Two women told they weren't allowed to kiss at Edmonton concert
What started off as “a fun moment on a beautiful night” turned sour at the Jack White concert in Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
White had just returned to the stage for an encore to finish off the Friday night show when attendee Allyson MacIvor embraced her friend (who happens to be a woman) for a spontaneous kiss — though the moment was not allowed to last long.
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“We were immediately interrupted by a young Rogers Place worker, who pulled me to the side, away from my seat, waving her finger disapprovingly, saying ‘that’s not allowed here,'” MacIvor wrote in a Facebook post, which has since been shared 370 times.
The usher then told the two women that if they had a problem they could take it up with her manager.
“My good friend pulled me back just as shocked, to finish enjoying the last song, and the beautiful moment, before my broken and shocked spirit blew a fuse,” the post read.
“The song finished, we put on our coats, and the young woman marched proudly and righteously in front of us to the manager’s office, as if we were being taken to the office at school.”
The usher then told her manager what she had seen, stating that the two women kissing at their seats was “inappropriate sexual behaviour.” MacIver’s post states that the manager then told the woman to go back to her post and the arena staff apologized for her actions.
“The arena staff were very apologetic, as I wrote an incident report, with tears in my eyes, realizing we still live in a world where I have to watch my back as a ‘gay’ woman, and apparently, I still have to watch whom I kiss, even at Rogers Place,” the Facebook post states.
Rogers Place addressed the situation in a Facebook comment on their own photo post of the concert, stating that they are investigating the incident.
“Oilers Entertainment Group and Rogers Place are committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for all guests. This incident does not align with our values and we take a zero tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. We unequivocally welcome and support all members of the LGBTQ community,” the comment states.
MacIver ended off her post on a hopeful note for the future, while also making a subtle reference to Jack White’s song “Love Interruption.”
“So today, I’m making a toast to our children, and the next generation. I hope their love, no matter how it looks, is never interrupted.”
Here’s MacIver’s post in full:
I’m making a toast, and raising my coffee cup.
Last night was a reminder, as I came home speechless, disturbed, and sad from the Jack White concert I was attending at Rogers Place. During the final encore, one of my favourites songs of all time, I grabbed my friend, and kissed her… a fun moment on a beautiful night.
We were immediately interrupted by a young Rogers Place worker, who pulled me to the side, away from my seat, waving her finger disapprovingly, saying “that’s not allowed here.”
I looked at her with the most shocked, dumbfounded look, and clarified, “You mean kiss her? I’m not allowed to kiss her here? Is that what you mean?”, where she again said, “Yes, and if you have a problem with that you can speak to my manager.”
My good friend pulled me back just as shocked, to finish enjoying the last song, and the beautiful moment, before my broken and shocked spirit blew a fuse. The song finished, we put on our coats, and the young woman marched proudly and righteously in front of us, to the manager’s office, as if we were being taken to the office at school.
“For kissing you? This is so f*cked” I kept saying to my friend.When we approached the office, the worker told it as she saw it: “They were kissing at their seats during the encore, which is inappropriate sexual behaviour.” The manager, taking the reigns, asked her to resume her post, as the young worker walked away, glaring in disapproval at my friend and I. The arena staff were very apologetic, as I wrote an incident report, with tears in my eyes, realizing we still live in a world where I have to watch my back as a “gay” woman, and apparently, I still have to watch whom I kiss, even at Rogers Place.
So today, I’m making a toast to our children, and the next generation. I hope their love, no matter how it looks, is never interrupted.