A COUNCIL has apologised after a drag act called FlowJob was invited to speak at a primary school event to mark LGBT History month.
Renfrewshire Council said it had become clear “the social media content associated with the speaker’s stage persona is not appropriate for children”.
FlowJob was introduced to children at Glencoats Primary in Paisley as “Flow”.
Pupils were learning about the legacy of Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, which banned the “promotion of homosexuality” in schools and was later repealed.
However, some parents and campaigners have since raised concerns about the invitation.
SNP MP Mhairi Black, who also attended the event and was pictured alongside FlowJob, hit back at the critics on Twitter and accused them of homophobia.
She said: “You just know that the people pretending to be livid that a drag queen read a book in a school in my mentions [right now] are also the people who run out to buy their kids the latest Grand Theft Auto on release day.
“Your homophobia is transparent.”
The Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP added: "If my school had invited a gay MP and a drag queen to visit during LGBT History Month, or even acknowledged that LGBT History Month existed, it would have made an immeasurable difference to the difficult childhoods my LGBT classmates and I had.
"Yet so many people in my mentions want acknowledgment of LGBT people shut down because you still think there’s something inappropriate in our existence.
“You’re willing to see another generation of LGBT people growing up believing that who they are should be hidden away.
“Never mind the fact that doing so in the past has left a massively disproportionate number of LGBT people, generation after generation including my own, suffering severe mental health problems and higher suicide rates.
“The Simpsons has been mocking your 'won’t somebody think of the children!' faux sincerity since the 90s. I don’t know why you think repackaging it now isn’t completely transparent.
“I completely applaud @PS_Glencoats for putting on such a great day, and I’m so grateful to have been invited along.”
Inverclyde SNP councillor Chris McEleny said allowing "individuals who glamorise sexualised behaviour" to visit schools is "just plain wrong".
A Renfrewshire Council spokeswoman said: “The school pupils at Glencoats Primary are currently organising a series of activities and events to mark LGBT history month.
"In discussion with pupils in their Rainbow Club, one of their requests was to invite people from the LGBT community to hear about their own experiences growing up and they wanted to invite a drag queen to talk to this group to hear about their own personal experience.
"Learning about values including equalities and diversity has an important role in the school curriculum.
“All school visits are arranged and managed with the wellbeing of pupils first and foremost however it is clear in this case, the social media content associated with the speaker’s stage persona is not appropriate for children and had we been aware of this, the visit would not have been arranged.
"We are sorry for the concern this has caused and are investigating.”
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