Washington DC—In a time of crisis it is natural to look outward for wisdom to guide us through uncertainty. But that wisdom can come from the most unexpected place and in the most unexpected way. And on Monday during the FiftyFiftyOne protest in Washington DC no one expected children’s book writer Tara Hoot to deliver what turned out to be excellent advice to help them navigate the world in this difficult time of fear and uncertainty. Her message was to find it within by looking at the courage and strength and the “gorgeous” already inside each of us.
To begin, the government crisis in the DC-MD-VA region is making many lives here much more difficult as hundreds of thousands of public servants are or will soon be suddenly and needlessly unemployed. This will have second order effects on many others who run businesses fulfilling government contracts. Then, for the country itself, many millions will soon begin to notice vital services on which they depend cease as systems falter and fail. Next there is certain to be recession as funding is cut and many begin to move out of the region. And so there is much trepidation about the seeming insanity taking root in the country’s leadership.
And so many came from around the region to join the growing protests because they are afraid and anxious about the takeover and shuttering of government agencies and institutional collapse, and worried about what is to come.
Many speakers told of the issues already in plain view and striking us from straight ahead. The rise to power of a fascist regime, a mega-billionaire who cares about others and the consequences to millions of Americans but cares more about his businesses, and the apparent lack of Congressional action on behalf of Federal workers, were all the main topics.
When Tara Hoot stepped up to the mic, everyone was waiting for a little piece of hope, assurance, and advice that everything was going to be ok. But that’s not actually what she came to do. She said she wanted her “version of Drag to be the kind of Drag that lifts people up, gives them joy, gives them hope.”
She told of the many threats to her marginalized community and to herself. These came from extremists as the result of her community service in reading books to children during Drag Queen Story Hour venues she had organized over the past four years. And she told of her own distress that a president could take over the venerable arts institution of the Kennedy Center to direct hatred on marginalized communities like hers.
“The world is so hard sometimes,” she began.
She read her children’s book because “children’s books often contain lessons for all of us, not just children.”
Take a leaf and read a bit from it or listen to it from the authors voice in the video below:
“Darlings! Ding dong. Who’s at the door?
It’s someone I don’t think I’ve met before.
Oh my goodness, my gosh, my stars, what to do?
I was hoping I’d see the gorgeously you!
Lets just take a moment to welcome you here.
This gorgeous human being so radiant so dear.
But gorgeous my goodness what does that word mean?
It’s not just about your shine and your sheen.
Because you can be gorgeous in multiple ways.
Let’s take a close look at them what do you say?
You could be gorgeously smart, know just what to do.
Like knowing four is the sum of two plus two.
You could be gorgeously kind, a friend to those near.
Lift them up, cheer them on, lend them your ear.
Be gorgeously clever what will you do?
Pull the lever, climb the rope, watch out for that goo!
Be gorgeously thoughtful. Is that someone in need?
Share a coat, some joy, do a good deed.
Be gorgeously strong. Be true to who you are.
Don’t change just to change I’m sure you’ll go far…”
Tara Hoot’s full reading of her as yet unpublished book is the video link below. All unpublished work in her book is ©️ by the writer and owner.
