Fury as Seattle country dance squad ordered to remove American flag T-shirts to ‘trigger’ vigilante organizers at LGBTQ events
A Seattle dance group says they were forced to change their patriotic shirts ahead of a scheduled performance, and now event organizers are facing a backlash over the move.
The Borderline Dance Team is a group of nearly two dozen women who regularly volunteer to perform at events around Washington.
Many of the group’s members attended workshops hosted by the Emerald City Hoedown organizers, which took place over three days.
But on the final day, one of the group’s members — Lindsay Stamp — said the women were given an ultimatum: change out of their American flag T-shirts or walk out of the show.
When the dancers pressed the organizers on the request, one of them said ‘it had to do with what was going on in Palestine and the LGBTQ community in America.’
A group of volunteer dancers were told they would have to remove their American flag T-shirts because of ‘what’s going on in Palestine and the LGBTQ community’
The group was asked to change just 20 minutes after arriving at the hoedown venue, one of the dancers told the local outlet. K5.com.
An event organizer who worked for the local nonprofit Rain Country Dance Association told the dancer that there were “some individuals in the community who felt unsafe and bothered, triggered, if you will, by our flag shirts.”
The shirts are red, white and blue and have the stars and stripes of the US flag – otherwise they have no signs, words or symbols on them.
Stamp added that the dancers were told that “a small population decided they wanted to boycott or protest our performance.”
The choreographer said the group was baffled by the rationale for the protest, but decided they would perform anyway, even if the crowd didn’t embrace them.
‘I said this doesn’t bother me. I understand that. And I respect your opinions and I respect your feelings. And that’s totally OK. But we are a dance team. We do not take a political position, she said.
The t-shirts (pictured) are red, white and blue and have the stars and stripes of the US flag – otherwise they have no signs, words or symbols on them
The choreographer said the group was baffled by the rationale for the protest, but decided they would perform anyway, even if the audience did not embrace them
One of the group’s dancers, Carly Baker, said: ‘I really don’t know what’s going on or why it would be such a big deal to carry the flag to be honest.
‘I am part of the LGBTQ community. Me and my wife have been married for six years. And it was really hard.’
Organizers offered the group alternative T-shirts, but they were steadfast in their objection.
Members of the team said there had been no previous disagreements between the team and the organizers, nor had any member made a controversial comment that anyone could have questioned.
Sharie Peterson, another of the dancers, said the incident was incredibly disappointing because their group has always extended acceptance to other groups and is ‘a community that really values inclusivity, which was not extended to us as well.’
In a Facebook post, the president of the Rain Country Dance Association, which has been the subject of online outrage after attempting to strip the women of their shirts and/or their chance to perform, said she hopes to clear up any misunderstandings.
Sharie Peterson, another of the dancers, said the incident was incredibly disappointing because their group has always extended acceptance to other groups and is ‘a community that really values inclusivity, which was not extended to us as well’
One of the group’s dancers, Carly Baker, said: ‘I’m part of the LGBTQ community. Me and my wife have been married for six years. So it was really difficult’
Ziadee Cambier, the president, said the group was not asked to leave the cliff, but issued no further comment other than to say they are ‘in communication with those directly involved’.
Stamp confirmed that the group has extended their apologies. And we’re in communication and trying to figure out how we’re going to move forward with this.’
The president of the dance association also said the group has received “credible” threats of violence since the incident hit the news.
Stamp said: ‘Violence and harassment is not something we tolerate against any person or group for any reason.’