GOATS Queer Climbing — Funding Request (events/drag shows / community programming)

GOATS Queer Climbing — Funding Request (events/drag shows / community programming)

Dear City of Langford Team,

Introduction to Event and Use of Funding

I am writing to you on behalf of GOATS Queer Climbing Organization in order to submit a funding request for future events to be held that are centred around queer inclusivity in sport – specifically bouldering and rock climbing.

The event in question is a drag show at BoulderHouse’s Langford location among other events throughout the year at various locations. This event comes in two parts: the first portion of this event involves a social aspect for community members to come and experience bouldering for the first time, or for seasoned climbers to come and find a community of like-minded climbers; the second component of this event includes a drag show that features a wide range of local and diverse queer talent. Outside of this, we are seeking funds to create an inventory of climbing equipment that can be rented and/or shared with the local climbing community as finances are often seen as one of the largest barriers to participating in sport and physical activity, we would like to lessen these costs to allow more people be introduced to the incredible sport that is rock climbing.

The purpose of this event is to help create and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, geared towards queer folks who have an interest in sport and physical activity. As someone who has done research in inclusivity, diversity, and equity in sport, recreation, and physical education events like these are important for challenging some of the barriers that members of the LGBTQ+ community face when trying to engage in these spaces. Sport has historically been a heteronormative space that excludes or discourages members of the LGBTQ+ community from participating. This is unfortunate as there are such a wide array of benefits that come from not only being active and living an active lifestyle, but specifically engaging in sport; some of these benefits include improved mental health and well-being, improved physical health, decreased risk of a wide range of chronic illnesses, creating a sense of community, and learning skills such as leadership and teamwork that can be transferred to other areas of life (among many more benefits that could be listed).

As a drag artist, these are some of my main goals for doing drag. I have been a competitive athlete my entire life, mostly as a track and field athlete competing up to the national level, and I started to do drag because I constantly felt excluded, isolated, and neglected as an athlete. This was also the focus of my studies as I navigated my honours bachelor degree in Human Kinetics, often focusing on these topics in my classes and my work. Although times have changed, and these spaces have slowly started to see positive change within them, there is much more that needs to be done to truly create an environment that is welcome to all. Celebrating and showcasing queer art is one of the most powerful and impactful ways to do this. Drag is so much more than a performance, it is such a diverse and intersectional artform that allows queer people to share their stories, challenge heteronormative and patriarchal norms, and to constantly push for change and further acceptance. This is also an artform that is constantly under attack, which is why it is more important than ever to support these artists and this community as there is no shortage of individuals falsely claiming that drag artists are sexual deviants who are brainwashing and grooming children when in fact drag is merely showcasing queer joy. Not only do events like these create a more welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community, but it also has a wide range of benefits for anyone who wishes to engage with sport or physical activity by fostering an environment that anyone of any level can come participate without fear of judgement or discrimination of any kind. Sport and physical activity have historically been a very masculine dominated and exclusive domain, but by creating change it opens the door for many others to participate and reap the benefits of sport and physical activity.

Relation to City of Langford’s Vision and Values

This event aligns in many ways with Langford’s new vision and core values, which will be explained in this paragraph. Langford’s vision is “to create a vibrant, thriving, inclusive and climate resilient community by making informed decisions for current and future generations including residents, businesses, and visitors.” (p. 7, Strategic Plan) This event will explicitly work towards creating a vibrant, thriving, and inclusive community by offering an event unlike any others that are held in the city. Not only is a drag show in a sport space extremely unique, but it also offers a fun, healthy, and sober activity for community members to come and participate in, which is desperately needed in society today as so much of our events are focused around alcohol, drugs, and generally unhealthy behaviour. This event will have a positive impact for: residents, by providing such an activity for them to enjoy; businesses, by introducing new people to BoulderHouse Langford and other potential local community partnerships; and visitors, by encouraging those from the Greater Victoria area and beyond to come and experience an incredible and unique event in the vibrant city that is Langford.

This event also aligns with several of Langford’s Core Values, as outlined in the Strategic Plan on page 8. As outlined, community involvement “embodies inclusivity, collective progress, and active democracy. It is the commitment to engaging within the community, valuing every voice, and fostering equality.” (p. 8) These characteristics highlight exactly why Langford should support this event, as it completely aligns with this value, and as highlighted in the document “we forge unity through diverse participation.” This event is by the community, for the community.

Ethics and Integrity, as outlined in your strategic plan (p. 8) “involves being reliable and dedicated, consistently choosing the right path… It’s about distinguishing right from wrong and committing to doing what is just and trustworthy.” I can’t help but focus on the statement of choosing what is right from wrong, and relating to the widespread societal debate on drag and therefore on the inclusion of queer people and art – by choosing to support this event the city of Langford would be choosing the side of acceptance, community, inclusivity, and diversity as opposed to siding with rejection, fear, discrimination, and intolerance of those who seek to silence queer voices. Support for the queer community is so needed right now, and is the right path forward for a better future.

Financial Stability is outlined as “the ability to balance current and future needs and demands, while directing resources to maximize social benefits.” This event is a perfect opportunity for the city to follow this value, as the intended goal of this event is to create positive change, and therefore maximizing social benefits for the community it is a part of. It is directly supporting not only local queer artists, but also a fantastic local business that is a champion of diversity and inclusion by agreeing to support and event such as this.