The Book Keeper, an indie bookstore nestled in a strip mall near Exmouth Street and Colborne Road, hosted a Saturday morning "All You Need is Love Rally" followed by a Drag Queen Storytime with Amanda Villa - also known as Mandy.
"This rally is to show that LOVE WINS and we are not going anywhere with our support of having an inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community," The Book Keeper said about the event.
The business emphasized that this event was open to all ages, encouraging guests to bring their families and friends.
The event drew in quite the crowd. Around 200 people were in attendance, waving rainbow flags, singing love-themed songs, and holding signs with slogans like "love over hate," and "love wins."
The messaging was not welcome by all, however, as a number of protestors showed up to voice their disapproval of Drag Queen Storytime and the impact activities like these could have on young minds.
From The Book Keeper's event page on Facebook, protestors are something the business is used to dealing with.
"In the event of people 'not spreading love and positivity' please ignore them and sing louder than their 'lack of positivity'. Do not engage with those who are there to protest drag storytime - WE HAVE THAT HANDLED," they wrote. "It's best to ignore them and continue our message of love and acceptance. We do not condone or invite any violence. This is a peaceful, loving rally."
In spite of some disapproval from members of the public, Saturday morning's event had an impressive turnout, with hundreds of people of all ages showing up to celebrate love and inclusivity.
Drag Queen Storytime at The Book Keeper on January 28, 2023. Photo by Sarah Woodley (Blackburn Media).
"Thank you everyone who came out to our LOVE RALLY today and for showing your support," The Book Keeper posted shortly after the event. "We will keep trying to make our store a safer space for all!"
