, my enjoyment of the event, but there was no way I was going to let it get to me or make the event not go on."
Similar events in other parts of Australia — and overseas — from those who take issue with drag performers reading books to children.
"I imagine I was a little naive," said Dolly Diamond.
"It hadn't happened in the last few years, so I thought, 'Well, maybe I'm alright? Maybe they're leaving Dolly Diamond alone'. But no.
"It looks like drag is this season's lipstick-wearing piñata, and the blindfold is off, and it's really really upsetting."
Timberlina, who hosts Rainbow Story Time at Newcastle Library in NSW, said she was made aware of a plan to protest last month's event about a week before it was due to take place.
While it wasn't the first time the event — which promotes diversity and inclusion, and teaches children "they can be whoever they want to be" — had been targeted, she said it felt "completely different".
"It was scary," the Indigenous drag queen told SBS News.
"We had to organise different entrance points for me to get in and out of the building, I had somebody by my side the whole time.
"When you've got that going on, you're like, 'Wow, something bad could happen'."
Why is drag being targeted?
The "amplified hate" being directed toward drag performers in Australia has been imported from the United States, says Justin Ellis, senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Newcastle.
"What we're seeing is a toxic combination of religious conservatism and right-wing extremist hate that's amplified through digital networks," he told SBS News.
That has in part been fuelled by politicians such as former US president Donald Trump, who "glorified violence through social media" during his presidency, Mr Ellis said.
"This confluence of religious ideology and far-right wing hate is also drawing upon legacies of criminalisation of male same-sex conduct, and the pathologisation of that conduct through psychiatry, and so on," he said.
"All of those factors combined, lead to what we're experiencing — which (American scholar and cultural theorist Lauren) Berlant called 'a sexual emergency' — where certain groups argue that they're threatened, or the conduct of another group threatens their life or their way of life."
Some US states in public or where they could be seen by minors, which supporters claim are intended to protect children.
In Australia, Liberal senator Alex Antic used a Senate Estimates hearing last year to accuse the ABC of "grooming children'' over a Play School segment that featured drag queen Courtney Act reading a story about dressing up.
Other conservative politicians, such as United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet, have claimed LGBTIQ+ people are trying to "indoctrinate" and "sexualise" children.
"The evidence base for this kind of childhood literacy program being a grooming process for children is unsubstantiated," Mr Ellis said, adding that performers involved in events like drag storytime all have to have relevant working with children and police checks.
"Really, [that argument] is about generating fear."
Dolly Diamond said it was "baffling" why anyone would have a problem with someone dressing up and reading stories to children.
"We're not trying to indoctrinate anybody, we're not trying to convert anyone to fabulous; we are there to read stories," she said.
"Would it be more acceptable if I was the same human being dressed up like a banana or a kangaroo?
"It's still me reading to children, but you've decided that it is wrong when you're dressed up like this, which I believe to obviously be bloody fabulous."
Timberlina said drag performers were just as capable as other entertainers of tailoring their shows to different audiences.
"I have my pub shows that are naughty and over the top, and then I also have my shows that are for kids," she said.
"We aren't going in and doing our dirty dancing in front of the kids — we're doing nursery rhymes and we're doing kid-appropriate songs … it's a very different show.
"If you don't like it, don't take your kids to it. That's okay, because the people that we are having at our shows are there to support us and actually really love it, so just go to another event."
How can the anti-drag movement be challenged?
There are a range of things people can do to effectively push back against anti-drag rhetoric, Mr Ellis said.
"I think the main focus is to stay safe, while calling out bigotry where you can."
"That might be turning up to an event and supporting performers who might be at risk. It also involves reporting incidents to the police where relevant, and definitely reporting online hate to the relevant digital platform.
"Also let your elected representatives know that you value freedom of expression and you won't tolerate bigotry, and ask them what they're doing about it to ensure that that freedom of expression protections are upheld and what are they doing to actively address issues of bigotry in their communities?"
While having to push back against the barrage of hate directed at drag performers and the wider LGBTIQ+ community is "obviously exhausting", Dolly Diamond is refusing to give in.
"Why should I stop doing what I love when I know what I love is right, when I know what I love is accepted by so many others and loved by so many others?"
"We all need equality, we all need to be accepted, and I'll fight for that every day of my life."
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit . also has a list of support services.
Intersex Australians seeking support can visit Intersex Peer Support Australia at isupport.org.au
