Drag queens and the LGBTQIA+ community in Casey were embroiled in controversy after facing severe backlash from “alt-right” and “self-proclaimed Christian” groups, and it was one of the more prevalent and recurring topics that Berwick News covered in 2023.
The issue itself is longstanding, with the rooted ideals of traditionalism, conservatism and religion – to name a few factors – clashing with more progressive and left-leaning ideologies that the LGBTQIA+ community is built on and actively promotes.
For Casey, the conflict began with the cancellation of The Art of Drag workshops that were meant to be held in Bunjil Place for five weeks throughout April and May.
This came after the drag performers who were meant to host the sessions said they experienced “a barrage of threats and violence from alt-right and self-proclaimed ‘Christian’ groups”.
City of Casey chief executive, Glen Patterson said that the cancellation was “in the interest of community safety.
“After careful consideration, consultation with our community partners including Victoria Police, and in the interests of community safety, we have decided to cancel the Art of Drag workshop series that was scheduled to be held at Bunjil Place in April and May,” he said.
The event would have given adolescents ages 12 to 25 the opportunity to learn skills in drag hair, makeup, fashion and performance, all created and hosted by professional drag kings and queens including Belial B’Zarr, Linh Uendo, Holly Pop, Lilium and Randy Roy.
Allegedly, protest groups engaged in threatening and harassing phone calls, including emails and physical intimidation where a “queerphobic group forced their way into a council meeting, hurling homophobic and transphobic rhetoric at council members and security”.
City of Casey director community life Callum Pattie said in a then-recent council meeting that a “small number of residents raised the issue of the workshops and their disapproval thereof after the meeting in a separate discussion with the CEO”.
Mr Patterson added, however, that the decision to cancel the event “in no way legitimises or validates the actions or statements of individuals, activists or protest groups”.
“Casey is committed to promoting opportunities for engagement, advocacy, events, safe spaces, and partnerships that support our LGBTIQA+ community and doing so with a duty of care, especially where young people are involved.
“The carefully curated age-appropriate content was to provide a safe and inclusive space that young queer people and their parents had the choice of participating in, knowing it was specifically developed for those members of the community identifying as LGBTIQA+,” Mr Patterson said.
A youth engagement program conducted around that time revealed that one of the top five challenges that faced young people was “identity”, according to Mr Patterson.
The Art of Drag would have served as a “vital affirmation of self-worth to young people who may be coming to terms with their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity without necessarily getting the support they need from their peers or the broader community”, he said.
However, there was disappointment and concern from the hosts and creators of the workshops, saying that it was an “incredibly disappointing outcome” and it reflected on the state and the federal government’s inability to “protect queer and trans young people”.
“Those in power have a responsibility to protect our communities and provide structure and resources to local councils and prevent young people being exposed to an impacted by violent extremism,” they said.
“This includes robust/stricter safety protocols, no-tolerance policies for hate, and thorough community consultation during risk assessments.”
The alleged harassment confirms that there’s an increased need for workshops such as the Art of Drag, the group said.
Since the cancellation of The Art of Drag, many artists involved have experienced hate speech in the form of derogatory comments, slurs and threats, the group said.
The story persists a few weeks later, where drag queen Brenda Bressed, AKA Bryce Gibson spoke out against the cancellation of The Art of Drag event.
They believed that other steps could have been taken to protect the drag performers from the threats made by the “alt-right and Christian groups”, without cancelling the event entirely.
The cancellation came just weeks after tensions flared with pro-transgender rights and anti-transgender rights activists took the streets of Melbourne’s CBD.
The aftermath of the protest involved an attendance of neo-nazis who performed a nazi salute at the steps of Parliament, which in response the Andrews Labor Government announced a $900,000 in funding to support LGBTQIA+ organisations.
The package went to support eight LGBTQIA+ organisations across Victoria to help respond to additional demand caused by the incident.
Essential services were heavily supported by the funding at initiatives including Transgender Victoria, Queerspace, Rainbow Families, Switchboard, Zoe Bell Gender Collective, Throne Harbour Health/Equinox, Transcend and Mind.
The package boosted counselling and family therapy, referrals and peer support to ensure LGBTQIA+ Victorians, their families and cares could get the support they needed, authorities said.
“Trans people routinely endure abuse, violence, and discrimination in the name of free speech, and the past week has caused further trauma for an already vulnerable group.
“Trans people deserve better, and this funding will help organisations to provide crucial support, safety, and care,” said equality minister Harriet Shing.
Ms Shing also denounced the efforts of the protest groups who contributed to the cancellation of The Art of Drag event.
“Events that are open to young people of all genders and sexualities, provide safety and celebrate diversity send a powerful message to young people that it is OK to be themselves,” she said.
“This message is so important when we know that stigma and discrimination contribute to young LGBTIQ+ people often experiencing poorer mental health than others their age.
“We condemn any efforts to make LGBTIQ+ Victorians and allies feel unsafe for being who they are, including LGBTIQ+ performers and young people.”
The barrage of hostility experienced by the LGBTQIA+ community was not concentrated in Casey only and was a Melbourne-wide crisis that continues to have a lasting impact.
Hobson’s Bay Council in Altona saw a crowd of protesters cause disturbances during a Council meeting in a move against the discussion of gender-neutral toilets, which eventually prompted all future meetings to be held online.
In support of the LGBTQIA+ community, and in an effort to stomp out the neo-nazi movement in the western suburbs, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (CARF) held an anti-nazi rally in early October.
This came after Legacy Boxing Gym in Sunshine held a so-called “white powerlifting competition”, and has been likewise linked to neo-nazi activists who frequent the venue.
As for the City of Casey, it was understood that they reimbursed all performers and resources costs involved with the creation of the cancelled workshop.
