 |
|
| Paperback Book Exchange's sticker of support | |
A monthly Drag Queen Story Hour series has had to move from a bookstore in Port Richey, Fla., to a new venue due to protests, WFLA reported.
For the past nine months, the event series has been held at a used bookstore called Paperback Exchange, but the store's landlord recently asked the owners to host the events somewhere else, saying that they attracted too much negative attention.
Joan Hepsworth, owner of Paperback Exchange, told WFLA: "We look at this as a win because we are protecting our kids. And we're looking for a safer place to do this and we want to make it bigger and better."
The event organizers are looking to move to a venue called Peace Hall, located in Sims Park in the nearby city of New Port Richey. But before they can start hosting events, New Port Richey is making them get a special events permit under the justification that the city may need to provide police protection.
"We're here. We want to be treated equally," said Nina Borders, one of the organizers and president of Pasco Pride. "We want to be treated fair. All we want to be able to do is reserve this peace hall venue like any other organization does."