The letter appeared in the Edmonton Journal newspaper today. Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, where Brokeback was shot. The author is a former equal gay rights activist.
Brokeback Mountain: Govt loves the scenery, but not the lifestyle
Re: "Movie a cash cow for Alberta? Tourism promoters drooling over Brokeback Mountain's impact," Travel, Feb. 11.
The hypocrisy flowed generously from this article.
Suddenly, with the tremendous success of Brokeback Mountain, the Alberta government does an about-face when it realizes the potential tourism income to be generated.
Are Premier Ralph Klein, Economic Development Minister Clint Dunford et al welcoming the world to "gay-friendly" Alberta?
Oh yes, do bring your millions of tourist dollars. We will not tell anyone we spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to do our best to deny equality rights to gay and lesbian Albertans and their families.
It's ironic how Brokeback Mountain so vividly illustrates the same systemic discrimination that we have seen displayed by government leaders right here where the movie was filmed.
In a very typical made-in-Alberta moment, Alberta Tourism spokesperson Derek Coke-Kerr shied away from questions about the homosexual storyline of the movie, yet welcomes everyone to the splendour of our province.
In Alberta, gay bashing is still a reality; ongoing refusals of grant monies and the lack of funding for HIV/AIDS groups, at a time when heterosexual women are very much at risk, are the current political realities.
This powerful movie continues to play out here in Alberta and across the country.
Still, some gay men and lesbians continue to live out their lives in heterosexual relationships for all the reasons that Brokeback so graphically illustrates.
Why, you ask? Because of the very attitude this government has historically displayed.
If you are married to a member of the opposite sex, do not assume your partner is 100-per-cent heterosexual. In my volunteer work, I know there are many who currently live this way.
In closing let me say with pride, come visit us. I know the citizens of Alberta are so much more than our government will ever be.
The vast majority of us welcome everyone, and I mean everyone, to our beautiful province.
Murray Billett, Edmonton