Dornbirn drag‑queen reading for children goes ahead despite protests

The cultural programme “Sommer im Park” in Dornbirn will feature an interactive children’s reading by two drag queens, Fräulein Bürgerschreck and Athene Atlas, on Saturday afternoon. The performers will read selected children’s books, sing Disney songs and lead games, with organisers saying the content is child‑friendly and contains no sexual material.

Parents and the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) have organised an online petition that gathered more than 3,600 signatures, demanding the event be cancelled or restricted to older audiences. The FPÖ attempted a veto in the city council, but the motion was rejected. The SPÖ, Greens and ÖVP have expressed support for the programme, and city marketing manager Michael Rüdisser affirmed that the texts and costumes have been reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for children. The reading will proceed as planned despite the protests.