Stockholm's deputy mayor said he has received 'overwhelmingly positive' reactions after dressing in drag at a public event.
Jan Jönsson donned red lipstick and bouffant hair for a children's story hour as part of a campaign last week.
Drag queen story time events have become fraught and controversial due to mainly right-wing groups.
Mr Jönsson read to children at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in the Swedish capital last week.
Eftersom filmen blivit uppmärksammad även utanför Sverige så finns det nu en version med engelsk text.
"Fairy tales are not dangerous for children and neither are drag queens. In contrast, populism and intolerance have crushed the dreams of many individuals throughout history." pic.twitter.com/ZFhgayWJiV
— Jan Jönsson (@janjoensson) June 16, 2023
The 45-year-old member of the Liberalerna, or Liberals, Party told Moncrieff this is about free speech.
"It is a worrying development in Sweden, where we are actually used to hav[ing] a very liberal view of free culture and the right of free speech," he said.
"In Stockholm they continue - we had an example where some kind of right-wing extremist went to our Royal Theatre and tried to stop the event.
"But with guards and the police force, they have made it possible to continue this show.
"It has mainly been in the south of Sweden where there has been actual attempts - and they have also managed to - stop some of the shows".
Mr Jönsson said this included some elected politicians.
Jan Jönsson reads to children in Stockholm, Sweden. Picture via @janjoensson on TwitterMr Jönsson said this was his first time in drag, and it was more work than he realised.
"Actually I found out that it's really very complicated," he said.
"It took two hours to [do] the make-up on the face and I had to wear a corset, which was quite hurtful.
"This is definitely nothing you do only to have a little bit of fun: it's really an artwork that is very professional".
'Very queen-like'
Mr Jönsson said he had a little help to get there.
"I had the help of the winner of Drag Race Sweden... he helped me with the make-up, the dress and also how to stand and posture in the right drag way.
"It was more complicated than I thought and you have to be quite well trained in your back; you have to pull out the breasts and back with your shoulders, to make it look very queen-like".
Jan Jönsson attends an event in Stockholm, Sweden. Picture via @janjoensson on TwitterMr Jönsson said he has got very positive reactions since.
"The positive side is overwhelming actually," he said.
"I have gotten e-mails, people stopping me in the street telling me, 'This is wonderful - we have waited for someone to say, enough is enough'.
"Of course there has been also a lot of hate and even real threats.
"I suspected that was what we were going to get, it's sad that people cannot behave.
"I have no problem if you say 'I don't like drag' - that's not a problem - but to forbid and threat[en] and hate people, that's not at all OK," he added.
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