Queers of the Desert

Eat Me: Alice IS Wonderland (2001)


In 2001 local queer entrepreneurs Phil Walcott and Kalikamurti Suich decided on a bold undertaking, to develop an Alice Springs link into the lucrative Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival. The idea was to integrate a local dance party and associated events with Phil's Rainbow Connection hosted accommodation to produce a local season of community festivities that would draw national and international tourists and stimulate the development of a queer tourist market in the Centre. In celebration of that other famous Alice, the festival was christened Alice IS Wonderland.

spinfx
The program for the inaugural Wonderland kicked off with the SPIN FX Desert Dance Party at Pioneer Park on Saturday March 10, followed by Recovery Over the Rainbow at the Rainbow Connection on Sunday afternoon.

Monday evening offered drinks at the Alice Springs Resort, while on Tuesday and Wednesday nights first a women's and then a men's film night was held at Araluen Cultural Precinct. As the boys watched their movies on Wednesday night the girls had a Women's Social Pool Night at the Gap View Hotel. It was expected that everbody would need the night off by Thursday.

On Friday it was drinks at the Alice Springs Resort in the early evening before a women's cabaret and dance party at Witchetty's in Araluen.

The week-long festival concluded with a day at the races for those still standing to join the straight folks and attend the St. Patrick's Day carnival at Pioneer Park.

With such a full schedule and the hope that many Mardi Gras patrons would elect to take their recovery and see the sights of Central Australia together, the desert air was filled with nervous anticipation from the town's queer community.

A grant of almost $2000 to develop promotional material was provided by the NT Tourist Commission and the Australian Tourist Commission agreed to promote the event. The organisers successfully applied for a small Alice Springs Town Council Araluen Access Grant to defray costs associated with hosting the film nights at the Araluen Centre but, ultimately, did not take it up for commercial reasons.

Although the festival was notionally linked to Sydney's Mardi Gras there was never any intention to hold a parade. The organisers had also rather astutely decided not to invite local antagonism and only promoted Wonderland amongst the queer communities in Alice, interstate and overseas. So, it was with some horror that that they learned, just one month out from the event, that the Centralian Advocate had obtained copies of their promotional material and was intending to run a story. All pleas not to throw the spotlight on Alice and frighten the rabbits were dutifully ignored by the media and Phil and Kalika reluctantly agreed to give them some input to try and head off any potential misrepresentation.

That probably would have been fine, had the Advocate not sensed a juicy controversy and fanned the flames by making it their front page story accompanied by a nice photo of three boys in frocks parading down Oxford Street. Although nowhere did they state that a parade was on the cards, the inference was ripe for the making in the minds of Central Australia's more conservative set.


Gay festival set for Alice
By DEE CORCORAN and GLENN MORRISON

Alice Springs will host its first gay and lesbian festival next month.

Organisers expect scores of national and international visitors to flock to Alice Springs after the world famous Sydney Mardi Gras.
Building on the established success of the first Spin F-X dance party the week-long festival will bring post-Sydney Mardi Gras revellers to the Centre and attract international media attention.

Festival organisers are targeting visitors to the famous Sydney Mardi Gras in the hope they will come to Alice Springs.

 Cash boost for economy
The festival is also expected to give a substantial boost to the town's economy.
Alice IS Wonderland, starts on March 10 with most of the town's gay, lesbian and friends community as well as an expected several hundred interstate and overseas visitors gearing up to take part.
A spokesman for the Alice Springs organisers said yesterday: "We plan to promote the Alice IS Wonderland festival as an annual event, targeting the international visitors that contribute to the $99m turnover generated during the Sydney Mardi Gras festival."
The festival has been vigorously marketed internationally via inbound tour operators and attracts enormous overseas media attention.
Journalists from the USA, Canada and UK are set to visit Alice Springs for the celebrations as part of a theme tour titled "Travelling Out".
The plan is supported by both the NT Tourist Commission, which has contributed funding, and the Australian Tourist Commission and will see news of the festival reach nearly half a million people worldwide.

More: P2
Front Page
Centralian Advocate: February 16, 2001 pp.1-2
© News Ltd: used with permission.

Festival a boon for Alice

From page 1

NT Tourist Commission Central Australia Manager Loren Bridges said the festival would give a significant boost to the town.
She said: "The festival is a great opportunity to promote Australia to a very broad market with a high disposable income and a propensity to travel.”
The Spin F X dance party at Pioneer Park will kick off the Wonderland Festival followed by a week full of events including: a film festival at Araluen, a pool night, a cabaret, and a dance party.
The final day’s celebrations will be a day at the St Patrick’s Day races at Pioneer Park.
Organisers are promoting Alice Springs as a place where gay and lesbian visitors can be at peace in a safe and caring environment.
And the festival has received excellent community and business support, including up to $2000 from the Araluen community Access fund to hold film nights.
Alice Springs Resort has taken domestic and international bookings for the festival and sales manager Jane Oakley-Lohm said the hotel is enthusiastic.
She said: “I believe it will be a great economic boost for the town and Central Australia as a whole.”


It only took a few days for the storm of protest to hit. One week later there were enough letters from outraged citizens for the Advocate's first two-page spread, most of which are believed to have resulted from a 'call to arms' that Sunday by the local Assembly of God and other fundamentalist congregations.

Adrian Butter, an appalled Christian ratepayer with generations of right thinking behind him, was given the honour of firing the first shot. Knowing a few homosexuals proved to him that they were just the wrong minority. He was angry at being taken by surprise and worried that the pink dollar was buying his town and making it unsafe for children. He particularly didn't want his city to be "safe for homosexuals" and didn't see any reason why they couldn't just be voted away by the majority. Tom Bird flew into the fray as well associating unacceptable gay festivals with "problem drinking, gambling and misuse of motor vehicles", while good old Name Withheld found the whole business just plain un-outback and a potential invitation to the radicals.

appalled
Centralian Advocate: February 23, 2001 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Appalled at gay festival for Alice

Sir, I am a rate paying citizen of Alice Springs and a Christian.
It is interesting to note (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01) that we are told for the first time that we are hosting a festival for "gay" men and women, and that it is focusing on how safe it is for homosexuals to live in Alice Springs.

Sponsors
Also interesting is that certain Government departments are sponsoring this.
Well I, as a taxpayer, am appalled that my money has gone into something that neither I, nor my father, nor my grandfather, would ever in our right minds agree with.
Having known a few homosexuals, I believe their lifestyle is not right, and they are only a minority in the Australian society.
Just because they have lots of money, does not mean it is right to have such a festival as this.
Sydney can have it, but we of Alice Springs do not want it in this Outback town.
The Territory was always seen as the last frontier. Maybe this is the last place for them to conquer.
I for one am not going to be like the quiet majority.
I am not homophobic either.
I am a concerned citizen of this town.
As I said before, just because it may bring in millions of dollars, doesn’t make it right.
My son is only seven months old; he has no money, nor can he speak yet, so I'll do it for him.
I don't desire for this city to be “safe for homosexuals".
The dollar rules OK

Sir, With reference to your headlines "Gay festival set for Alice" (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01) I'd like to point out that both the Australian and NT Tourist commissions appear to have completely lost the plot.
Surely these bodies should know that tourists coming to Alice Springs look for signs of the real "Outback" and indeed are still looking for A Town Like Alice.
Many complain that the town is now too modern.
How could it be thought that such an event could be good for the town?
It goes without saying that such a festival will bring out the "radical" element.
As the paper reports, the main events will be held at Pioneer Park - is this because the Council does not approve?
It seems the almighty dollar rules all.

Name withheld
Alice Springs

Pressured
I want this town to be safe for my son and for every other child in this town without feeling pressured by a small group (who are not allowed to be discriminated against - yet we who live here are as we are) by being told we are having this show without any consultation.
Also, it is interesting that this event has already been advertised for the last few months - yet we have only just heard about it.
This is a violation of all citizens in Alice Springs.
Majority in elections always win - well the majority here don't want this event.
Our town is “safe” enough for us - we don't want a minority group of people telling us how to live our lives, especially when our kids and teenagers have enough problems in life already.

Adrian Butter
Alice Springs

Festival not acceptable

Sir, To believe the proposed gay festival will be acceptable to our community and good for our town is incredibly naive.
There, are quite a few good boosts to our economy already causing us great problems, such as problem drinking, gambling and misuse of motor vehicles.
I strongly advise our town council to seriously reconsider their response to the promotion of this festival, because while gays may be big business, Alice Springs is not actually a business, it’s our home.
You must put family before profit or you'll destroy the very thing that gives business and family its value: sustainability.

Tom Bird
Alice Springs


Heather Wood; a self-identified, narrow-minded religious crank, only had three questions including the obvious one as to whether there was actually going to be a parade. But, not needing an answer, was happy to cast her withering gaze at anyone who might be thinking of supporting such a clearly alternate event anyway. Lorraine Morgan jumped into the fray too, decrying the apparent concern for money over morals, hinting at a conspiracy, and asserting her wish that gay and lesbian people "would not be in a safe and caring place". Shooting straight out of the Dark Ages, Lorraine was clearly angry that she would apparently have to keep two generations of her family locked away from the polluting influence of the festival, and just wished they'd all go back to wicked Sydney. But Terry O'Reilly had already moved beyond the non-parade to rail against the "homosexual march" offering a good serve of scripture to cast out the sadness of a wrong lifestyle.

crank
Centralian Advocate: February 23, 2001 p.9
© News Ltd: used with permission.
'Crank' queries gay festival

Sir, Re the proposed gay festival for Alice springs (Centralian Advocate 16/2/0 1).
Question 1: Who is the organiser of this event?
Either the reporter was incompetent or the organisation has gone to ground.
Now that says something.
Question 2: When were the residents of this town asked if they wanted this event thrust upon them?
I thought I may have gone to sleep for a week or so.
Question 3: Is there going to be a parade?
If there is, this will show the support the council is giving.
Will the police be required to close off streets?
Are they to be pulled away from regular police duty.
Red Cross, Salvation Army, Lions, Cancer Association, Rotary and many other organisations raising money to assist the people of the Territory don't get this much publicity and apparent support.
Why?
From the article one could be led to believe that the Araluen Centre, Pioneer Park, both the Australian and Territory Tourist Commissions, Alice Springs Resort, and many businesses are devoted to promoting this lifestyle to all adult Territorians and their children.
Or is it a case of using these people, their "alternate life style” for the purpose of publicity.
If the poster at the entrance of Alice Plaza is an indication of things to come, I am happy to report I will not be in town to see this.
That should leave a nice opening for those who choose to write in, showing their intelligent liberated thinking, that they are glad a narrow-minded religious crank like me will not be around.

Heather Wood
Alice Springs
Dollar rears ugly head in place of moral values

Sir, I say there should be no gay and lesbian festival for Alice Springs.
I wonder if you will have the nerve to print my letter in its entirety?
It’s in response to the front page article “Gay festival set for Alice" (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01).
Once again the almighty dollar has reared its ugly head in place of moral values.
This is the first time I have heard or seen any notification that this festival is to be held in our town.
Who is the secret spokesman promoting this, and why was his name not published.
Your paper states it has been vigorously marketed; maybe it has but not in Alice Springs and this is not good enough.
Is this because the organisers are afraid the people of Alice would have rejected the festival before it was too late to stop it?
Just because the rest of the world has accepted gays and lesbians as the norm, do we in Alice Springs have to follow suit?
You state that and I quote: "Organisers are promoting Alice Springs as a place where gay and lesbian visitors can be at peace in a safe and caring environment".
Well, if I had my way they would not be in a safe and caring place as I for one do not want them here.
And I am sure I am not the only one with this view.
Lifestyle concern

Sir, I'm writing this letter because I am concerned about the homosexual march planned later this year in Alice Springs (Centralian Advocate, 16/2/01).
I'm a Christian and sincerely believe this lifestyle is wrong.
I don't believe anywhere is a good place to practise homosexuality.
I believe this lifestyle brings sadness and sorrow to the people involved.
I love these people, both men and women, with the Love of God that has been shed abroad in my heart.
For Our God so loved the world that he sent his only son Jesus that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Terry O'Reilly
Alice Springs

Extinct
If it was the norm to have a society like this we would be extinct in one generation.
It might sound like comments from the Dark Ages but while this immoral activity, which by the way should be kept to the privacy of ones own home is being flaunted on (sic) us without a whimper from most of the general public, we will have a steady decline of all moral values.
It is because the world has accepted this behaviour that society is in the predicament that we see now.
I feel the NT Tourist Commission and the Australian Tourist Commission would be far better rewarded in putting money into local community events.
And lastly do I as a mother and grandmother have to keep my children home for the duration of this so-called festival so that they will not come in contact or see these people, and I have also been deprived of the opportunity of attending the pool and St Patrick's Day races at Pioneer Park because of them.
We do not have to copy Sydney.
Let the ones who want to see this kind of behaviour go to Sydney.

Lorraine Morgan
Alice Springs

Fortunately it wasn't too long before the cavalry mounted a charge against the forces of righteous indignation. Penny Bowen directly challenged three previous correspondents and suggested that a festival might be a good reaction to such evident discrimination. Sue Gibson was also horrified by the rednecks.

But the deluge wasn't stopping just yet. Mien Blom and her whole family pleaded with the Advocate's editor to stop the festival. She could forsee the inescapable displays of promiscuity to come and knew deep down that a "safe and caring environment" was just code for giving unhindered freedom to "extremists". As well as decrying the provision of Territorians' money to the festival, she could see that the prejudice and rejection being voiced by townspeople were clear signs that Alice wasn't the right place for the gay community to hold a party. Daphne Carrol was just plain sad that there would be a gay festival, rather than a "lovely" Masters Games, or caravan or home show.

Gays are tired of discrimination

Sir, I am writing in response to the plethora of homophobic and paranoid letters (Centralian Advocate, 23/02/01).
To Adrian Butler (sic) I have a comment: I want this town to be safe for my son also, but so far in my five years as a resident I have not seen any headlines of "rampaging gays and lesbians roaming streets targeting children.”
To Lorraine Morgan, I feel very sorry for anyone who believes that locking up your children during such a festival so they don't see these people is a reasonable idea.
"These" people live and work in your community every day and your children have been safe so far.
To Terry Reilly, as far as I know sadness and sorrow are feelings people develop from traumatic events in their lives, ie: not being accepted in the community because of their sexual preference.
Finally, do any of you people ever stop to consider why the homosexual community stages these events?
Maybe it's because they are discriminated against and are just bloody sick of it.

Penny Bowen
Alice Springs

Redneck horror

Sir, I was horrified to read the letters section (Centralian Advocate, 23/2/01).
I know it's the Outback and we're all supposed to be intolerant rednecks but I never really believed that it was so true.
The same themes recur through the letters and I find them to be inaccurate.
Gay people do not threaten family life; procreation perhaps, yes. Gay people do not fall from the clouds, they too belong to families.
It needs to be remembered that we are hosting a gay festival, not a paedophile festival.
There is no need to lock up your children.
Perhaps people are concerned that they won't be able to explain the issues involved to their kids.
Homosexuality is not contagious. Your kids will not become homosexual as a result of the festival. Some of them already are.
Maybe it's time to open your minds instead of reacting with fear to the unknown.

Sue Gibson
Alice Springs
tired
Centralian Advocate: February 27, 2001 p.6
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Promote Alice another way

Sir, 0n behalf of my husband and my family, I beg you and your readers to do whatever is in your power to stop the proposed Mardi Gras Festival from being held in our town.
It is hard enough these days to teach our children and grandchildren common decency without this kind of exposition of promiscuous sexuality.
According to the article (Centralian Advocate, 16/02/01), organisers are promoting Alice Springs "as a place where gay and lesbian visitors can be at peace in a safe and caring environment".
Would that not give gay extremists permission to do whatever they like here?
We are appalled to read that the NT Tourist Commission is prepared to sell out Alice Springs' respectable reputation and that our Town Council is using ratepayers' money to show films at Araluen in support of the festival.
Instead of being promoted as the genuine loving and caring people most gay and lesbians are, the responses (Centralian Advocate, 23/02/01) are showing the kind of prejudice and rejection the gay community can expect from any Mardi Gras.
Wouldn't our beautiful town benefit far more from a caring environment where travellers can safely take their children, our future tourist, instead of scaring visitors away with such a demoralising and incriminating display, which would not be tolerated from heterosexual extremists either?

Mien Blom
Alice Springs
Saddened

Sir, Millions of dollars came into our economy from lovely events like the Masters Games, caravan and home shows, but my friends and I are saddened that we would have such a thing as a Gay Festival.
It does not set a good standard for Alice's youth and surely the police have enough to contend to without having to cope with the extra burden.

Daphne Carroll
Alice Springs


However, it wasn't just in the papers that the anti-gay lobby were being vocal. Over the 10 days since the front page story had appeared a petition had been circulating calling on Alice Springs Town Council to prevent the festival from taking place. On the evening of February 26, with just two weeks to go, a delegation of restless natives attended the council meeting to present 830 signatures and demand action.



council
Centralian Advocate: February 29, 2001 p.?
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Council supports gay festival logo

By DEE CORCORAN

ALICE Springs Town Council has voted to support the use of it’s (sic) logo on gay and lesbian advertising for the upcoming Alice IS Wonderland festival.
The decision to support the use of the logo comes despite the fact that more that (sic) 60 protesters turned up to last night’s council meeting.
Council was also presented with a petition signed by 800 people against the festival to be held in Alice Springs from March 10-17.
It was standing room only at council chambers when furious residents voiced their concerns about the gay and lesbian festival and any council support for it.
Residents raised two particular points of concern during the 15-minute question time session: How long had council known about the festival, and why did the public only find out about it by reading the Centralian Advocate?

Advised
Alice Springs mayor Fran Ehrlich said council was only advised of the festival through a media release from organisers on February 12.
Mrs Ehrlich also pointed out that it was the responsibility of the festival organisers to decide on promotional issues relating to the week-long event, not council.

Following question time, many of the 60-strong crowd remained in the public gallery to hear the outcome of the vote.
At the start of the meeting, Alderman Geoff Bell presented a petition to council with 800 signatures from residents requesting council members use their full power to stop the Alice IS Wonderland festival from going ahead.
A short time later, council moved the motion to approve the publication of it’s (sic) logo on advertising relating to the film aspect of the Alice IS Wonderland festival.
The motion was passed 6 to 4.
The only councillor not present at the meeting was Alderman Susan Jefford.
The four councillors who objected to the logo’s use were Aldermen David Koch, Bob Corby, Samih Habib and Bell.
They urged other councillors to take notice of the obvious public reaction over the issue and make a decision based on the public’s concerns.
However, Alderman Jenny Mostran said the town council logo would appear on any other advertising material for any other organisation successful in gaining a town council funded grant.
Alderman Mostran stressed it would be wrong, and dangerous, to set a possibly discriminatory exception in the case of the gay and lesbian film night.
It was standing room only in the public gallery at last night’s council meeting. Many people had to stand outside. Picture: LEX BALLANTYNE.

The Alice Springs News, always keen to highlight the failings of the competition, happily documented the Advocate's role in fostering a negative reaction to Wonderland in the town by its coverage.

Mayor Fran Ehrlich (nee Kilgariff), Alderperson Jenny Motram and NT Human Rights Commission staff collectively pointed out the illegalities of discrimination on the basis of sexual preference, as well as their disappointment with the media's and townsfolk's behaviour. Phil and Kalika issued a press release decrying the public negativitiy and clarifying that there was to be no parade, while several gay men, including John Tortorella and Tony Hand, publicly outed themselves and voiced their disappointment.

There was also a school of red herrings to be dealt with, including about how public Wonderland was going to be, the form and level of government funding, and letter writer Lorraine Morgan's wild claim the whole thing was just a reject Darwin idea dumped down the track on unsuspecting locals. Independant MLA for Braitling; Loraine Braham, asked questions in the NT Legislative Assembly, sending the NT Tourist Commission and town council into a blame game over the event's organisation. And Deputy Chief Minister; Mike Reed, regretfully advised that refusing a grant for Wonderland might have invoked criticism from the tourism industry.

Alderperson Geoff Bell; a member of the Full Gospel Businessmen's Association and clearly a central party to the anti-gay sentiment, presented the petition to the council meeting espressing his disgust at the apparent special treatment being afforded those of alternative lifestyles. He was backed up by colleague Pastor Richard Tozer of the Potter's House Christian Fellowship; an organisation with a long tradition of disparaging queers, and likely facilitator of many of the petition's signatures.

Gay fest furore
Report by NICK SHEPLEY
Cartoon by ROD MOSS

Sensationalist press reports and inadequate laws have created a climate of fear around next week's gay festival, leaving organisers concerned for the safety of their guests.
The Mayor, members of the gay community and some Aldermen have been battling to calm fears of a gay parade after a news article in the Centralian Advocate was published alongside a picture of Sydney's Gay Mardi parade.
Following the article, at last Monday's council meeting scores of concerned people attended with an 830 signature petition asking the council to intervene to stop the event.
Local resident Mien Blom sent the Alice Springs News a letter to the editor, "appalled at the prospect" of a gay parade in Alice Springs.
When she learned that no such event was planned, she withdrew the letter.
She said: "By the way people were talking we thought that there was going to be a parade through town.
"The main thing was from the Advocate - when they put a picture on the front of the paper, we thought there was going to be some Mardi Gras in town.
"I know many gay people through working with them and they are some very nice people, we were just all worried about talk of this parade."
 This week an official statement from the organisers, who asked not to be identified, expressed dismay at the reaction to the Advocate's story.
"We, the organisers of the Alice is Wonderland Gay, Lesbian and Friends Fun Festival, are deeply saddened by the fear, hatred and bigotry that has been generated subsequent to the article and photo printed in the Centralian Advocate on February 16.
"The festival is a celebration of our society, of acceptance and tolerance for diversity and a willingness to interact with people as human beings as opposed to stereotypes."
In the statement the organisers clearly point out that there will be no street parade.
 furore
Alice Springs News 8, 5:  March 7, 2001 p.7
© used with permission.


Love thy neighbour
... as long as they're not homosexual.

Mayor Fran Erlich said: "The issue has been highly sensationalised and the council is disappointed with the way in which certain media have presented the issue.
"It would be against the Anti Discrimination Act if the council were to attempt to stop this community based event."
Ald Jenny Mostran was very disappointed by the show of hostility to the festival.
She said: "I am really concerned about the image that this will project to the rest of Australia of us being a redneck intolerant town."
The Northern Territory's Human Rights Commission acknowledged that laws designed to protect minorities from vilification in the press were failing gays and lesbians following a number of inflammatory letters to the Centralian Advocate.

VILIFICATION
A legal officer to the commission said that the vilification laws which prevent unfair, biased and bigoted commentary appearing in the press were designed to protect minorities in general, and normally related to discriminatory job advertising.
However the law was not strong enough to prevent the stream of anti gay letters to local media being published.
John Tortorella, a member of the town's gay community, said: "Very simply the festival is going to be a series of private functions that people can pay to attend if they choose, or not attend if they don't want to.
"It is very much like watching the TV - if you don't like what is on you can switch off. But there will be no parade, nothing in public."
According to the seven day festival program, the only free event will be the last, a function at Pioneer Park on March 17. There are no advertised events in public places.
Tony Hand, also a member of the gay community, said he had enjoyed a tolerant attitude in Alice Springs for many years and was disappointed although not surprised by the public opposition to the festival.
"It's a shame that the media didn't get their facts right, I think it has been blown out of all proportion," said Mr Hand.
Another gay, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "I came to Alice Springs and I have found no problems at all.
"That is why I have stayed here as long as I have.
"But I have to say that I am really really horrified by these people. I honestly didn't think Alice Springs was like that.
"The town prides itself on being an international centre, it has gone global and is marketed all over the world, so they have got to accept the people who are coming here."
At last Monday's council meeting Mayor Erlich explained to the public gallery that the council was powerless to stop the event as it consisted of a series of private functions.
Protester Lorraine Morgan said: "You say that you can't stop the festival. It was to be held in Darwin and the people of Darwin didn't want the festival.
Because of Darwin saying no it comes down here.
"The event is about sexuality, and sexuality should be kept to the confines of one's own home.
"Why should these people have a festival to flaunt their sexuality in our town?"
(The organisers told the Alice News that the festival was always an entirely Alice-based initiative; it was never planned to be held in Darwin.)
The Town Council issued a statement clarifying its position with regards to the festival.
It confirmed that the council had no involvement in the festival, and gave the reason for the council allowing its logo to be displayed on the festival promotional material.

flaunt
Alice Springs News 8, 5:  March 7, 2001 p.9
© used with permission

Don't flaunt alterative lifestyle in my town - Ald Bell

Organisers applied for money from the council's Araluen Access Grant.
These are open to any not-for-profit organisation or individual who wishes to use the Araluen Arts Centre.
(In this case the organisers are presenting two film evenings at Araluen.)
It is a requirement that the council's logo be displayed on promotional material if it is partly funding the event.
The controversy reached the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly last week when Loraine Braham, independent Member for Braitling submitted questions to the Minister for Tourism.
She claimed the Northern Territory Tourist Commission planned the festival without consulting Alice Springs Town Council.
The department responded to her claims by stating that the Town Council initiated the event, a claim denied by council spokesman, Chris Hallett.
Deputy Chief Minister Mike Reed then said the event was initiated by a local company, and the Northern Territory Tourist Commission gave it funding support of $2000.
He claimed the commission was in a no win situation: had it not offered funding it would have been criticised for failing to assist the town's tourist industry.

DISGUSTED
Ald Geoff Bell, who presented the petition to the council last Monday on behalf of the protesters, said he was disgusted at the way the event had been sprung on Alice Springs. Mr Bell and three other Aldermen all voted against the use of the council's logo on promotional material.
He said: "The reason I stood against it is that I work for the rate payers of this town and the majority of those rate payers feel that it is inappropriate.
“As far as I am aware it is not going to be a totally private event behind closed doors - there is going to be a boys' night, and a girls' night at the Gap View Resort.
"I am absolutely disgusted with the tourist commission for dropping it on us at the last minute. By all means have an alternative lifestyle, but don't flaunt it in my town.
"The Araluen Centre is funded by rate payers and I already know that it will support some groups that are leftist or some groups that are rightist.
"The fact is that this is a minority group that seem to be getting more than favorable help," said Ald Bell.
(Director of the Araluen Centre, Suzette Watkins, told the Alice News: "Araluen is a community space and all groups accessing its programs and facilities are treated equally in terms of support and assistance.
She said decisions about allocations from the Alice Springs Town Council Araluen Access Grant are made by representatives of the community through the Araluen Advisory Committee and are "influenced by considerations of inclusivity".)
Pastor Richard Tozer of the Potter's House Christian Fellowship echoed Mr Bell's concerns over the short notice given to the council.
One organiser of the event, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to the Alice Springs News about the media coverage they had received.
"Last year when we were planning the event we decided not to advertise it in local media, just among our friends.
"A copy of the media release for this year's event was sent by a third party without consent or permission to the Centralian Advocate and they told us they were going to put it on the front page.
"I asked them not to because it was going to cause problems but they were determined to go ahead with it. We reluctantly agreed then to edit the copy that went to press.
"Our main concern now is for the safety of people coming to the festival and that all those who attend have lots of fun."

Meanwhile, other attempts were being made in the background to close the festival down. The organisers were alerted to an emergency meeting of local church leaders to determine what they should do, and a very unexpected call was made to Phil's mobile by Richard Lim; Minister for Housing & Local Government and Central Australia. Sitting somewhere in Darwin with the Deputy Chief Minister and John Elferink; member for MacDonnell, he was keen to see what prospects there were to keep the queens out of Alice's Wonderland, 'for the good of the town'.

A week before the event kicked off, and in the shadow of the council meeting, the Advocate went vox popping onto the streets of Alice to find out what local people really thought. Of the eight interviewed only one person had a strongly negative take on the festival and one was ambivalent. Most thought it was a great idea, especially Braedon Smith, who couldn't wait to dress up. But Robbie Rolfe was a bit worried that gays and lesbians might "flash their sexual preferences in front of us."

Where was all the public outrage?

readers

Centralian Advocate: March 2, 2001
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Readers have their say on gay festival
BY DEE CORCORAN

ALICE Springs is to play host to a gay and lesbian festival next month.
The festival from March 10 to 17 comes hot on the heels of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
And organisers hope to attract some of the people who attend that event.
The Centralian Advocate took to the streets to find out what people think about the festival, called Alice IS Wonderland.
Braedon Smith, 24, said he was "very excited” about the festival
He said: "There should be more of it, because I love to dress up and have a great time.
I will be at the festival in my best dress, fishnet stockings and my favourite high heels."
Amelia Simmons, 14, has no problem with the festival.
She said: "If the community wants it, that is great.
“I mean, it will be good for the town financially.
"If some people do not want it then they can always stay at home."
The festival should be a good investment for the town, according to Gall Mattingly, 56.
She said: "It does not worry me in the least, besides the extra money will be good for the town.
"I think the whole thing is okay, there should not be a fuss over it.”

Brendan Foley, 22, said the news of the festival had come as "a bit of a shock".
He said: "Part of me thinks it is bad to encourage that sort of thing, especially in such a small place.
"But I suppose if it brings in extra money for the town that's okay."
Carmel Hughes, 58, said the very idea of a gay festival was appauling (sic).
She said: "I am absolutely disgusted and so sorry to hear that such a thing is coming to Alice Springs.
"It is yet another example of the problems affecting our society and it will have a terrible effect on the young people in the town.
"If the adults in the town allow it and condone it, what kind of example does that set for our youth who already have enough challenges living here?"
 Chris Depasquale, 39, is pleased about the festival.
He said: "Anything that brings the tourists and the their dollars to town has to be good.
"I think the festival is a great concept for the town's economy." Sue Sterck, 29, said the festival was a good thing too.
"I think it will bring some much needed money into the town and it will raise awareness about gay and lesbian issues.
"Those are both good things. I also think it will put Alice Springs on the map, so the focus is not just on Ayers Rock all the time."
Robbie Rolfe, 42, said he did not have anything against the festival but he could not see the reason for it.
I really do not have a strong opinion about gays and lesbians either way, but I am not so sure the festival is a good idea for Alice Springs.
"They already have one in Sydney, I mean how many should there be?
"Heterosexuals do not flash around their heterosexuality by having a hetero festival, so why is it neccesary (sic) for gays and lesbians to flash their sexual preferences in front of us."

In the same edition the stream of letters: some for; some against, continued across the pages. David Bulbert offered an extraordinary display of empathy, inviting readers to wonder along with him about how it might feel to be in someone elses's shoes in the face of such vitriol. And, clearly queer and angry as hell, Name Withheld came out of the corner with verbal fists flying, defending the rights of gay men and lesbians to live and work amongst the normal folk and hold their gatherings where and when they choose.

But Sarah Clark was offended by the front page photo that she couldn't explain to five year olds and concerned they might get the idea that being gay is good. And another Name Withheld, fearful about God's judgement of Alice, offered up the personal tragedy of a transgender husband as evidence of the hurt unnatural lifestyles can cause. Grandfather, family man, average run-of-the-mill parent and concerned constituent (but not a prude); Leigh Petersen was saddened by the breakdown of social fabric that promoting the festival was sure to cause.

Wondering in other's shoes

Sir, I'm wondering what it was like for the gay community in Alice Springs to read the homophobic response to the gay and lesbian festival proposal in Alice (Centralian Advocate, 20/2/01).
I was wondering what it was like to be subjected to such ignorance and fear.
I wondered even further about the other marginalised groups that live here in Alice with such transparent discrimination and prejudice. I personally don't experience any of these blatant abuses myself. I would be seen as a white middle class male, I experience the benefits and power granted to me from just being perceived as this.
I do not need to work for it to enjoy this right which other marginalised groups would see as a luxury. I wondered again what it would be like to realise that I am not the same as my friends and that I am attracted to the same sex as myself.
I wondered what courage I would need to own this myself firstly, then realise I could possibly be ostracised from the larger community for my feelings and being true to them. How much pain and suffering would I need to endure due to no fault of my own?
I wondered about how it would be to be black in a country that my ancestors roamed freely and for me to feel disrespected and unheard.
I wonder what pain I would feel by just being me. How I would need to realise early that the wider community would not accept me for who I am, that I would need to prove myself worthy; reliable; respectable; honourable; employable; all the assumptions that I take for granted in my exclusive, racist, bigoted, and homophobic world.
Please forgive me if I have unconsciously or unwittingly caused you any pain.
I feel quite ashamed at some of the remarks and attitudes that have been so publicly exposed recently.
I wonder how it could be different. I wonder where we are heading when we have so much awareness but paradoxically so much ignorance.
It saddens me to dwell on this too much but I do feel we need to address our narrow attitudes and think more about our inclusiveness of differences rather than fear them.

David Bulbert
Alice Springs
 
bigotry
Centralian Advocate: March 2, 2001
© News Ltd: used with permission
Bigotry, hatred insult to gays

Sir, Well look at this.
Just scrape the surface of good ol' Alice Springs and what do we find?
Good old fashioned bigotry, hatred and righteous indignation, all in the name of "Christian" and "family" values.
I write as a long term resident of Alice Springs and proud member of the gay and lesbian community.
What right do you people think you have to attack me and my friends with such rubbish talk about "fear of safety for children", eroding of "family values", spoiling the town, "promiscuous sexual activity".
It's all an absolute insult.
You draw on tired old stereotypes and twisted thinking. Whatever doctrine or ideas you choose to back up your hatred only serves to isolate, divide, harass and discriminate against a proportion of this community.
Is that what you stand for? It is us who should fear for our safety, and the safety of our children.
Gay and lesbian people are a natural percentage of any population on this planet and yes, that does include Alice Springs.
Have a look in your own back yard. You have been living next door to us since the town began. You continue to benefit from our diverse arid professional contribution to all aspects of the community as politicians, teachers, parents, artists, doctors, lawyers, small business and hospitality workers, labourers, police, community workers you name it.
We make a considerable contribution to making Alice Springs a better place for everyone by ongoing involvement in issues of equal rights and social justice. And we're not going away.
Why don't you clean up your own back yard?
The level of violence within families in this town is appalling: child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, rape and sexual assault,
I'm talking about regular, heterosexual, nuclear families, the kind you wave in our faces every day as the model of normalcy.
What a desperate shot to blame gay people for the eroding of family values. As if we could be bothered. Take responsibility for your own problems, and we'll take responsibility for ours.
Remember that discrimination of any kind against people on the basis of race, gender or sexual preference is morally wrong and unlawful under the Anti Discrimination Act. Get with it. And no, we don t need permission from anyone to meet in public and celebrate our community. Or to invite people from other places. So wake up Alice Springs. It's 2001. Get off our backs. We don't deserve this violence. And we're not going to take it.

Name and address withheld
Alice Springs
Indictment of our society

Sir, I am just an average run of the mill parent and taxpayer living in the Territory.
I was appalled to see as a front page headline, Gay Festival Set For Alice, (Centralian Advocate, 16/2 /01).
What an indictment of the standard of immortality (sic) that we have sunk to as a community to be not only accepting this "spin off of sin," but promoting it.
As a family man and grandfather of four wonderful children, it saddens me to see the breakdown of our social fabric and values.
If we do not make a stand for decency, what message are we sending to our children? If we do not lead by example then what can we leave them that will help them in the future?
As a concerned constituent of this wonderful town, I do not know why we are paying out at taxpayers' expense to import a practice that we certainly do not want to promote in our town.
I am not a prude, but I do believe we need to keep our basic values intact.
Reading in the Bible from any time in history, we are told what a complete family unit is.
We always talk about the silent majority, this is surely an issue that will have voters coming out of the closet so to speak, and voicing their opinions.

Leigh Petersen
Alice Springs
Photo was 'offensive'

Sir, As a long time resident of Alice Springs. I would like to voice my concern regarding the recent news story Gay festival set for Alice (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01).
Firstly, I didn't particularly appreciate the photo you decided to grace your front page with.
It was offensive to me, and I wouldn't like to have to answer a five-year olds' questions about why those men were dressed like that.
I had thought the Advocate to be something the whole family could read.
Secondly, was there any consultation with the residents as to whether they wanted a gay festival in this town?
Personally, I don t like to see the promotion of a lifestyle that is so detrimental to a person, not only physically (look at AIDS etc), but also spiritually and emotionally.
Homosexuals are not all happy people as we are often led to believe: and one day they will have to stand before God and explain their lifestyle, as will we all.
I would rather see Alice Springs promoted as a town that is safe for our kids to grow up in, where they are not pressured to feel that a certain practice is "good", simply because a vocal minority says it is.

Sarah Clark
Alice Springs

Morals lose out to dollars

Sir, I was saddened to read the comments of readers having their say on the gay festival (Centralian Advocate, 20/2/01).
There are some things more important than the tourist dollar.
I have lived in Alice Springs for 20 years and I never thought that money would be more important than moral ethics.
There is a much more serious side to the gay lifestyle of which my family and I have experienced.
Twenty-five years ago I was happily married with a beautiful baby son.
My husband was very happy also, but there came a day when he told me he wanted to be a woman.
He was torn with anguish because of his love for his son and I and his desire to live a very different life.
My son never got over what his father became and turned to drugs to calm the anger inside him.
After help he is now fine and living a productive life.
The term gay really belies the true feelings of these people as deep down they hurt very much and many homosexuals live a terrible life.
I only feel compassion for them as mast people will always reject their lifestyle as unnatural because God never created them to live that way.
God loves the homosexual, but hates the sin.
Lets call it by its real name.
By accepting this gay festival are we sure we are not bringing God’s judgement on this town.
Think before you give a glib, socially acceptable answer next time

Name and address withheld
Alice Springs

Bible-translating missionary; Steve Swartz and his wife Bev kept on wondering why they hadn't been consulted and questioning queers' rights to apparently straight tax dollars, while also relieved to note the fact no parade had ever been announced. P Turner tried a bit of reverse psychology, suggesting that if they were made welcome on a daily basis, gays and lesbians wouldn't need a festival to attract them. And globetrotting American; Marcella Wiley felt Alice's wholesomeness would best be preserved by keeping her a family town, and the queers in Sydney where they belong.

Annie Zon saw several literary connections to Lewis Carrol's fairy tale and wondered what the good citizens of Alice had been drinking. While Leonie C and a 10 year-old Name Withheld fought back against the Christian dogma with a few quotes from another best-selling volume against judging people and and in favour of loving the neighbours. Ronny Reinhard also addressed the moral outrage of the "Christian crackpots" giving thanks that there was a local queer community to support young Centralians in the face of some rather ugly family values.

told
Centralian Advocate: March 2, 2001 p.9
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Why weren't we told of festival?

Sir, We are writing to express our disapproval of the gay and lesbian festival being planned to occur in Alice Springs immediately after the more famous/ notorious event in Sydney.
We see no reason why Alice Springs should have something similar foisted upon us without prior consultation.
The first the community heard anything about this proposed event was a front page spread Gay Festival Set For Alice (Centralian Advocate, 16/2/01).
In the article we read the list of proposed events which, to our relief, does not include a parade down the Todd Mall - we hope at the very least no parade is scheduled.
Reading further, we discover that our tax dollars have been spent by the NT Tourist Commission and the Australian Tourist Commission in support of this event.
Why is such sponsorship necessary? Was the community ever canvassed in regards to hosting the festival? Will it bring increased revenues? Perhaps, but at what cost?
Because of monetary gain, would Alice Springs be happy to host just any type of event regardless of its participants?
We hope not. Would the community wish its tax dollars used to promote anything and everything regardless of content?
We doubt it. Where was the local council in the decision-making process?

Steve and Bev Swartz
Alice Springs

Do we need festival?

Sir, Do we need this gay lesbian festival. It seems a government agency has made the decision for us.
As we all know we have a gay community which many of us accept as part of our town.
They join in many community events which is good, but I do believe that if gays wish to come here after the Mardi Gras in Sydney, they are welcome to come like any tourist, but to seduce them to come by having a gay festival just to make money is morally wrong.
Further, could this be a media ploy to fuel a rift among the community?
If gays and lesbians were made welcome on a daily basis, there wouldn't be a need for such a media sensationalism.

P Turner
Alice Springs
Wonderland will never be the same

Sir, To all those good worried mums and dads of this town, who will never again read Alice in Wonderland with quite the gay abandon one feels for time honoured fairy stories, I feel compelled to direct the following quiz:

•    Just whose Wonderland do we think we have to defend from these gay and lesbian people who live and love among us every day?
•    Just exactly what would Alice need to protect herself from - especially after she'd done the "Drink Me” and "Eat Me" things that got her thundering after White Rabbits in Arrernte?
•    If you imagine your children will sleep easier after you've read to them about the mood swinging between violence and despair of Carrol’s most prominent characters in Wonderland, and if you imagine the NT safer and sounder because you put the poofters and lesos of Wonderland off their gay pride stride out of the closets of Wonderland, where do you imagine you are living?
•    Or else, what have you been drinking?

Annie Zon
Alice Springs
Keep it a family town

Sir, I am an American who has lived in many places all over the world.
The wholesomeness of this town impressed me, even more so than the unique beauty of the terrain.
My children have played outside my door, hiked through town, enjoyed McDs without my supervision.
This is a family town. Let's keep it that way. Let "Alice is Wonderland" stay in Sydney, and let's keep this "A Town Like Alice".

Marcella Wiley
Alice Springs
View of youngster

Sir, I have been reading the letters to your paper about the gay and lesbian festival in Alice Springs.
I believe as a nephew of two (four including their partners) lesbian women that if you are truly a Christian you will remember the Bible quote: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
I also believe that gay people do not influence children badly, only discrimination does.

Name withheld (aged 10 years)
Alice Springs
Distressed

Sir, I am distressed and concerned about the public outrage regarding the Alice is Wonderland festival.
Surely Jesus said: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself" and "If you judge another so shall you be judged".
I am a heterosexual mother who has gay family and friends.
They too are concerned about child abuse and paedophilia.
They teach their children strong values about honesty, love and respect toward all people and above all being honest and loving toward yourself, thus building a healthy self-esteem.
If for a moment your fears create prejudice which is reflected upon your children then I feel sorry for you for the confusion you have infiltrated into their growing minds, who will one day be adults making decisions for themselves.

Leonie C
Alice Springs

Moralists lead way with drivel

Sir, I had no idea Alice Springs harboured so many Christians whose moral outrage at the idea of a gay and lesbian celebration could lead to nearly two pages of homophobic drivel (Centralian Advocate, 27/2/01).
I read the letters unable to laugh it off as Christian crackpots because of the veiled threats of violence (L Morgan "if I had my way they would not be in a safe and caring place").
To the Christians I say that if Jesus had a fundamental message it was to show tolerance and respect to all people, in fact I don't remember any commandment that said "love thy neighbour, long as he ain't gay".
Let's face facts: Jesus surrounded himself with what could be considered quite a motley crew at times and showed great compassion for all people.
In case the upstanding narrow-minded intolerant homophobes ain't noticed, Alice Springs already has a sizeable gay and lesbian population who have every right in our democracy to celebrate their difference.
My children will be there in the front row beside me (if they actually have any interest in attending that is) to lap up what is hopefully a colourful and joyful event.
Finally, thank God that we do have a homosexual population so that the young people of our community as they mature, and in some cases may discover shock, horror, that their sexuality ain't what the Christian heterosexual moralists demand it should be, will at least have access to sympathetic and responsible people to guide them through what will obviously be a difficult time.
What they don't need is the intolerance present in what I hope is the letters of a few, (as you said, Heather Wood) narrow-minded religious cranks.
P.S. Adrian Butters, I think your seven-month old son is safe from the corrupting influence of this event, Please, rest your worried mind.

Ronny Reinhard
Alive Springs

And on it went. With only four days to go, the Advocate managed another double page spread of pros and cons as the forces of good and evil mustered their numbers.

Helena Maher, Heather Grace Jones and Madeline Hourihan put their sexuality on the public record and contested the right of so-called Christians to connect them with family values like child abuse, particularly in the face of some churches' records on the issue. The Watch this Space committee members added their voices to the calls for acceptance as did a group of 33 youth workers, social workers and counsellors, who also disputed any child abuse connection. Even 13 year-old Bianca thought the extreme reaction to people having a bit of fun in the town was just plain silly.

Lesley Bien was sufficiently outraged by the bigotry and hatred to consider it reason enough to get away from the straights and party. Betty-Bruce Smith put the whole matter in very camp perspective by asking when the next church fete would be held so she could stock up on frocks and chunky heels. But Darryl Stokes was concerned that tolerance of queers was really only apathy in drag and somehow managed to equate Wonderland with a petrol sniffing festival.

Attitude to gay hatred sobering

SIR, It is a deeply sobering experience to read (Centralian Advocate, 23/2/01) that there are citizens and so called Christians in Alice Springs who condone bigotry and hatred against lesbians and gay men.
What authority do these people have to pass judgement on our lives and how can they claim to represent the views of the community?
We will loudly contest any attempts to make ignorance the basis for decisions about events that occur in this town.
Sex between consenting adults is not a crime in the Northern Territory, pedophilia is, and it is highly offensive to the gay and lesbian community to suggest that our sexuality is synonymous with sexual abuse.
People with a genuine concern to protect their children should be aware that 80 per cent of sexual assault offenders are known to their victims, and based on the evidence are more likely to be the heterosexual father, uncle, brother or close and trusted family friend of the victim.
In regards to the condemnation of gay men and lesbians in the name of Christian values, since the early 1970s there has been extensive debate and continuing disagreement within the Christian churches about the place of gay and lesbian clergy, and congregation members.
It is by no means a universal Christian view that homosexuality is a sin.
 attitude
Centralian Advocate: March 6, 2001 p.6
© News Ltd: used with permission
Unfortunately the flood of allegations in the last 20 years of sexual abuse perpetrated by Christian clergy against children trusted to their care has done much to discredit the churches' authority to pass moral judgement on other people's sexual behaviour
It is clearly important that dangerous stereotypes do not dominate this debate.
The gay community is an integral part of the diverse population who call Alice Springs home.
We believe that. the coming Alice IS Wonderland festival can be an opportunity for everyone to enjoy some lesbian and gay culture, rather than a source of conflict in the community.
It is ignorance, hate and bigotry that promotes violence and aggression and we do not want it tolerated in Alice Springs.

Helena Maher, Heather Grace Jones and Madeline Hourihan
Alice Springs
Disappointed

Sir, As a group of youth workers, social workers and counsellors working with children, young people and their families, and as parents, aunts, uncles brothers and sisters of children and young people, we are saddened and disappointed by the views expressed condemning the Alice IS Wonderland festival.
Their discriminatory attitudes serve only to isolate and punish young people who are struggling to acknowledge their sexual orientation to themselves, their family and friends.
This hostile attitude and the comments from some writers that they do not want Alice Springs to be "safe for homosexuals" is abusive to young people who are, in fact, homosexual.
Why must you condemn them?
Why do you demand they feel unsafe in their home town?
And, for the record, homosexuality is not a risk factor for child abuse.

Signed by 33 citizens
Alice Springs
Tolerance facade for apathy

Sir, Why does the criticism of the promotion of homosexuality require justification?
After all our parliament starts with the Lord's Prayer.
I challenge anyone to explain how this gay festival is more legitimate than a petrol sniffing festival.
Why are homosexuals criticising bigots and vice-versa; after all they're both gong to the same place for eternity if they don't repent?
Why do we insist on being tolerant when it's a facade for apathy?
Would we be so apathetic if it was our family becoming homosexual. After all there are no second generation gays.
True Christians love the sinner but hate the sin.

Darryl Stokes
Alice Springs
Facing gay facts

Sir, The committee members of Watch this Space, Central Australia's experimental art space would like to express our support for the forthcoming Alice IS Wonderland Festival, but not just because it is expedient - in other words, not because it attracts business dollars.
As members of the local arts community we embrace the right to be oneself without restraint or recrimination,
Many letters have focused on the supposed belief that homosexuality is unnatural or un-Christian.
Why not just face the fact that gays and lesbians are a universal and thus “normal" minority group across the globe.
Difference and thus diversity is a positive element in society - as long as it does not preach oppression or discrimination towards others.
We do not seek to incite inflammatory reactions but we do value what many in the mainstream classify as the 'other'.

(Sgd) Committee members
Watch this Space
Alice Springs
It's a load of rubbish

Sir, What a load of homophobic, hetero-sexual rubbish the Centralian Advocate readers have had to put up with in the last two weeks.
And all you homophobic writers wonder why gays, lesbians, bisexuals, want a festival?
Answer: To get away from the likes of you and your bigotry and hatred that so often turns into violence.
You all should really think hard about why you hate a section of your community so much.
And I say your community, because each time you walk down the
Todd Mall, go shopping, go to the doctors or play sports, you will be interacting with gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people.
So grow up, take a hard look at yourself and understand that your values perpetuate supposedly anti-Christian values of hate and intolerance, not love and respect.
Thank God we at least have six aldermen who think rationally and understand Australia's sexual discrimination laws.

Lesley Bien
Alice Springs

Reaction to gays ‘extreme'

Sir, I think it is silly how Alice Springs residents are going on about the gay and lesbian festival,
I mean everyone is allowed to have their say, but I think people are going a bit extreme with it.
I see no reason not to have the festival.
It's happening anyway and it's not like it's happening “right” in the middle of town: it’s not like anyone is making you go. It’s your choice.
I think homosexuals should be allowed to have their own festival if they want. It’s only a bit of fun and they are not harming anyone.
I’ve grown up with gay person in the family and I have been taught not to judge others and this includes gays and lesbians,
The opinions in the Centralian Advocate show how low people can really be.
I think gays and lesbians are really cool people to be friends with and I wish them luck and hope the festival is fun.

Bianca (13 years)
Alice Springs


Where are the frocks?

Sir, Thankyou darlins' - bring on the gay festival! Our only worry now is where to get those frocks and shoes.
When's the next Christian community centre lawnsale?

Betty-Bruce Smith
Alice Springs


A few womenfolk connected to earlier correspondents now decided to get in on the act. Geraldine Butter (wife of Adrian?) harped on about not having been consulted over the secretly planned festival apparently fearful of her young boy being hypnotised by mirror balls. Natalie Tozer; kin to Richard the Potter's House pastor perhaps, was disgusted by the men in frocks on page one that her kids found "gross" - hard to believe given the parents' attitudes. And good old Lorraine Morgan, hateful letter writer and council meeting protestant was back for another go, keenly reminding councillors that they had been given over 800 signatures from some potentially very vengeful voters.

But others still insisted on appealing for calm and tolerance. Heather Schoenmakers could quite empathise with people remaining in the closet in the face of the bigots and wondered what support they would offer to their own queer kids. Sally Thompson reminded everyone that gay and lesbian Territorians pay taxes, rates and belong to families, just like real people. L Wilson felt that the hatred being expressed by the moralists, rather than any deviants' festival, was the real danger to children in the town, and another Name withheld recommended telling children the truth as the best way to deal with difficult questions to God-fearing parents, before hopefully leaving for another planet.


Centralian Advocate: March 6, 2001 p.7
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Family focus first

Sir, I am writing to voice my concern about the upcoming Alice IS Wonderland festival (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01).
Firstly, I'd like to thank you for reporting that this festival is coming, otherwise how would we hear about such secretly planned activities.
Secondly, I'd like to know why wasn't the community consulted? Can you find out for me? Was it because they would have got a negative response.
Thirdly, as a mother of a young boy, I am distressed to think of the influence such a festival would have on our youth and children.
Surely the mothers of this town wouldn't wish their sons and daughters to be caught up in such a lifestyle.
Wouldn't we be better off holding a festival that promotes family values.
Lastly, I would prefer not to focus on the financial gain for the town, but rather focus on the moral benefit of not having the festival, which would be a greater gain.

Geraldine Butter
Alice Springs


Concern for our town

Sir, I am writing this letter to express my deep concern not over the issue of marketing our town as one which will openly accept any money making event but especially one like the Gay Mardi Gras.
I also express disgust at the front page photo (Centralian Advocate 16/2/01).
Congratulations. It was eye catching. But I found It totally unacceptable.
Your newspaper is a take-home family paper and I think you realise it will be seen by children.
My children who saw the front of the paper thought it was "gross." Not politically correct but apt.
I think as the editor of our local rag, you should be more responsible and less offensive with the content of your front page. Or was it meant to offend?
May I say that the many people I have spoken to have expressed the same sentiment.

Natalie Tozer
Alice Springs

Wake up, listen

Sir, There were some 800 signatures on the petition opposed to the gay and lesbian festival presented to council, and this in only two days.
The residents are trying to tell the council something: Wake up and listen.
You have a duty to the people of Alice Springs as their representatives to do what the people want.
Just remember we the ratepayers and concerned citizens of Alice Springs put you into council office, and we can just as easily put you out of the council. Some councillors seem to have forgotten that fact.

Lorraine Morgan
Alice Springs

Small-minded

Sir, The gay and lesbian parade certainly has upset a few small-minded people.
I find it hard to believe that the people who are up in arms, all seem to think they and their families have higher morals and convictions than anybody else in this society, but are obviously so insecure in them, that they are terrified that a gay and lesbian gathering in this town is going to have a dramatic affect on them and their children.
I am not gay and never will be, but have over the years had quite a few gay friends, due to being open-minded and not insecure in my beliefs and convictions, I have never differentiated between heterosexual and homosexual. We are all people after all.
To all the homosexual people of this town, please forgive me if I'm wrong here, but I am of the belief that you don't just wake up one morning and decide you're going to be gay, it is in you from birth and takes one hell of a lot of courage and conviction to "come out". Don't let these narrow minded, small minority groups (to coin a phrase), put you off.
The really sad part about all of this, is these paranoid people in town, are already giving a message to their children that if they ever discover that they are gay, then they will get no support from their "Christian loving family" and will be ostracised forever by the people that should be supporting them (their parents). How sad.
What will you do if one of your children is gay?

Heather Schoenmakers
Alice Springs

Alice Springs should be safe for everyone

Sir, Re: "Dollar rears ugly head in place of moral values" and "Appalled at gay festival for Alice", Centralian Advocate 23/02/01.
I have lived in Alice Springs for 18 months and have found it to be a very welcoming and accepting community.
Alice Springs is the type of place I would like to have my children grow up in, when I have a family in the future.
I want a safe and caring community which accepts people for who they are, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.
I want my children to learn to accept people for who they are - a basic Christian value.
If the views expressed in recent letters to the Centralian Advocate on the issue of the gay and lesbian festival are representative of the "majority" perhaps this town is not a place to bring up children.
L Morgan says she would not like Alice Springs to be a safe and caring place for gay and lesbian people.
Do I want to bring my children up in a community where certain groups of people are made to feel unsafe and uncared for?
A Butler says he wants this town to be safe for his son.
If I had a son who grew up to be gay, would he too be able to feel safe and accepted in Alice Springs?
I'd like to think he would.

L Wilson
Alice Springs
We can do without it

Sir, We wish to register our disapproval of the upcoming gay festival which is to take in Alice Springs in the next month.
I do not see how Alice Springs can benefit from these people making a public spectacle of themselves.
With the NT Tourist Commission claiming  that this will be a tourist benefit to the town, are they thinking of the dollar benefits or of the moral benefits?
Alice Springs can do without a mini gay mardi gras festival.

John Dona
Alice Springs

Gays contribute, too

Sir, I'm a long term resident of Alice too and I write the occasional letter to the editor.
Today it's about a sexual preference issue.
Some of my best friends are gay.
They're normal, loving, functioning people.
They have spiritual beliefs, strong ethics, good jobs that contribute in positive ways to the community of Alice Springs and beyond.
They have joy and pain just like anyone else but I've never seen debauchery, not the kind I know from heterosexual families, not the child abuse, not the incest, not the emotional and physical violence, not the narrow-mindedness from the smug people who call themselves normal.
If Jesus Christ was alive today I reckon some of his best friends would be gay too (and black).
He preached love compassion, acceptance and treating others as you'd like to be treated yourself.
Christians who are up in arms about gay people coming here to get together and celebrate, at chosen venues where you can choose to go or not to go, have got it all twisted up.
Have a good look at yourselves.
As for having to explain to a five year old why those men were dressed like that try this: some men enjoy dressing in women's clothing.
It's the truth. Kids love the truth.
They're not corrupted yet. They just accept that as another thing to know in the wacky world they live in.
I tell my eight year old things like that, just the way it is.
She's loving and open-minded and understands a lot about life. She hangs out with my gay friends; they're her friends too.
I love the diversity in Alice, not the hate, the bigotry.
If you can't let a small group celebrate who they are, really are, without projecting all your prejudices and fears on to them, perhaps you should go and live where there are no homosexual people or where it's okay to discriminate against them - try Mars!

Name and address withheld
Alice Springs

Human rights the issue


Sir, In an attempt to create division in our town, many of the writers to this page have spoken of gays, lesbians and their supporters as one small minority of people as opposed to the "run of the mill taxpayers" (L Petersen), "long-term residents" (Sarah Clark), "ratepayers" (Mien Blom), "parents and grandparents", who make up "the community" (S & B Shwartz) in this "family town" (Marcella Wiley).
Let's get this straight (no pun intended): Gay and lesbian people do not pay membership fees to Elton John and kd Lang, they pay "taxes" to the government just like you do, Leigh Peterson.
And they pay "rates" to the council just like you do, Mien Blom. Gay and lesbian people don't live underground, only to emerge wearing diamantes whenever someone puts on a parade.
While some gay and lesbian people are more interesting and flamboyant than others, a large proportion are also "run of the mill" like Leigh Peterson and, like many of the Centralian Advocate's letter writers, some gay and lesbian people are parents and grandparents.
Those gay and lesbian people without children were not found in cabbage patches. They were born into families, the type of families that make up this "family town".
There is only one real division in this debate.
That is between those who wish to deny basic human rights to one section of the community and those who believe all people have the right to enjoy this town, regardless of their race, colour, creed, sexuality, fashion sense or taste in music.
Apart from that, we have a lot more in common than many would like to believe.

Sally Thompson
Alice Springs

And there was still more to come.

Although Name withheld was clearly shocked that the villagers with the pitchforks had been criticised by the supporters of the wicked festival organisers, most correspondents continued to write in favour of the festival. Hayley Woods gave a guarantee that Alice IS Wonderland would prevail and Wendy Zerk looked forward to its contribution to the town in the face of so much bigotry and ignorance. Chris Marshall asked his fellow Christians to show a little more Christianity in their attitudes and Ely White let the whole town know she and her partner had found plenty of acceptance there.

Promoters are laughing now

Sir, It shocks me to see Centralian Advocate readers attacking people because they have a view on the gay festival.
Surely the real issue we all need to be looking at is if something like this can be organised in secrecy and now, despite public opposition, still looks like going ahead, what chance do we stand of surviving as a community in the future?
The unnamed organisers and promoters must be sitting back having a laugh at the way our community is tearing each other apart, while these people have remained well hidden and anonymous.
If we can't rely on our council to even know what's being planned for our town, then how can they protect us from something much worse happening?
And all with a town council funded grant according to Alderman Jenny Mostran.
Instead of getting angry with people because of their religious views, whatever they are, perhaps people should start getting very concerned at how powerless and frightened our council is.
What chance do we have of stopping something far worse taking place in the future.
The people who will suffer long term for this festival will be our resident gays who work and run businesses here.
Let's hope the damage caused to us all can be repaired.
Seeing as the promoters and organisers can get away with remaining anonymous, then so can I.

Name withheld
Alice Springs
 welcome
Centralian Advocate: March 9, 2001 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.

Acceptance here

Sir, Last Easter, my partner and I had a ceremony in Alice Springs to celebrate our seven years together, and to pray for the grace for our partnership to continue.
We invited 200 people, including siblings and parents from both families, to join us in the affirmation of our relationship, and many travelled from interstate and overseas.
How affirming this was for us. Just to let you know how much acceptance there is out there for gay and lesbian people.

Ely White
Alice Springs
Gay visitors and money welcome

Sir, I'm writing in regard to the bigoted comments made by some Alice Springs residents about the gay festival
I was born and bred in Alice Springs and I see absolutely no problems with this sort of festival, especially if it brings in tourists and money.
I read about people who think that it is necessary to lock up their children to protect them from "this sort of lifestyle".
Well this is what I have to say to those people.
Gay men and women live and work in this town.
So how dare you state that you must lock up your children during this particular time of the year.
As for the comments about Alice Springs being a "family town", it is not possible to be a family town with so much slander flying about.
I feel that it is not the homosexual population turning this town around but all of the people with closed minds.
It's the Year 2001 and some people still haven't learnt to accept other ways of living.
I have seen a lot of quotes from the Bible during these past few weeks, but here is one all of the Christians forgot: "He who is without sin, shall cast the first stone".
Take a look in your own backyards before you try to clean out someone else's.
After reading one particular letter, I had to laugh.
It stated that: "I don't like to see the promotion of a lifestyle that is so detrimental to a person, not only physically (look at AIDS etc) but also spiritually and emotionally".
It implies that AIDS is a "gay" disease.
There are plenty of heterosexuals with AIDS these days, just take a look around.
The gay community is not asking the whole of Alice Springs to be gay, they are only asking for a little support when it comes to being themselves.
Let me tell you something, Alice IS Wonderland will be going ahead whether you like it or not.

Hayley Woods
Alice Springs
Is hysteria justified?

Sir, When the gay and lesbian get-together has come and gone one can only hope that some of your recent correspondents may stop to reflect whether all the hysteria was really justified.
Any form of lewd display on our streets would quite rightly offend the citizens of the town and they would have every right to say so.
But the organisers of this weekend's event would surely be well aware that Todd Street is not Oxford Street and that some of the extremist posturing of the Sydney Mardi Gras would be very out of place in a town like Alice.
Having said that, if some people want to have a celebration here, why should they not be free to do so? There is no law against exhibitionism, silliness or fishnet stockings and we would not want there to be.
Nor is there any law against being homosexual, and we would not want there to be.
I would hope that the Christian community of Alice Springs would reserve judgement, rather than recoil; welcome, rather than reject; shelve its concern about gay behaviour and, instead, focus on keeping open the possibility of dialogue.
The thing to remember here is that the followers of Christ have a unique capacity for such love.

Chris Marshall
Alice Springs

Wake up, grow up, Alice Springs

Sir, I am surprised and saddened by all the bigoted and ignorant comments recently expressed regarding the upcoming gay festival.
For some reason I had believed that I lived in a tolerant community where my children could learn to respect the varied cultures which make Alice Springs interesting.
This notion is being threatened by the unexpected vitriol and hatred spouted by a very vocal minority of so-called "Christians".
I look forward to what the festival will contribute to our town and its reputation.
The idea that somehow our kids are unsafe is laughable.
Is our gay community responsible for this town's shocking tally of rapes and murders, our alcohol overuse and poverty?
I don't think so.
Wake up and grow up, Alice Springs.

Wendy Zerk
Alice Springs


Long-term resident Graham Pearce came out of the woodwork to voice his concern over the lack of Chistian tolerance shown by so many correspondents and offer praise for the empathic contribution of David Bulbert before him.

open
Centralian Advocate: March ?, 2001 p.?
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Alice people open, tolerant

Sir, As a gay man who has lived here in Alice for the past 31 years, I was going to let the inevitable debate about the gay "festival" rage on without comment.
However there has been such a crop of literary talent that I find I just can't help myself from having my two bob's worth.
I have found the people of this town in general to be very open minded and tolerant of all aspects of human diversity and, as a member of one of the minority or marginalised groups, have never had a "bad" moment or been knowingly subjected to any discrimination.
We are a commercial hub, a tourist centre and an administrative centre which employs a large number of young, sophisticated people, so I guess that's hardly surprising.
Maybe it's also due to my age and the fact that I don't expect as much as younger members of the gay and lesbian community rightly do.
It is notable that a high proportion of the letters that have spoken out about the "safety of their children", "the need to protect family values" and "the erosion of moral standards" come from religious individuals.

I would like to believe that these are extreme views that are not necessarily shared by the majority of religious people but let me say that gay people subscribe to these sentiments just as much as you.
In fact many are acutely aware of the need for family unity because of the isolation they feel.
Many feel unfulfilled because they have no children of their own and some braver souls are trying to get legislation passed to enable them to adopt.
Please don't come back with the old cliche that it's "your own fault, you shouldn't have chosen that lifestyle", because if you think we would choose to be treated as unworthy, unwholesome individuals who don't deserve the rights that everyone else enjoys, you understand nothing.
The implied suggestion that gay people are irresponsible pedophiles who can't be trusted with children is truly born out of the ignorance and related fear that David Bulbert refers to in his excellent letter.
Nobody would deny that such sad people exist in both the gay and straight world, but to generalise like some of you do is, not only offensive but simply stupid.
As for the erosion of moral standards that gay visitors might generate, I have to ask what standards and who sets them?
If something is not illegal and is deemed to be socially acceptable by the majority, I don't see the problem.
Sure, if people break the law or go beyond accepted boundaries of decency, the persons concerned can expect to face charges.
And so the great debate will rage on, but once again can I draw your readers' attention to David Bulbert's letter (Centralian Advocate 2/3/01) entitled "Wondering in others shoes".
If you missed it you missed an absolute gem.
The man has hit the nail squarely on the head in every respect with regard not only to this issue but to how to live as a member of a world with rapidly intermingling social and cultural values.
I hope I can speak or behalf of the whole community, gay or straight, when I say a very heartfelt thankyou to David Bulbert for the expression of those sentiments which I guess we all could have hoped would come first from our Christian contributors.
Oh well, maybe one day!
Oh, and by the way, no I'm not an organiser, and I don't always agree with other gay people either.

Graham Pearce,
Alice Springs



A Concerned Youth wrote in to lend support and seek it from the rest of the town while James Gorrie bemoaned the lack of tolerance, understanding and democracy in Alice, likening it to Nazi Germany. J M Tierney maintained the rage about the lack of consultation. But the torrent was turning to as trickle as those on the higher moral ground began to realise there were possibly a little isolated from the rest of the town way up there.
support
Centralian Advocate: March 9, 2001 p.9
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Gay people need our support too

Sir, I am appalled at the number of people in this town that won’t support gay or lesbian people.
There is absolutely no need for them to go on about it for weeks.
Some of the people in Alice Springs need to build a bridge and get over it.
The festival is coming to town and there is nothing that anyone can do about it.
I am not a gay or lesbian but have known many in my life and they are some of the most nicest (sic) and intelligent people.
I would also like to say to those who are discriminating against gay and lesbian people, how would you like it of I went and discriminated you (sic) or your religion.
Gay and lesbian people are a part of the Alice Springs community therefore they deserve the support that any other Alice Springs community members would receive.
I believe that the people who do discriminate (sic) gay and lesbian people are only scared and to me that is pathetic.
A person should be judged for who they are and not what people want them to be.

Concerned Youth
Alice Springs

No consultation

Sir, I write in protest over the gay and lesbian festival.
What consultation has been held with the people of this town as to whether they wanted this festival held here or not?
Is financial benefit to the town the only criteria because apparently morals are of no consideration.
I am amazed that the Town council would give permission.

J M Tierney
Alice Springs
Alice's tolerance nothing but myth

Sir, I am saddened by the recent debate regarding the gay festival.
I have been led to believe Alice Springs was a tolerant, understanding community and a town that encouraged forward thinking, problem solving and mental strength.
But unfortunately this is a Territory myth.
I am struggling to see any intelligent comment amongst a sea of hatred, bigotry and destructive behaviour.
Do the anti gay lobby have any idea of the damage they are causing to democratic values?
I fear not.
Let me remind you of the Nazi treatment of the gay community in Berlin. Is that much different to a 800 signature petition supporting controls and demands on members of our community? Regretfully no.
Embedded in Australian culture is the view that individuals have freedom of thought, religion and opinion, thus all aspects of civil rights are assured but not if you live in Alice Springs.

James Gorrie
Alice Springs


The festival followed its program uneventfully, but highly successfully, through the week with over 300 people attending the opening night party. Meanwhile the tide of letters dwindled even further, but still persisted. Bob Durnan continued to draw out the similarities to the Nazi persecution of minorities while Potter's House pastor; Richard Tozer attempted to blame the victims and accused the homosexual community of intolerance of its critics, drawing on his considerable expertise to offer a lesson on the true meanings of homophobia, and hypocrisy.

Who speaks for majority on gays

Sir The lead letter about gays (Centralian Advocate, 23/2/01)" headed "Appalled at gay festival for Alice” was particularly offensive.
The writer purports to speak on behalf of the whole non-gay community, saying "majority (sic) in elections always win - well, the majority here don't want this event."
I could just as easily, and probably more justifiably, assert the opposite: I believe the majority of Alice Springs residents will be quite happy to host events aimed at attracting gay tourists.
Alice Springs residents possibly feel more threatened by the ignorant prejudice of people like your letter writer (who labels himself a Christian) than by any concerns they might have about homosexuals.
Anyway, despite the letter writer's assertions, majorities don't always win, nor do they always deserve to do so.
The majority of Germans supported or tolerated Hitler and his fascist mates in the lead-up to World War II.
This majority held beliefs about homosexuals similar to those displayed by some of your anti-gay festival correspondents.
majority
Centralian Advocate: March 13, 2001 p.6
© News Ltd: used with permission.

The German majority's prejudices and tolerance of Nazi scapegoating led to the murdering of just under 21 million people by Hitler's government.
This killing included many homosexuals, who were particularly targeted by the Nazis, along with Jews, Poles, gypsies and socialists. (Some of the few German gay survivors of the Holocaust have been seen on a German-produced SBS TV series over recent weeks recounting their treatment under Hitler's regime).
Thankfully the German fascists were defeated in the end by people (most of them Christians) who believed that homosexuals (and all other minorities) have rights and should be treated with respect.
What would those who liberated the few remaining survivors from the Nazi concentration camps think of some of our local letter writers?

Bob Durnan
Alice Springs
Fully informed

Sir, The term "homophobia" is commonly used by the gay community toward any individual expressing concern regarding their practices.
The word "phobia" is derived from the Greek word meaning irrational fear, dread or hatred.
As an individual I have major concerns regarding the practice of homosexuality, based not on fear, hatred or dread, but on research, study and commonsense.
Having lived for many years in Third World countries and having seen first hand the devastation reaped because of the promotion of promiscuity, I am totally opposed to the promotion of homosexuality in such events as 'Alice is Wonderland' - not because of being uninformed, but being informed.
I neither fear, dread nor hate homosexuals.
Labelling anyone who opposes the practice of homosexuality "homophobic" points not to the intolerance of the community at large, but to the intolerance of the homosexual community toward anyone who may question their practices.

Richard Tozer
Alice Springs


As the festival progressed Bob Durnan and other supporters passed around a petition of their own and took donations to pay for the cost of an advertisement in the Alice Springs News, so that they could publicly state their support for the town's gay and lesbian residents and their guests. Three hundred and thirty two townsfolk gladly gave their names and money to show their rejection of bigotry and hatred.









Community Announcement
We believe that there is no place in Alice Springs for bigotry and hatred. We are apalled and concerned at some of the views expressed regarding the Alice IS Wonderland Festival. We do not support any views that condone attacks on the human rights of Gays, Lesbians and all other people within our community. Gays and Lesbians make significant contributions to the everyday life of Alice Springs as family members, colleagues, neighbours and friends. We want Alice Springs to be a place where all people feel safe and everyone's rights are respected.
Signed by members of the Alice Springs Community.

332 signatures follow

announcement
Alice Springs News 8, 6:  March 14, 2001 p.12
© used with permission.


After the dust had settled on the dancefloor and most of the hangovers worn off only a few determined correspondents persisted.

John Moffat gave a very personal perspective, reflecting on his own difficult circumstances and some of the real problems in society, reprimanding both sides of the Wonderland debate for focusing too much on their own issues. And Frances Collins pointed out to those who wanted community consultation before Council supported an event that she might just have a few objections to some of their supposedly wholesome favourites.

critics
Centralian Advocate: March 23, 2001 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Where have the gay critics gone?

Sir, Sitting back reading this column (Letters, Centralian Advocate) over the weeks, I wanted to put my views across about some of the important issues, but I didn't want to be one of the sheep saying this is right or wrong.
I came here 15 years ago.
I had been in some of the biggest jails in Australia.
What they taught me in there was that if you were going to say something make sure it would not offend anybody.
You had to be careful how you spoke to killers, junkies, thieves, etc.
We all knew one thing - we were all in the same boat and just had to enjoy life.
It's not like the movies - blacks do sit with whites, and whites sit with Asians and so on.
Now I am listening to a town that showed me that where I came from was behind me.
Have a listen to yourselves about gay acceptance.
I am a married man with two young beautiful children that are Italian/ Dutch/ French Australian who have Turkish, Aboriginal, lesbian, gay, hetero, yobbo, etc. as friends.
Me and my family didn't have to learn to accept other people's rights, we just accept and learn.
But what annoyed me was the story (Centralian Advocate 9/3/01) "Serial child sex offender could be out in three years".
Not one letter about a male (don't want to call him a man) who in 1980 had sex with a 14 year old, his 13 year old stepdaughter: in 1991 he had sexual penetration with a person between 10 and 16, and committed indecent assault on a 12 year old friend of his step-son.
This male was never classified as a faggot, but a devil.


You concerning parents who wrote in because a few gays and lesbians were going to dance and have fun with invited friends, how concerned you felt about your child's safety in this town when it came to gay issues? But you sit back and jump on the band wagon.
(Don’t jump on mine).
I was raped on four different occasions by four different males (not men).
None gay.
And yet they can't print this guy's name, who has offended again with a boy aged 14.
Boy, girl - he didn't care.
But I care.
I have to put my name to this and let people now put me down.
Why can't we know his name so we can put him down?
I’m sorry I had to put my views across, but you concerned parents, gays, lesbians - where are you now?
Still worried about yourself, I suppose?

John Moffat
Alice Springs
Have I been too tolerant?

Sir, I am responding to those Centralian Advocate readers who want the Town Council and other powers to get permission from the general public before they support "events" in this town.
For years I have been dismayed by that so-called sports event, the Masters Games.
Everyone knows the town runs out of condoms during those two weeks but I'm sure they're all married and statistically only about 10 per cent could be gay.
How did I get the impression that the best attended competitions are those involving the consumption of alcohol?
Please ask me next time, and I will vote against holding this hedonistic fortnight in our family values town.
That other alcohol sodden weekend, the Henley-on-Todd has also concerned me ever since I came to this clean-living place,
What a safe environment we could have if we got rid of the Camel Cup, and let's not forget Show weekend, when all those transient types pour into our town.
Potentially a further 10 per cent influx of homosexuals. I understand the gay festival did not include public parades so I'm not sure whose complaining about what?
But I certainly want to be consulted about the guitar strumming religious performers who sing in praise on the council lawns every Saturday.
Perhaps I have been too tolerant in the past.

(Mrs) Frances Collins
Alice Springs


In the same edition the Advocate journalists had their last word, complaining that they and their camera had been excluded from the party. Funnily enough they couldn't see that the organisers were still not happy at the public reaction to the scoop and the distraction from making the festival happen. After all, hadn't most letters in the media storm generated by them been positive? Thanks guys!
 

Dingo

A member of the Centralian Advocate staff who (sic) planned to attend the Spin FX dance party as part of the Gay and Lesbian Festival in the line of work until he was told he would not be welcome, especially if he took a camera with him.
Organisers said the rebuff was a result of the Advocate publishing letters denouncing the week-long Alice Is Wonderland festivities.
What they did not seem to realise was that the vast majority of letters were in favour of the festivities.
One gay group in town offered to pay the staff member’s entry fee in appreciation of his unbiased approach. He thanked them for the offer but declined.
dingo
Centralian Advocate: March 23, 2001 p.7
© News Ltd: used with permission.


Bod Durnan fired the final salvo at Steve Swartz and the moral minority who by now were hiding behind arguments over perceived misuse of taxpayer funds, pointing out that most of the opponents of Wonderland had actually been preaching hatred and violence, not fiscal conservatism, and had done the town's reputation far more damage than any queer festival ever could.

confuses
Centralian Advocate: March 30, 2001 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Letter confuses gay funding issue

Sir, I'd like to reply to the letter from Steve Swartz ("Tax money key in gay debate" (Centralian Advocate, 27/3/01).
Although the issue of how Town Council money was to be spent on subsidising one of the gay festival events may have been an important one to you, and some others Steve, you may also have noticed that for many of the anti-gay festival brigade, this was a side issue or not an issue at all.
A. Butter and others, purporting to speak on behalf of the (alleged) majority opposing the festival expounded the opinion that they did not want Alice Springs to be a safe place for gays.
Neither you nor any of your fellow group members bothered to write and oppose, or disassociate yourselves, from such sentiments.
I could list plenty of other nasty opinions that you have conveniently ignored, and which you now seem to want us to treat similarly and set aside, as though they were never said and are of no importance.
Well, sorry mate, but there are plenty of Alice residents like me who are appalled by many of the public utterances of members of these anti-gay groups.
We are dismayed at the tainting of our town's reputation by this reactionary petition and the torrent of mean-minded letters supporting it.
I suspect this campaign has caused considerable damage to our tourism prospects (and not just among gay tourists), as well as intimidating the gay and lesbian community members who live here.
As to your argument about the relative chances of funding for a ‘Right to Life' Festival: you are twisting this around.

You imply that the gay festival, which was proposed and run by local gay business people and tourism promoters as an ordinary non-political tourism and cultural event, somehow equates to a hypothetical proposal from non-resident moral crusaders with an avowedly political agenda to get a subsidy from Alice ratepayers to promote their crusade here.
Your comparison is neither fair nor appropriate.
There is a big difference between an outside group with a specifically political agenda (ie attaining laws that would force everyone to abide by their anti-choice stance) and a group of local business people who want to hold some tourist events that would attract people with particular sexual preferences.
At one important level, the difference is between a tolerant and an intolerant approach.
This difference amounts to freedom to make up one's own mind on a moral issue as opposed to the advocating of laws which would impose one group's morality and behaviour on all women.
I am not saying that the Right to Lifers shouldn't come to Alice for their events, or that Araluen or the Town Council shouldn't consider their applications on their merits.
But I do think you should be more careful with your attention to logic and detail when presenting your argument.
Your letter only further confuses the issue, and proves nothing,

Bob Durnan
Alice Springs


The first Alice IS Wonderland certainly made a splash on the local social scene and revealed the dark undercurrent of religious extremism operating just beneath the surface. While very much a trial by fire for the event's organisers, it was clearly not enough to put them off. The Advocate's coverage of the second festival the following year only made it to page three and was cautiously unsensational; an approach Alice Springs Town Council apparently also adopted by declining funding to the event.


Centralian Advocate: February 19, 2002 p.3
© News Ltd: used with permission.
Gay festival to be bigger, better
By GLENN MORRISON

Twelve months after its debut in Alice Springs, the Alice is Wonderland gay and lesbian festival is on again.
Following last year's successful event, organisers have this year promised a week-long "fun festival” bigger and better than the first.
Planned for March 8 to 16, the festival invites participants to "paint the Red Centre pink”.
It has been specifically marketed to appeal to international and interstate guests who organisers expected will visit Alice Springs after the Sydney Mardi Gras.
Organisers say the festival will provide an opportunity for local gays and lesbians to celebrate their, sexual identity and diversity.
Last week organisers applied to Alice Springs Town Council for a $5000 community development grant to help fund the festival's arts program.
Aldermen went behind closed doors to discuss the issue at a meeting of Council's Economic and Community Development committee last Monday.
The matter will be brought before a full meeting of Council on Monday February 25, but Mayor Kilgariff yesterday confirmed the committee's recommendation was that the request for funding be rejected.

This picture on the Alice Is Wonderland website invites people to come to Alice Springs for the festival.

Despite the local funding setback, the NT Tourist Commission has given the festival the thumbs up and included it as part of travel packages marketed worldwide to gay and lesbian travellers.
And while Sydney's Mardi Gras seems beset with financial woes, the Alice festival appears to be moving forward in leaps and bounds.
The party kicks off at Alice Springs Resort on Friday March 8 and continues with the annual SPIN_FX desert dance party the next night.
The dance will be a warehouse-style party at Blatherskite Park.
Sunday is billed as a recovery day at an Alice Springs gay owned and operated bed and breakfast, while Witchetty's at Araluen is being billed as home base for locals.

Flashback: The Advocate's front page on February 16 2001.


This time the media brought only one opponent out of the woodwork, as Concerned Citizen whined about Alice's loss of innocence and being dragged out of the burrow into the modern world, firing off rhetorical questions about how local clubs would feel and fanning fears of rainbow flags flying over the town. A week later J May made sure their negativity was countered.

Centralian Advocate: March 5, 2002 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.
My Alice is not gay wonderland

Sir, I am writing in response to an article in the Centralian Advocate (19/02/02).
Published on page three of our local paper and on the web is a huge picture with the headline "Welcome to Alice Springs" with gay and lesbian people advertising a gay festival.
Their aim is to paint the town pink.
I first came to this friendly Centre 37 years ago when Alice Springs was recognised world wide as "The heart of Australia".
Those were the days of real Aussie people, hard working, easy going and very patriotic.
The Centre now seems to be regarded as "Alice is Wonderland" for gays and lesbians.
Some local business people and the Northern Territory Tourist Commission are giving it the "thumbs up".
Organised packages are to be promoted internationally for the gay and lesbian Wonderland Festival.
Alice Springs has a beauty like no other, both historically and in the scenery of the surrounding area.

Do we want our town to be promoted as a gay wonderland?
Minority groups who live in the town seem to rule all others. I'm sure if you tallied up how the people of Alice feel about "providing an opportunity for local gays and lesbians to celebrate their sexuality" you would find that they don't appreciate it at all.
We have always had a diverse range of people living in Alice Springs who have not had to flaunt their sexuality to be recognised.
Where are the local leaders of our churches, RSL, senior citizens and even our sporting clubs - how do they feel about their town being marketed as a wonderland for gays and lesbians?
Maybe they want our town to be painted pink and perhaps fly a rainbow flag at the top of Anzac Hill some day.

Concerned citizen,
Alice Springs
Gay festival good for town like Alice

Sir, I would like to respond to "concerned citizen" (Centralian Advocate 5/3/02) and to all other "concerned citizens".
1. Why is it that you "concerned citizen" are so afraid to identify yourself by name?
You have expressed some deeply offensive and misguided views and ought to have the guts to take some responsibility for them rather than hiding behind some anonymous pseudonym.
2. 1 wonder "concerned citizen" if your letter was written in a deliberate attempt to provoke lowest common denominator 'debate', not dissimilar
to the bigoted, homophobic material trawled through the paper during last year's festival.
3. 1 am a married woman with a young child.
I am proud to be a co-citizen of a community that celebrates gay pride. To me this is an indicator of a tolerant, evolved society.
The Alice Is Wonderland festival adds, not detracts from the beauty of this town.

J May
Alice Springs

Centralian Advocate: March 8, 2002 p.8
© News Ltd: used with permission.


The Alice Springs News ran a very positive story covering the festival opening that featured the mayor (despite her council's lack of charity) and the new Minister for Central Australia. They also brought to light a remarkable show of solidarity from the Memorial Club from the previous year's furore, when a rainbow flag had actually been hung from the club's front door and an open invitation to the queer visitors issued. Concerned Citizen, lookout!

Gay fest boosts trade, community tolerance

By Kieran Finnane

Gays and lesbians have a propensity to travel and high disposable income - the economic value of this market is well recognised in the industry," says Territory Discoveries general manager, John Slade.
"They are the kind of tourist you go out of your way to get," says CATIA general manager Craig Catchlove.
There was no argument from the tourist industry as the second Alice Is Wonderland gay and lesbian festival kicked off last Friday night with poolside drinks at the Alice Springs Resort.
Community leaders joined in.
 The event was officially opened by Mayor Fran Kilgariff. In welcoming the festival's visitors to Central Australia, she warned they may be captured by the landscape and lifestyle and never leave.
Minister for Central Australia, Peter Toyne spoke of tolerance of diversity as a "fantastic dream": "Tolerance will spread as an irresistible force in the Northern Territory," he said, adding that he hoped it would also embrace Aboriginal people.
He described the "media exchange" around last year's festival as "pretty disgusting", requiring people to respond.
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Alice Springs News 9, 6:  March 13, 2002 p.1
© used with permission.

Organisers thanked those present for the "care and support" they had shown.
Among the crowd of well-wishers was George James, vice-president of the Memo (sic) Club. The Memo is a community-run, not-for-profit club, the largest in Alice Springs, with nearly 3000 members.
During last year's controversy the club hung a rainbow flag (symbol of the gay and lesbian movement) outside their venue.
This year the club's committee voted unanimously to officially offer their venue as "a safe place for gay and lesbian people to come and visit".
"It was done out of a lack of prejudice," said Mr James.
"There was no debate."

The "Pumpakeenas" synchronised swimmers performing at the launch of Alice Is Wonderland.

Apart from the Alice Springs Resort, the Red Centre Resort and Witchetty's at Araluen will also be venues for some of the festival’s program. Some 40 visitors from interstate have arrived for the event, as well as a sprinkling of internationals.
Mr Catchlove said organisers had briefed CATIA staff about their program and the information centre was displaying its posters, but there had been few inquiries.
Had staff required any special advice about being "gay friendly"?
"No," said Mr Catchlove, "welcome to the 21st century, it's no big deal.
"We already know how to be friendly to all our customers, whatever their background."
Territory Discoveries, the business arm of the NT Tourist Commission, had put together a four day accommodation and festival experience package.
Mr Greenslade said the take-up had been minimal in terms of bookings, although exact numbers were difficult to pinpoint: the festival may well have attracted visitors who wanted more or something other than what the package was offering. He said the package also had a role in more general promotion of the Territory as a destination, and forging linkages with a particular market.

Local queers decided to take ownership of the bitterness from the previous year and convert it to some positive energy by making it the subject of an art exhibition during that year's festival. Clearly nothing that was thrown at Alice's queer community was going to get in the way of having a party.

Alice Springs News 9, 6:  March 13, 2002 p.1
© used with permission.
Wonderland revisited

An exhibition inviting artists and viewers to respond to press coverage of last year's inaugural Alice is Wonderland gay and lesbian festival will be a feature of this year's festival.
Organisers say that many in the gay and lesbian community are still affected by the homophobic reaction to last year's event, which ran over weeks in the pages of the Centralian Advocate.
The idea of Happily Visible ... Visibly Happy they say, is to "interact with that venom, turn it into a healing nectar, by laughing, by making art and moving on". It will also be an opportunity to interact with support, including that shown in community announcements subscribed to by hundreds of locals.


Looking at the beaming faces of Wonderland partygoers filling the Advocate's social pages just three years later, it's difficult to believe that it ever really happened. Maybe Alice was just dreaming after all.


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Centralian Advocate: March 5, 2004 p.18
© News Ltd: used with permission.
John Hobson

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