Was Lafayette's Drag Queen Story Time Canceled Over a One-Person Protest?

Book readings by drag performers are a common target of anti-LGBTQ protests nationwide, but naysayers haven't stopped the Lafayette Public Library from hosting its popular Drag Queen Story Time. The most pushback the library ever received was in 2020, when ten people showed up to oppose the story hour, vastly outnumbered by the hundreds who came in support.

But over the weekend, one protester declared victory, claiming that the story time scheduled for Saturday, June 14, was canceled as "a direct response to growing public concern."

"I canceled story time at Lafayette Library today and turned it into a Parent Rights Prayer Rally," Marla Fatima Fernandez celebrated online after days of advertising a prayer hour outside of the library to object to the Drag Queen Story Time. "We showed up and they back down," she added in another post.

Except that's not what happened. The story time was postponed due to library staffing issues, and it will be rescheduled, says Debbie Wilmot, communications director for the City of Lafayette.

Wilmot says the city was not aware of the prayer protest when it postponed the story time, two days before both events were set to take place.

“There have been people in opposition to [the story time], but we’ve continued on with the events without problems," she adds. "I don’t think it’s been anything that we’ve been concerned about in the past. ...Our programmer is on vacation and will be back next week to work on rescheduling the event."
Organizers did not inform the library of their planned prayer hour ahead of time, according to Tradition Family Property, the conservative group that coordinated the protest with Fernandez. Social media posts from Fernandez promoting the prayer hour received few, if any, likes, comments or shares, making it unlikely that staff from the library or city would have seen them.

Though the story time was postponed, Fernandez continued on with the prayer hour outside of the library on June 14.

Wilmot says library staff "did not notice any protesters" on the day. Fernandez says that is because she was the only attendee.

"I was there alone in person, but not alone in purpose," Fernandez says. "Several members of my pilgrim prayer circle chose not to attend. While I was surprised, I also understood. Not everyone is ready to show up publicly when the culture is watching. But I still went because I believe parental rights, freedom of conscience, and prayerful witness are worth standing for, even when it’s uncomfortable."

Fernandez used the Drag Queen Story Time to promote her run for governor of Colorado: "As a candidate for Governor, I will not stay silent," she shared online while falsely claiming responsibility for the so-called cancellation.

Fernandez, an unaffiliated candidate, unsuccessfully ran for the state House as a Republican in 2022 and 2024. She was criticized by Republican leadership and Democratic legislators for racism after she called Black and Latina Democratic candidates “chimps” in a tweet. At the time, she claimed it was a mistake due to dyslexia, later saying it was an intentional ploy for media attention.

Maybe she should save the tall tales for story time.