Lethbridge theatre group plays homophobia card to spark unfair witch hunt
By Michael Platt
January 29th, 2014
It’s one way to start a witch hunt: publicly cry homophobia, and then lay low as the venom flies.
That’s what operators of a Lethbridge acting outfit did Wednesday, after announcing their brand-new alternative-lifestyle theatre was being forced to close, with the blame squarely upon intolerant neighbours in their building.
“In the span of just the past few days, ignorant and homophobic neighbouring tenants in the McFarland Buidling have made it clear in various ways that we are not welcome in their midst,” wrote three people behind Bordello, home of Theatre Outré.
The three — Richie Wilcox, Jay Whitehead and Aaron Collier — say homophobic letters and a petition sent to their landlord halted their plans to develop a new space for Bordello, known for its risque, queer-lifestyle shows, including “Homo for the Holidays” and “A Tribute to the Tallywhacker.”
“Two hateful, hurtful and defamatory emails were sent to our landlord questioning our integrity based on moral grounds and challenging our co-existing alongside their businesses,” reads their website, which promotes Theatre Outré as “extravagant, perverted and queer”.
“(The) actual complaints lobbied against us in emails expressed hypothetical concerns about exposure to homosexual lifestyles, ‘transsexual endorsement,’ child molestation, rape, indecent exposure and acquiring STDs from the building’s toilets.”
Not surprisingly, such inflammatory language has fuelled anger and outrage in defence of the theatre.
Wilcox, Whitehead and Collier outed the neighbours, offering the names and numbers of two tenants — an insurance broken and a music teacher — who they claim wrote the letters and started a petition to drive the theatre out of the building.
“If you need someone to talk to about this, please call or email the following people,” they wrote.
But the three accusers weren’t willing to answer questions themselves, failing to respond to repeated calls and emails.
The trio chose to hide, ducking the storm of fury triggered by their allegations, which also accused Lethbridge of “road-blocking” development permits in response to homophobia — and now, stories have run across Canada, pointing to the intolerant city in southern Alberta.
Unfortunately for diverse, educated Lethbridge, the three men are twisting the truth.
City councillor Jeff Carlson, who knows the Theatre Outré crowd, says the letters have nothing to do with the theatre’s woes — and in fact, the Bordello has yet to even apply for permits needed to operate as a business.
He points out that the same theatre operated without a peep of opposition in its previous location, and to sully Lethbridge’s reputation with allegations of intolerance is unfair.
“This painting the whole city with the same broad brush — it is very damaging to Lethbridge,” said Carlson.
And then there are the two business owners who’ve been turned into pariahs over allegations of homophobia.
“I am not homophobic — I’m rooted in a faith which is Christianity, and to be homophobic would be the wrong approach on my part,” said Dale Reimer, who owns the insurance company, and openly admits to serious concerns about the new theatre.
But rather than hateful, Reimer says his opposition is strictly based on the proximity to children, many under the age of 12, who attend classes in the day and evening beside the theatre — sharing an entrance, halls, toilets and a wall, through which sound can be clearly heard.
“To have this theatre situated right next to a children’s music education centre, through an adjoining wall, is not appropriate,” said Reimer.
“They could be heterosexual or homosexual, my stance would be the same, in that we can not put children at risk of walking though those doors or hearing the happenings next door.”
The letters themselves may contain harsh, unfair allegations about the queer lifestyle, but the concern about children being exposed to adult activity and inappropriate content is share by every city — not just Lethbridge.
When a theatre promotes itself as perverted, they have to expect backlash — and crying homophobia and then hiding only serves to mask legitimate concerns.
One of the Bordello’s recent plays was entiled the “The Case of the Fraudulent C**k”.
This may well be the case of the fraudulent victim.
Access the column and comments at:
http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/01/29/lethbridge-theatre-group-plays-homophobia-card-to-spark-unfair-witch-hunt
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