Row breaks out over Foyle Pride membership scheme

A row has broken out within Foyle Pride Festival Association after one of its former committee members set up an online petition railing against its membership scheme.

Philip Baxendale set up the petition claiming that the new membership system would demand “sensitive information” upon joining and that those who identify as LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and allies) but have yet to 'come out', risk being 'outed' by this scheme.

Mr Baxendale's petition also claims that simply by being LGBTQIA+ should automatically make someone a member of Foyle Pride and that the new membership scheme was not needed.

However, Foyle Pride Chairperson, Kathleen Bradley, has hit back saying that the petition's accusations are unfounded and that she was “almost in shock that there's people from the community are taking part in what is now a smear campaign”.

She said: “The petition was started by Philip Baxendale. Philip has been in communication with us asking for annual general meetings (AGM) and emergency general meetings (EGM).

“The new committee has been going from March 2021 and I took over as Chair. Foyle Pride is an all-incorporated membership association. It says in our constitution that members are the people who vote at AGMs and EGMs.

“All we're doing really is creating a structure to have members so that when we have an AGM or an EGM, there will be people there who will be able to vote on any motions that are put forward.

“I'll give you an example – our constitution, at this point, says that we're there for the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community in the Derry and Strabane district area. One of the changes that we want to make to the constitution is that we add in IA+ to make LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and allies).

“This is because the constitution in its existing form was created in 2010. So there are some updates that are needed so that we are not restricting or excluding anyone – we need to be extending our roots.

“What we have done is that we have created a membership form and the person that started this petition seems to think that just by being gay, you're automatically a member of the association.

“The association is an entity – it's a membership association. The gay community is the gay community – not everyone in the gay community wants to be a member of the association.

“One of the things with membership of the association is, lets say – God forbid – Foyle Pride get into £10,000 worth of debt. When it comes to the association, the members are all equal and liable.

“They have a problem that we have created a membership registration form. They are saying this is wrong regarding personal data and what about people who aren't 'out'. People who aren't 'out', I wouldn't imagine would be showing up to our AGMs as they would be looking to keep their identity as secretive as possible.

“What we ask for on this registration form is (the prospective member's) name, address and postcode. We want to be able to monitor membership to make sure our members are from the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.

“We are not exclusively from that area, but our key aims and objectives are the needs that work to the benefit of that community. We just want to be able to see how in touch we are with the community.

“There is a difference between being a member of the gay community and being a member of the Foyle Pride Association. One of the very misleading pieces of information that Philip has put out is that if you're not a member, you're not allowed to come to any Foyle Pride events – that is downright wrong.

“The purpose of the membership is to vote for the governing direction of the association. One of the key aims of the association is to provide events for the community, not for the members of the association.

“(Philip) is saying that a member of the gay community is (automatically) a member of Foyle Pride – not so. Foyle Pride is an entity that applies for funding. The gay community does not apply for funding – that is a community that is bigger than the association.

“I'm almost in shock that there's people from the community are taking part in what is now a smear campaign. We invited them to come and meet with us at our committee meeting on November 9 of last year.

“They didn't acknowledge that. They didn't refuse it but nor did they show up. But on social media, one of Philip's complaints about that was, 'they invited us to a closed committee meeting'. These people only want an AGM and an EGM.

“At the end of the day, the committee is made up of people who all have other jobs and volunteer our time. We didn't sign up to get into a war with a small group who are also members of the same community as us.

“Philip himself was on the committee in 2016 – this is someone who should know that a being member of the community is different to being a member of this constituted association.”

The Derry News approached Mr Baxendale for a comment but he declined to give one.

However, in a post on social media site Facebook last December, Mr Baxendale wrote: “As members of the LGBTQIA+ community we are members of Pride already simply because we are LGBTQIA+ as is stated in the Foyle Pride constitution (the document the governs the management of Pride).

“This membership would strip the community of this inalienable right and force us to become "members" to participate in any real way.

“As this membership requests sensitive information it does not have the right to (sexual orientation, gender identity, address etc) in order for them to determine who can and cannot have a say this of course will silence the majority of the voices in our community, especially those members of our community who are not out or able to do so.

“This will leave Pride in the hands of a select few who they themselves will deem who can and cannot have a say in future committee elections and any changes to the governance of Pride.

“Fortunately they can't enforce this until it is formalised at an AGM (Annual General Meeting). For this reason myself and other members of our community requested an EGM (Emergency General Meeting) be held in December, as is our constitutional right to do so as members of the LGBTQIA community and therefore of Foyle Pride, to discuss this issue of unconstitutional membership and other constitutional issues with the committee.

“I would call on all members of our community to come together and join us to fight against this so called membership that would strip us all of our ability to actively participate in our community festival unless we bow to this fascist ultimatum that's being proposed. Please everyone contact Foyle Pride and demand an EGM as is your right to do so.

“Memberships" were not required at Stonewall, they are not required at Foyle Pride. We demand an EGM now.”