(IntegrityTimes.com) – Rain Country Dance Association, an LGBTQ+ Seattle-based group for fans of country western dance, is facing criticism over their choice to tell two dance troops they were not allowed to perform at the non-competitive Emerald City Hoedown while wearing patriotic-themed clothing. Their events have been a fixture in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, and they seem to have always prided themselves on hosting an inclusive good time for all.
However, this year there were some guests who complained about the patriotic attire of some of the participants, which resulted in a slightly less inclusive atmosphere. The Borderline Dance team was one of the two teams approached over their red, white and blue outfits. When they arrived at the event, they were told that their stars and stripes t-shirts made some other guests feel “triggered” and “unsafe”. The reasons for such feelings were apparently the war in Gaza and current politics regarding transgender issues.
At first the team were simply warned that if they performed in their America-themed clothing they might be booed, yelled at, or that some guests would simply walk out. They were undeterred by these prospects though, so then they were told they just could not perform unless they changed either into normal street clothing or into a provided Emerald City Hoedown event shirt. As they declined to change, they were left with no choice but to leave. The other team that faced the same discrimination, West Coast Country Heat, has not released any comments yet.
Co-captain of the Borderline Dance team, Lindsay Stamp, says they are not a political group, but they are patriotic as they support veterans and first responders. According to Stamp, the dance troupe does not make political statements and they just come together to enjoy and celebrate country western dance. The Rain County Dance Association has shut down comments on their page and on the Emerald City Hoedown page but have released a statement saying that they are working on mending relationships with the teams and clearing up the situation. Stamp commented that the two patriotically attired teams walking out in solidarity with “class and dignity” when the symbol of their country was vilified was the “greatest performance”.
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