Gay dance night 'may have upset Christians'
MANAGERS of a charity-run community hall have turned down a request to stage a gay disco over fears the event could offend religious groups on Good Friday.
Jason Hudson, from St Agnes, wanted to book the village's Miners' and Mechanics' Institute (MMI) for the April 2 event under the name Gay Pride Productions.
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Jason Hudson outside the Miners' and Mechanics' Institute in St Agnes after his Good Friday gay dance event was cancelled. Ref:1003GH00905complaint
Mr Hudson, who hoped to run regular dance nights in the hall, said he was initially told he could use the venue but the booking was then cancelled by the chairman of the committee who said it was "unsuitable" for the hall.
"I was told that it wasn't the right kind of event – but salsa and aerobics are, I suppose? The bar is empty most nights and I explained this would attract custom. She then said it was bad timing saying a gay event would upset people in the village celebrating Good Friday," said Mr Hudson.
"The original purpose of the club was for the betterment and education of the people of St Agnes, but now it seems to be for a select few. Does she think there are no gay people living in the village? I'm sure they will feel offended by the suggestion that a gay dance night may somehow upset people," added Mr Hudson, who has now been given the go-ahead to stage the event at Qdos in Truro.
In a statement, the MMI chairman Dawn Brown said the hall did not have a late licence and was in a built-up area, making it unsuitable for a late night dance event.
"I admit I had personal reservations as the date is Good Friday. Although the strict licensing hours which applied on Good Friday have been relaxed in our increasingly secular society, the sensitivities remain, and St Agnes has a large and active Christian community whom I would not wish to upset," said Mrs Brown.
'Homophobic'
She also said the organisation had to "think of its image" but denied suggestions that it was anti-gay, saying: "We want to create a family-centred venue. We don't want the bar full one night if it drives away custom the rest of the week and the community."
She further claimed she believed Mr Hudson perceived the people of the village to be homophobic, because his advertising literature did not say it was an event aimed at the gay community.
In response Mr Hudson said the booking was made in the name Gay Pride Productions.
"I was open with them from the start. It was always billed as a gay event. I feel this is discrimination – it's ridiculous in this day and age," he said.
10 Comments
by Carrie, St Ives
Friday, March 19 2010, 2:43PM
“If he thought he was being discriminated against surely the first place to go is the authorities seeing that discrimination is a crime? The papers are not an authority on the law last I knew.
Good Friday is a solemn event for Christians because that's then the lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross by the Romans. Celebrations would occur on Easter Sunday when he was found to have left his sealed tomb. A disco would not be appropriate for a solemn event.
I've also lived in an area where loud noise from boy racers was a common and often nightly occurrence. It was unpleasant, and it ruined any chance of a good night's sleep. This was a major contributor to the nervous breakdown I had.
The actions of this "gentleman" organising the event make me ashamed to be part of the LGBT community.”
by M Lidbury, Cornwall
Friday, March 19 2010, 2:22PM
“As a former Chemical Mineral flotation operator at one of the last Cornwall Tin Mines Mount Wellington at Bissoe, right up until its closure in 1981, I guess that makes me an x-Cornish tin miner
...errr, I'm also gay.
So much for this charitable? Miners & Mechanics organisation in St. Agnes.”
by Matthew Brown, Saint Agnes
Friday, March 19 2010, 12:10PM
“As Dawn Brown's bi-sexual son, I can say unequivocally that my mother is not homophobic and that, yet again, the West Briton has warped the story to make it sell more papers. I'm told that Mr. Hudson allegedly commented that he didn't want it advertised as a gay event because "you know what they're like around here."
What this article is doing is giving Mr Hudson a free full-page advert on the front page of a newspaper so that he doesn't have to pay the 600-odd quid for a half page advert further within its folds.
As an occasional customer at Qdos, I submit that it was his plan all along to have his event held there. It's a much more suitable venue and considering it's central location and already high gay cutomer base it would be much more likely to attract business.”
by Harold, 'Druth Kernow
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:52PM
“Perhaps someone should write to the Bishop of Truro and ask him what his Christian views are on this blatant discrimination. No wonder Christianity is dying !”
by Pawl, Kernow
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:43PM
“What a joke - what Christians ?
Looked into any of their churches of late.
For Christians read fascists.”
by Woodster, Portsmouth
Thursday, March 18 2010, 3:58PM
“What is the problem?? If the committee don't want the party in THIER venue, they dont have to. The same as is on the front of a public house and supermarket. The management have the right to refuse entry. The "Gay" label to my mind is just being used as an excuse.”
by Jane, UK
Thursday, March 18 2010, 3:55PM
“Ridiculous. he got that right.
Offending christians? I don't suppose he's fussed about, I don't know, working on Sundays? For that mattter, simply being atheist can offend Christians. The Bible condemns interest on loans-compared to adultery, and it was described as such by even Martin Luther and several Popes.
I have two windows other open, one describing how a church is accepting its second openly gay bishop, and another describing the acceptance of a lesbian bishop.
And yet here a few people who probably have no affliation with Christianity trying to celebrate their love (to any christians reading this, 1 John 4:8) who are denied.
This kind of discrimination is pointless. Completely, completely unjustified. What if it was, say, a gathering of Hindus. Would that be stopped? probably not, and yet it violates the Biblical first commandment. So why doess this 'offensive' card only apply to homosexuals?”
by Jem, Cornwall
Thursday, March 18 2010, 2:53PM
“"I'm not homophobic, but...."
Sorry but you DO seem homophobic. "Family-centred"? Right, so gay people don't have families then or care about them? What on earth is the message implied there?
Gay people are all around you. They're your doctor, your teacher, your lawyer, your cleaner, your relative - and they're no better or worse than any other human being.
I hope the Centre issues an apology and realises that we're living in the 21st century - a time when we're supposed to be free from discrimination.
And did it not occur to you that some of the people hoping to attend were Christians too? The two things aren't mutually exclusive. I thought community centres were supposed to cater for ALL people in a community?”
by David Wainwright, Plymouth
Thursday, March 18 2010, 2:35PM
“This is outrageous prejudice and discrimination to withold the use of a hall on grounds of sexual orientation and I should not be surprised if it is against the law to do so , the fact that it is good friday and may upset a few over zealous christians is no excuse , perhaps this should be borne in mind when and if any funding is sought for this hall in the future that it actively discriminated against a community which wished to use the hall for a legitimate social gathering which could have brought one would have thought much needed revenue , obviously this is not the case so let the christians fund the hall and take the pressure of the council tax payer . I wonder if the charities commission have been advised of this blatant discrimination and prejudice? Gay people and lesbians are human beings to and could teach christians a thing or to about tolerance and compassion for their fellow man (and woman), the earth is no longer flat it is round , though for centuries christians insisted on burning people at the stake for suggesting otherwise .
Certainly it is understandable that local residents do not wish to be disturbed with music and revelers celebrating into the early hours of the morning , one wonders why these premises then were granted a late license in the first place?
If the local residents were so concerned why didn't they object to the late license when it was applied for ? Presumably in order for them to avail themselves of a late party as and when they desire, Christmas , New Years Eve ? .
It may well be that Good Friday is significant to a small minority in a religious context, for the majority of people it is a well earned break and chance to let their hair down, in a celebration of the arrival of spring and rebirth . "gay" events and clubs and bars are usually a very mixed affairs these days as most gay and lesbian people have friends and families who are not gay and like to celebrate and party together, its called progress. Most people do not have a problem, it would seem only so called "christians" do ,
some people are GAY , get over it .”
by geoff gibbons, st agnes
Thursday, March 18 2010, 12:58PM
“It appears to me that the administrators at the miners and mechanics only want the venue to suit themselves and are discouraging others by useing the excuse that its for the good of the village, I 'm an adult and I dont like the idea of these people telling me what is good for me and whats not, I dont think that the present administrators are good for the village or the miners and mechanics, they should learn to be a little more open minded and receptive to changes that are constantly happening, we may be a small village but lets not be so small minded.”