‘Literally just art’: Dozens support Vancouver drag theatre camp, drown out protesters – BC | 24CA News
Dozens of individuals rallied on Granville Island on Tuesday to help an area theatre’s drag camp for teenagers, drowning out a small group of protesters who consider drag and kids don’t combine.
The Carousel Theatre for Young People’s four-day Summer Drag Camp goals to assist youth categorical themselves by means of clothes, make-up and efficiency, in keeping with its web site. It’s supplied to kids between seven and 11 years outdated.
“I’m happy to be standing with so many other people in support of children, drag as an art form, theatre, and the LGBTQ community,” mentioned Jozy Patterson, a supporter and member of the union that represents the theatre’s stage technicians.
“It’s literally just art like anything else is, like how comedians can do children’s characters in movies and then go do adult TV shows the next day.”
Tuesday’s rally was organized by the native chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees of the United States and Canada (IATSE). Julia Wiebe, a member of Local 118’s Pride committee, mentioned the union wished to carry “people power” to a “huge project” that’s being taken on by a smaller firm.
“It’s our job to support artists and anybody who walks into the theatre, and we just want to continue supporting the community,” Wiebe mentioned.
“We shouldn’t have to come out. It should be the most normal day ever.”
For the previous few months, the Carousel Theatre for Young People’s workers have acquired threatening emails and cellphone calls associated to the drag camp. In May, it even held two fundraising occasions to assist pay for additional safety throughout this system.
At the time, a spokesperson mentioned the messages included “relentless” demise threats, bodily threats, harassment, and “vitriolic hate.”
“It’s been really difficult for our staff, who are champions and they are exceptionally good at producing incredible programming for young people. It is not part of their job to deal with hate messaging,” Carousel Theatre board president Jocelyn Macdougall advised Global News on Tuesday.
“We’ve ended up having to dig into our budget in ways we weren’t planning for, but it was critical and important that we continue to offer these incredible programs that families want, that children want, but that we do it in a way that’s safe and protected.”
Drag occasions — together with library story instances and brunches — have more and more grow to be the positioning of protests throughout the nation. According to Statistics Canada, hate crimes towards the 2SLGBTQ+ group have additionally elevated, with these concentrating on sexual orientation spiking 64 per cent between 2019 and 2021.
Some of these protesting the Granville Island camp on Tuesday held indicators that learn, “Gays against groomers,” or recommended the T and Q, which stand for trans and queer or questioning, needs to be clipped out of the acronym, LGBTQ.
Protester Ian Glass mentioned he feels extra individuals are towards the publicity of youngsters to tug performers than are prepared to talk up about it.
“What I want people to know is that we are not one unified community. I’m a bisexual man and I absolutely do not approve of this,” he mentioned in an interview.
“I do not think children should be at Pride events, I do not think we need to sexualize children for entertainment and I want to express my dissent.”
Michelle Fortin, co-chair of the Vancouver Pride Society, mentioned kids may be interested in drag the identical approach they’re interested in any artwork type, together with appearing — which is exactly what drag is.
“This is about arts. This is about kids accessing art. These are not families that were put under duress to come to summer camp,” she mentioned. “They’re here because they want to be here. Happy Pride!”
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