Residents bring comments to council regarding recent drag queen performance

By Ryan Whisner

A recent performance by a Whitewater-based drag queen at the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market continued to stir up controversy during the Fort Atkinson City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Residents who felt the performance was overtly sexualized and inappropriate for children were seeking a public apology or acknowledgement that there was a mistake in allowing such a performance to occur. 

Fourteen people went to the podium or spoke via Zoom to admonish the council for allowing the show to occur and demanded an apology for allowing the performance by Victorya Attwood, which took place at the market on Saturday, June 11.

None of the speakers definitively stated that they were in attendance the day of the show and only suggested having heard about it or having viewed photos.  While some suggested they were regular attendees at the market, they said they would no longer be attending until the issue was addressed or those responsible for allowing such a performance were removed.

The primary concern among the group of speakers was the alleged inappropriate nature of the performance in relation to children being present, specifically that it was reportedly very sexual in nature. A few went as far as to state the performance was an effort in grooming the children.

Those speaking Tuesday were mistakenly addressing the council on an issue in which it has no purview. 

Fort Atkinson City Manager Rebecca Houseman LeMire told Fort Atkinson Online after the meeting that no taxpayer dollars are utilized to support the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market. 

Rather, the market falls under the direction of the Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce. LeMire noted that the chamber does receive room tax dollars which are paid by those who stay overnight at a hotel, motel or other accommodation available to the public and utilized by the chamber to promote tourism events such as the Rhythm Remix, Manufacturing Month, Holiday Lighted Parade, and the Holiday Open House.

Public records available relating to the room tax only indicate that room tax dollars are used for the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market. No information is available as to whether those specific dollars are used for bringing in entertainment.  

According to previous reports, Attwood had reportedly offered to perform as a favor to her friend, Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Farmers Market Manager Haley Kessler. However, the show briefly was canceled after being advertised, as other entertain traditionally is, online via Facebook on June 6. Multiple negative and threatening Facebook posts were received, causing organizers to be concerned for Victorya’s safety, as well as that of vendors and attendees.  The concern caused a cancelation of the performance.

However, after a discussion between Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce representatives, the market manager and the Fort Atkinson Police Department, the show was ultimately allowed to proceed. 

An estimated crowd of 350 people of all ages attended the performance on June 11, which featured Victorya making several costume changes, lip syncing, strutting, and kicking to the music. Attendees were even invited to join her during the performance.

The Fort Atkinson chapter of the Unity Project passed out rainbow flags and stickers during the event and many in attendance were sporting rainbow-colored clothes and posters promoting the idea of inclusivity as a part of the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month.

Vendors at the market and surrounding businesses reported high sales the day of the performance in relation to the number of people from the community and beyond that were downtown that day.

After receiving input from both members and the community at large about the performance and in response to hearing the comments about the performance made at the council meeting Tuesday, the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors issued a statement Wednesday afternoon.

“In recent board meetings this input has been taken into consideration as policies continue to be created or refined to ensure programming suits the membership, community, and mission of the chamber,” the statement read.

The board emphasized that the Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of citizens and business owners investing their time and money in a community development program to improve the economic, civic, and cultural well-being of the area.

“Fort Atkinson chamber membership dues do not support the operations for the Farmer Market, but members have the opportunity to sponsor specific aspects of the market,” the board stated. Outside of some promotional funding through room tax dollars, the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market is funded through vendor fees, sponsorship dollars and donations. 

“This market has operated in the community for 20 years and the mission will still be ‘to celebrate local foods and arts while nurturing neighbor-to-producer relationships, cultivating healthy communities, and integrating sustainable practices into our everyday lives,’” the board added.

Continuing, the statement reiterates that the chamber facilitates community programs, services and events that enhance the quality of life for residents and members.

“The Fort Farmers Market and the chamber of commerce are committed to inclusivity and diversity, not discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or disability,” the statement read. “We thank you for the feedback received regarding the chamber, the market, and our community. We hope to continue listening, learning, adapting, and serving our valued members of the organization.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, most of the speakers appeared unclear on the council’s role in simply approving the market’s location and were determined to be heard. 

Under state law and city ordinance, council members are unable to address topics raised during public comment unless it is something on that night’s agenda. In this instance, there was no item on the agenda related to the farmers market and therefore the council members were unable to answer questions or respond to speakers’ statements.

One speaker, Betty Cloute, asserted that her husband, who owns Cloute Inc., had heard comments from many businesses who were asking about whether they should leave the chamber.

“I think what would be in everybody’s interest here is that there would be an apology and acknowledgement that something happened,” she said. “Be transparent and just say this wasn’t the right thing that we did. There is forgiveness. God tell us to forgive, and we love everybody. I truly believe you guys know that this was a mistake. We all make mistakes.”

While some members of the chamber have reached out to chamber staff, only one is known to have officially cut ties with the chamber in direct response to the drag queen performance after speaking with chamber staff about it. 

Shirley Brown paraphrased the mission of the market, indicating that the focus was on the vendors and the farmers to promote businesses or individuals that provide fresh health food for the community.

“It seems that the agenda now is being changed from the focus on the vendors to focus on alternative lifestyles of certain individuals,” she said. 

Brown said the chamber needs to get back to promoting and maintaining a strong business community in the city and to cancel this type of entertainment.

“I think there needs to be a written apology or a public apology from the chamber and whoever’s involved because I think this was not good for the children that saw this,” Brown said.

Near the end of the comment period, Ann Engelman, via Zoom, applauded some of the other speakers for their civility. While she recognized the council could not speak to accountability, she does believe that there should be some accountability for the entertainment at the farmers market and that the overall process should be reviewed.

“We are people who love where we live and we all are people who care about our city no matter what you believe about this issue,” Engelman said.

While she sought accountability for the farmers market, it was not just for entertainment but also policies and process to ensure the market could continue to thrive as an event the city residents could be proud of.

Comparatively, others felt the performance was immoral and unacceptable.

Originally from Milwaukee, which he defined as a “moral cesspool,” David Radtke believes that what happened (the drag queen performance) was morally unacceptable and needs to change.

“I’ve been more than willing to accept people for who they are, I believe love the person, hate the sin,” he said. 

Ron Martin added that he does not believe such acts should be promoted in publicly funded places.

“Their effort is inclusion but as someone considering being a vendor, I will never affiliate my farm with this,” he said. “These people performing really think this is normal behavior, but it is gross and offensive.”

Martin urged the council or chamber to consider whether such performances were more or less likely to entice a person to visit the community and spend money here, raise a family here or locate a business.

He stressed that it is important for the council to listen to its constituents.

“We are always accused of being closed minded and bigoted,” he said. “The fact is that you are just as bigoted against anyone who disagrees with whatever is being celebrated this month in the name of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Your Holy Trinity as it were. Is it right to force this on people who don’t want this sort of exhibition in the public square who don’t believe it’s appropriate for children to be exposed to this? We say no.”

For some the drag queen performance was no different than adult entertainment at a strip club or similar venue.

“I say, how dare you people do something like this?” said Carie Kendrick. “I have nothing against what these people are doing, but that is their private life which should be kept private.”

Kendrick said the performance of the drag queen “went against the moral code of what is appropriate for children who were all around the stage.” She said images of the performance which she observed showed children’s faces displaying shock, distress, and disgust.

“While the council did not book the event, you give them open reign to the funds for the entertainment going forward,” she said. “I’m demanding that you put moral parameters in place.”

Also, taking a more defensive stance, Kendrick emphasized that she and other speakers were not “woke.”

“We are decent moral humans,” she said. “You can take your woke and you can bring it back over to Madison or wherever. These are taxpayers. These are decent church showing people. Whatever you say, God calls things sin. However, he calls that an abomination because that’s exactly what it was.  I say shame on all of you for condoning this.”

Others also keyed in on a perceived sexual nature of the show, whether they saw it in person or not.

Other speakers focused on what they perceived as a sexual nature of the performance.

Christie Tooke said the performance was purposefully done at the Farmers Market to start numbing the children to being used to sexualizing everything they were seeing. 

“When is the world but especially fort Atkinson okay with sexualizing our children?” she asked. “I hope you guys did not realize the type of performance he was going to put on,” Tooke said. “There are clubs and everything you want for that kind of stuff.”

Tooke said some of the poses Attwood did were extremely vulgar. It was not clear if she attended the performance.

Citing the alleged intent for the event to be about unity, David Emmrich said that rather than unite the community it only divided it by asking people to publicly validate an issue on which there is no agreement.

“It promotes the myth that a drag queen isn’t a sexual issue,” he said, noting that as a psychotherapist, he has helped individuals who are sexually addicted to cross-dressing.

“It also adds to the hypersexualizing of our culture in which we live because everything and everywhere we look has to do with sex and sexual expression,” Emmrich said. 

In addition, he said the performance and the surrounding issues had offended large numbers of Christian residents.

“My suggestion is that we go back to having our farmers market be a place to get fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said. “If we don’t, next month are we’re going to have to set the stage over to people who identify as furries? Or any one of the 72 other genders that exist? Let’s do what’s good for our community and especially for our kids, rather than trying to affirm every new identity that comes along.”

Adding to the concern of the alleged sexual nature of the performance, some speakers said their concern was primarily the children in the community.

“I’m really concerned about our children,” said Rebecca Van Ess. “I’m concerned about anyone, and everyone involved in that lifestyle.”

Her reason for concern is based on her own life during which she faced abuse and reportedly hated being female.  She suggested that she would likely be trans if she was raised today.

“I begged my parents to get me a sex change because I thought if I wasn’t a girl, it wouldn’t be happening to me,” Van Ess said.  

She recalled hearing multiple testimonies from people who transitioned and now regret it. 

“Thankfully, I accepted who I was, I forgave the abuser, I got healthy, and I was able to get married and have children.”

Van Ess told the council and those in the audience that they did not have to accept perversion.

“We need to help these people love who they are, who they were created to be by God,” she said. “If you care about our community and you care about our children, let’s not encourage people to hate who they were created to be. Let’s encourage them to love and embrace who they were created to be.”

Similarly, Robin Lehmann shared a recollection of her own 9-year-old coming home, concerned about a friend hugging, and kissing them and saying that she was bisexual.

“She doesn’t know the meaning of the word, she’s 9,” Lehmann said. However, she added that the real issue is, they are aware of the words, and it scares her. “My daughter was born a girl and she’s going to stay a girl.”

Although she grew up in Fort Atkinson, Lehmann does not visit or support the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market.

“Whether it’s the Farmers Market or concert in the park or any of the other things that Fort Atkinson has to offer, that’s the last thing I want my kids to see, something else one more thing pushing them to ask questions about their sexuality and who they are,” she said.

In attempt to temper the tone of some of the comments, LeMire did note that on an annual basis the council is responsible for approving a special event permit authorizing the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market to be held at the public parking lot at 31 E Milwaukee Ave. Further, she added, the council does not review the vendors or entertainment that is at the market. 

Despite those statements, it appeared some speakers still mistook her comments to suggest that the council had failed to review the entertainment in this instance.

Debra Friedl questioned how the council could vote on something if they don’t know anything about it.

“You guys are put in here to do things for our city,” she said, questioning if the council would next be pressured to allow a pole dancer to perform.

Approaching the issue from another perspective, Friedl said she showed pictures of the event to friends of hers who are drag queens, some of whom are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“They said it was absolutely inappropriate to show that in a place that they showed it,” she said. “Every single one of them stood by the fact that this was something that should never ever had been exposed to children.”

Seemingly, in an attempt to defend the group of speakers at the meeting Tuesday, Friedl suggested they would likely be labeled as “a bunch of church-going homophobes.”

“No, we’re not church-going homophobes. We are people that care about our children who do not need to be exposed to any kind of sexuality,” Friedl said. “When you hit puberty, you start wondering about that stuff. Before then, let kids be kids. We’re trying to keep Fort Atkinson a place where anybody can come no matter what their lifestyle is, their thoughts, their beliefs. We believe in freedom, but we do not believe in the things that happened at that market, that was totally unacceptable.”

“This was a mistake,” Jeremy Lehmann said. “Things can be changed; things will go on. We can’t affect who people are, or change how people are, but we can affect what our children see.”

He suggested the council change its policies to not just acknowledge and accept a performance but request a preview. 

“You are vouching for what people are going to see,” Lehmann said. “If the people don’t like it, that’s on you guys because you approved it.”

Both William Shipley and Terri Nelson each indicated they would not be returning to the farmers market until either they don’t have to question the type of entertainment that will be there or those who organized the drag queen’s performance are no longer in charge of the market.

“This is despicable,” Shipley said. “I can’t believe that the people in charge of this community and in charge of the market and in charge of Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce would allow something like this.”

Shipley suggested that the performance was grooming for sexual aberration. 

“It’s not about homosexuality, it’s not about heterosexuality. Stop sexualizing everything for children, let them be kids,” he said.

Nelson added that it was about protecting children’s innocence.

“Each and every one of us have an inherent responsibility to protect the dignity and the innocence of our children at whatever level we feel for that child is appropriate,” she said, noting that if such an event is going to take place it needs to be planned out well ahead of time.

“I would have been appalled to have my four-year-old granddaughter be exposed to something that I’m not in agreement with,” she said. 

Nelson recognized the council was not responsible for approving the performance, but encouraged them to have more involvement in the future.

“I agree that it needs to be something that you’re a part of for the future since this is apparently where the community has gone,” she said.