After much public debate, Free Pride Glasgow have decided to re-open their line-up to welcome drag performers.
The event had announced last week that it would not allow drag performers at this year’s celebrations as they may be transphobic. A few days later, Free Pride Glasgow re-assessed their stance, inviting trans drag artists to take part – to the exclusion of cis-gender individuals.
Many within the LGBTQIA community had loudly contested the decision, including Drag Race’s Michelle Visage and Irish drag queen Panti Bliss, who called the move by Free Pride Glasgow “regressive”.
Organisers have issued a public apology, announcing that they had “made a mistake”.
“The original decision was made because many trans members of Free Pride have had negative experiences with drag acts veering towards racism, misogyny and transphobia; the lack of contact with the drag community contributed”, Free Pride Glasgow announced in an official statement.
“Drag is an art form, a form of expression and performance, a community with a rich history. The most useful comments and advice that we have been sent from around the world have been from trans people of colour and working class trans people who support drag and have let us know that, without it, they might now have had access to trans/queer culture at all. We are extremely grateful to those individuals who have contacted us to explain this.”
“Drag, like all forms of art and performance, can entertain us and challenge us. But it also has the capacity to perpetuate oppression such as misogyny, transphobia and racism. Free Pride is a safe and accessible space for all of us to join and celebrate.”
“We hope to learn from this in order to foster the kind of community we want to see. We believe there is a greater need for dialogue within, and indeed between the trans and drag communities. We look forward to creating spaces where these dialogues take place with mutual compassion and respect.”
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22-07-2015 Scottish Pride festival changes its mind about drag queens
