The founder of Drag Queen Story Hour UK has said the show’s first bomb hoax has spurred them on to keep fighting against hate. 

Aida H Dee, who previously spoke to PinkNews about the importance of International Drag Day in the face of an increase in drag and trans-related hate, launched her story hour in 2017 in a bid to bring together drag artists to perform educational storytelling shows for families. 

But the family friendly show in London’s Regent’s Park was subjected to a hoax threat on 12 July. 

Aida told PinkNews: “To have an individual feel so strongly against LGBTQ+ storytelling is worrying and tells me this country has a lot of repairing to do on its views on queer people.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed to PinkNews that they had received a report of a suspicious item in the park. 

“Officers carried out a search of the venue and other enquiries and no trace was found,” a spokesperson said. “The incident was stood down”. That meant the event was able to go ahead safely.

Following the hoax, security was brought in to surround the event, ensuring safety was a priority and Aida said she was determined to continue as usual. 

“Why would I want nasty people to know their horrible actions are affecting me? Unfortunately, this was the first time Drag Queen Story Hour had received such a threat and it probably won’t be the last,” said Aida, who uses they/them pronouns. 

“It’s scary to know people like this still exist. [But], if anything, it sparks a fire in me to organise more events.” 

Drag Queen Story Hour UK now has the experience to tackle such threats in the future, with Aida knowing they can trust the Met’s judgment on the matter. 

“If these people didn’t exist, I’d just be a fun, fabulous, children’s author and drag queen… but I’m an activist instead, and I’ll be clear: I didn’t choose to be an activist, the activist life chose me, and I wear this hat proudly and with style.” 

Despite this being the event’s first threat, Aida was threatened in May with being “cut up and thrown into the River Mersey” if they returned to Liverpool to read to children and their families. 

That same month, they endured slurs being hurled at them just hours after they had proposed to their partner. Countering the person’s abuse led to Aida being punched and left with a broken jaw. 

Drag Queen Story Hour will be at Underbelly Festival London, in Cavendish Square Gardens, London, from 20 to 26 August. Tickets can be purchased here.