| Re: "Sexual deviance demeans worthy cause," by C. Gour, Letters, March 01-07, 2007.
By suggesting the Femme Fatale Carnivale was "sexual exploitation as entertainment" your issue is indeed one of judgment. Absolutely none of the performers that I know who were on stage that night performing for free were up there because their pimp forced them to, or because they fled an abusive household and this was their only means of feeding themselves. Did you even see the poster or hear any of the radio spots for this event? Surely that should have been an indication of what to expect.
Did it ever occur to you that perhaps some people involved in the "alternative lifestyle," as you put it, may have very well been teens that had to flee a household that did not accept their sexual orientation, for example. As a result, agencies such as Safe Haven were a place for them to turn. If these communities that are accepting of alternative lifestyles did not exist, it would be more likely that a young individual would turn to the help of, say, a pimp, and then suffer the consequences of a life on the streets.
Given your ignorance I suggest you don't attend Calgary Cares, you stop reading Fast Forward, and get a subscription to the Calgary Sun.
One of the basic intentions behind the event is to provide a welcoming space where all people, regardless of lifestyle, sexual orientation or mode of dress, feel welcome and free to express themselves. It is about freedom. We have a noted lack of these kinds of spaces in Calgary. Why is a celebration of diverse, healthy sexual expression hypocritical of the goal of raising money and awareness around the sexual exploitation of teenage girls? I fail to see the link.
Let's put our hearts forward and not contribute to suffering. Fear and judgment can only ever produce more fear and judgment. Allow those who are different from ourselves to find their place in society and be loved. No matter what they wear and how they express their sexuality.
J. Innes, a.k.a. JayMar, Femme Fatale Carnival performer, Calgary
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