Conflict sparked outside Kelowna drag show

An all-ages Christmas-themed drag show carried on despite threats from protesters to derail the event.

The Real Housewives of the North Pole drag show was scheduled for a Wednesday night performance at DunnEnzies in Kelowna’s Mission neighbourhood. When word about the event got out through promotional material, vitriolic messages rolled in.

Karyn MacKenzie, one of the owners of the restaurant, said they received messages online calling them a “sick bunch of pedophiles” and “parasites” and the owners were told they should hang from the gallows.

By the time the event rolled around, MacKenzie, who hosted a Salvation toy and food drive the same night, said the show carried on and the overlap seemed just right.

“So, to me, it’s kind of the best expression of the community as a whole where we support all aspects of our community and one event,” she said.

While the threats were a shock, those who put on drag shows aren’t strangers to conflict.

Dustyn Baulkham, promoter, explained the performance featured three performers from OUT TV series Call Me Mother and is considered an all-ages event, though not all of their shows.

“When we do drag shows, they are often a bit more adult-focused,” Baulkham said.

Trending Now

Trending Now

READ MORE: Pride Flag raised to kick off first Vernon Pride Week

“However, shows that we do welcome minors if they’re with a parent, because it’s that parent’s choice to expose their child to what they see fit…  and there will actually be live singing as well tonight. Sure, there’ll be some adult themes within it, but that just comes with the territory.”

Baulkham pointed out, while some of the show’s detractors called it a “sex show,” it’s simply not. It’s art and it’s sexy, and there’s a big distinction.

One of the people who didn’t get that impression was protester Graeme Flannigan who said that he was there because he was concerned about children being exposed to sexualized content.

While being interviewed he directed Global News to his Facebook page, where he says the protesters are not “anti-gay.” On the contrary, he said, the protesters are supporters of the gay community, just not the age limit on the show.

With Flannigan was another man who had some more strongly worded views. He said it was “disgusting” that a mother was there with her children to counter-protest, and someone was going to condemn it on what he described as a “judgment day.”

READ MORE: Indigenous and Proud event highlights Indigiqueer talent for Truth and Reconciliation Day

“Goddam sodomites, disgusting people,” he added, while flanked by two others with signs. “Enabling the pedophiles, this is disgusting. You should be ashamed as a mother.”

Joelle Wolf, however, said she was far from ashamed.

“Love is always going to be the answer, especially with children,” Wolf told the hecklers. “You can spout a bunch of words you don’t understand, but it’s not going to change my parenting.”

She later said she was happy to take her children to the event and expose them to something different.

“I think it’s really important to expose kids to all different types of people because we can learn from everyone,” she said. “Everyone has a story to share and information that we might not come across.”

Beyond heckling, there was a minor police incident.

“I have one report of a police officer attending after a protester and an anti-protester became involved in a very minor shoving match,” RCMP said in an email.

“They apologized to one another once police arrived and went on with what they were doing without further concerns.”