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Coventry residents, library and land‑trust leaders clash after drag‑storytime postponed
Summary
Public comment at the Nov. 12 council meeting was dominated by residents and advocates reacting to the postponement of a Drag Storytime event hosted by the Land Trust and the library; speakers argued for inclusive programming, cited chosen book titles, asked for an explanation for the postponement, and urged the council and administration to meet with organizers on next steps.
Multiple Coventry residents used the Nov. 12 public‑comment period to challenge the decision to postpone a Drag Storytime event that had been organized by the Coventry Land Trust with library participation.
Marsha Lewis, a licensed psychologist, said she reviewed empirical literature and found no evidence that drag storytimes increase the incidence of sexual abuse; she urged the community to avoid extreme rhetoric and avoid spreading unverified allegations. “I found no evidence of this within the empirical literature,” Lewis said, and urged respectful dialogue rather than fear‑driven reactions.
Emily Martin, a Coventry resident of 36 years, said the advertised program was an outdoor, child‑appropriate event intended to introduce children to nature and inclusive books the library had selected for the program. Martin named the three titles reserved for the event — A Red Crayon’s Story (Michael Hall), Plenty of Hugs (Fran Manushkin) and Something Great (Jeanette Bradley) — and said the performers were donating their time and parents would stay with their children. She said postponement, which she described as “an act of cowardice,” sent a damaging message to the town’s queer and disabled residents and asked for a public explanation and a plan to support inclusive events in the future.
Council President Hilary Lima said she and council leadership had spoken with the Land Trust chair and that town leadership planned a meeting among council leadership, town administration and Land Trust representatives to determine next steps and address safety or logistical concerns. Several council members expressed support for meeting with organizers and reiterated the need to balance safety and inclusion.
Next steps: council leadership said they will meet with Land Trust leadership and town staff to discuss whether and how to reschedule the event, and to consider any safety plans or program clarifications before rescheduling.
