InQueeries

August 24, 2006

By Gilles Marchildon, Executive Director of Egale Canada

Lesson from Camp

‘Camp’ is that wry humour which frequently characterizes drag performances. In this column, though, we’ll be talking about a lesson gleaned from another kind of camp.

Manitoba’s Camp Arnes is a Christian summer camp that also rents out its facilities to the general public. Some time ago, the Rainbow Harmony Project (RHP) booked it for a weekend retreat.

When the folks at Camp Arnes learned that RHP was a community choral group mostly comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified (LGBT) people, the booking was promptly cancelled. This led RHP to file a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission against Camp Arnes.

RHP alleged it had been denied access to the Camp facilities based on the sexual orientation of its members. Camp Arnes responded that access was denied because RHP’s goals were contrary to the guidelines in the Camp’s Code of Conduct and Statement of Faith.

The complaint could have contributed to the Gays vs. God debate which religious opponents of LGBT equality like to say exists.

Indeed, it seemed that the right of LGBT people to access services offered to the general public had been violated. It also seemed like the right of religious organizations to be able to practice what they preach could be curtailed.

We were about to witness a “Clash of the Titans” between two fundamental human rights (freedom from discrimination and religious freedom).

Only, that’s not the way this story played out. Instead, a rather creative and thoughtful breakthrough occurred.

On August 17, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission announced a settlement and distributed a public statement signed off by both parties.

In the joint statement, RHP agreed that “the heart of the dispute was uncertainty... about the nature of Camp Arnes’ operations or the restrictions to be applied to potential campers and other guests...” For its part, the Camp recognized that it hadn’t been clear enough, that “its previous materials and practices may have given rise to uncertainty about the nature of its operations and the restrictions to be applied to potential campers and other guests.”

The two main concluding points are these: Camp Arnes has the right to only rent to parties who agree to abide by their rules (including LGBT groups and individuals); but Camp Arnes will have to be clear with all potential renters what their rules are, specifically.

It’s possible, for instance, that RHP could rent the Camp’s facilities but members would have to refrain from engaging in sexual relations (unless members were married, and to someone of the opposite sex).

The Camp and choir will continue their dialogue. The Camp has extended an invitation to the choir to perform and RHP has invited Camp representatives to a future concert.

This outcome is a home-grown, Manitoba solution, perhaps inspired by the province’s extensive cultural diversity. It proves the LGBT community can peacefully co-exist with religious rights. While it might disappoint those who were itching to see a fight, the solution could instead serve as a model across the country.

Egale Canada ©2010

Advancing equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families across Canada