Top Stockholm politician goes glam in drag queen library protest
The bespectacled former head teacher who leads the Liberals in Stockholm has appeared resplendent in makeup and an eggshell blue ballgown for a video in support of drag queen library readings.
In the campaign video, Jan Jönsson appears in a towering bouffant wig, glamourous eyelash extensions, and a low-cut dress adorned with red roses, reading the Astrid Lindgren classic The Brothers Lionheart to a group of small children.
He then turns to face the camera.
"Fairy tales are not dangerous for children and drag queens aren't either, but populism and intolerance, those are dangerous for children, and for adults too," he says.
Sagor är inte farliga för barn och det är inte dragqueens heller. Däremot har populism och intolerans krossat många individers drömmar genom historien. pic.twitter.com/HKrcDVTBXA
— Jan Jönsson (@janjoensson) June 13, 2023
The video was a direct attack on the far-right Sweden Democrats party, whose local politicians stopped a drag show story reading in Trelleborg in December, arguing that the drag queens involved, Lady Busty and Miss Shameless, were not suitable for children.
The Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson has since sought to capitalise on the controversy, pointing out repeatedly in television debates the unsuitability of the name, "Miss Shameless Winewhore", which one of the two drag queens uses for adult events.
In his video, Jönsson argued that allowing the far-right even this small encroachment into Sweden's culture risked freedom of expression in the future.
"When right-wing populism seeks to stamp its rule over culture and ban drag queens reading fairy tales, they are limiting children's freedom, the freedom to laugh, be inspired and discover new worlds," he said. "They won't be satisfied until the whole world is as grey and depressing as their own".
Jan Jönsson out of drag in 2021. Photo: Duygu Getiren/TT
"This is a time when we need more glitter, love, and rainbows. I will never accept that pressure and prejudice holds anyone back."
In a tweet sent along with his video, Jönsson said that he had worked with Admira Thunderpussy, the winner of Drag Race Sverige, to turn himself into a drag queen for the day, and had invited QX, Sweden's leading gay news site along for the process.
Jan Jönsson has been one of the leading voices in the Liberal Party opposed to cooperating with the Sweden Democrats.
Although he accepts that the party is now part of a coalition government dependent on Sweden Democrat backing, he has continued to call on his party colleagues to take a strong stance against the far-right party on cultural issues, LGBT issues and "other issues which show that we are still liberal".
Jönsson plans to debate Alexander Christiansson, the culture spokesperson for the Sweden Democrats, at the Almedalen political festival on June 29th.
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In the campaign video, Jan Jönsson appears in a towering bouffant wig, glamourous eyelash extensions, and a low-cut dress adorned with red roses, reading the Astrid Lindgren classic The Brothers Lionheart to a group of small children.
He then turns to face the camera.
"Fairy tales are not dangerous for children and drag queens aren't either, but populism and intolerance, those are dangerous for children, and for adults too," he says.
Sagor är inte farliga för barn och det är inte dragqueens heller. Däremot har populism och intolerans krossat många individers drömmar genom historien. pic.twitter.com/HKrcDVTBXA
— Jan Jönsson (@janjoensson) June 13, 2023
The video was a direct attack on the far-right Sweden Democrats party, whose local politicians stopped a drag show story reading in Trelleborg in December, arguing that the drag queens involved, Lady Busty and Miss Shameless, were not suitable for children.
The Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson has since sought to capitalise on the controversy, pointing out repeatedly in television debates the unsuitability of the name, "Miss Shameless Winewhore", which one of the two drag queens uses for adult events.
In his video, Jönsson argued that allowing the far-right even this small encroachment into Sweden's culture risked freedom of expression in the future.
"When right-wing populism seeks to stamp its rule over culture and ban drag queens reading fairy tales, they are limiting children's freedom, the freedom to laugh, be inspired and discover new worlds," he said. "They won't be satisfied until the whole world is as grey and depressing as their own".
"This is a time when we need more glitter, love, and rainbows. I will never accept that pressure and prejudice holds anyone back."
In a tweet sent along with his video, Jönsson said that he had worked with Admira Thunderpussy, the winner of Drag Race Sverige, to turn himself into a drag queen for the day, and had invited QX, Sweden's leading gay news site along for the process.
Jan Jönsson has been one of the leading voices in the Liberal Party opposed to cooperating with the Sweden Democrats.
Although he accepts that the party is now part of a coalition government dependent on Sweden Democrat backing, he has continued to call on his party colleagues to take a strong stance against the far-right party on cultural issues, LGBT issues and "other issues which show that we are still liberal".
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