P.E.I. drag event has storybook ending

A drag queen who read stories about acceptance and same-sex marriage to about 100 people — including 60 children — at a theatre in rural P.E.I. Saturday said the support from the community has been "amazing" despite online hate that caused the original performance to be postponed.

Tanner MacKinnon dressed in a pink wig with matching lipstick and tiara as Lady Fefe Fierce.

MacKinnon said people are entitled to their opinions, but "love is greater than hate."

"It's important to the kids who might be LGBTQ, or kids who aren't, that they're aware of this and that they can accept and have support for both themselves and anyone else they know that is part of that community, that they can have love and see that that's a normal thing and that you don't have to fit a certain box to be an amazing person."

There were no signs of protesters outside Kings Playhouse in Georgetown on Saturday, only colourful displays that included cupcakes with rainbow icing.

Some kids took selfies with MacKinnon.

The scene was reassuring for Trey Yeo, who was scheduled to perform drag storytime in February but bowed after feeling unwelcome from online negativity. He said he now wants to be part of future events.

"You could feel the happiness in the room," Yeo said.

Yeo invited anyone who has issues with drag storytime to witness it for themselves. They might get a chance.

Catherine O'Brien, interim executive director of Kings Playhouse, said the event went so well there are plans to host others.

She doesn't believe kids are too young to hear stories about "love and expression" and the different forms it can take.

"There are kids that have parents that are of the same sex," O'Brien said. "It's just normal. We have to make sure kids know that that's normal and feel really good about that."