A performer who was forced to cancel their performance at the DCA on Saturday has shared their anger over the online abuse they were subjected to.
Miss Peaches, 23, was set to host Drag Queen Storytime, where she would read stories to children and their parents, at the Nethergate venue.
The DCA had been forced to cancel the performance due to what they described as “hateful and intimidatory behaviour of a small number of people online”, leading to the performer feeling unsafe.
Speaking with The Courier, Miss Peaches gave her reaction to the cancellation.
She said: “It’s just really bizarre to me. The event was listed as a story time, I was doing nothing more than reading a book.
“For some reason these people have conjured up their own definition of what I’m doing and their own motives for why I’m doing it.
“What they have done has made the event unsafe.
“The event was completely controlled. Parents had to be present with their children at all times.
“I was never going to be alone with the children. No one was going to be forced to do anything they didn’t want to.
“It was purely a happy and inclusive event where children would learn things.”
Not safe for the children
Reacting to the online abuse, Miss Peaches said: “I felt really defeated reading the messages. My thought was that it wasn’t safe for me or the children to be there.
“I feel that the people had taken the fact away from the event that now it didn’t feel like it was a day for the children to meet someone who is different.”
The event was part of a ‘Transcendent’ event held by the DCA, celebrating those who experience issues with their gender.
Miss Peaches said: “It’s really sad. There are kids like that and I know people who grew up like that.
“I didn’t realise until I was much older so I didn’t have the experience as a child but I did wish I saw and encountered people like me and that’s why the event was important.
“I thought it was amazing to be a part of the event, as I’m one of these people.
“It was an honour to be asked to be a part of it.”
Conversation