A group of men who dress in women’s clothing to raise money for a local hospice claim they have been told their fundraising is potentially offensive by charity bosses.
The men are members and supporters of Upton Rugby Club and have dressed in drag for charity fundraisers for 18 years having raised more than £40,000 for St Richard’s Hospice but the group claim they have been told their latest efforts cannot by promoted by the hospice because it might offend the LGBT community.
June Patel, St Richard’s chief executive, said they appreciated the group’s fundraising but were striving to be mindful of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Now from my recollection of gay friends I have known, certainly the men are only too happy to dress in drag at the drop of a hat and would socialise in gay bars dressed as such and having seen many a drag act perform before an audience of LGBQ people of both sex I have never seen anyone take offence at a man dressed in a frock!
It seems though that June Patel the Chief Executive of St Richard’s Hospice may well have shot herself in the foot as I believe the rugby players are now looking for another charity who will be only too happy to receive donations from a group of men in frocks and quite right too.
I am a retired actor, although to be honest I only retired because I wasn't getting any work due to losing my agent when I became a full time carer to my mother who had dementia. and the option of becoming an unemployed actor/waiter at my age was ludicrous, especially as my waiting skills are non-existent.
Having said I’m retired, I don’t think there really is such a thing as a retired actor for I am still available for work, I just don’t have an agent or any connections with regards to obtaining any worthwhile work.
I have over the years done student films when there is nothing else available, always low paid (if at all) the only incentive was always the promised copy of the finished film for your show reel which nine times out of ten always failed to materialise.
I spent many years looking after my aged mother and shortly after her death I was lucky enough to run into an ex-girlfriend of many years ago and our romance blossomed once again, resulting in us getting married in 2013.
My move to the countryside inspired me to write The Diary of a Country Bumpkin which tells of my continuing dilemmas in dealing with the rigors of the countryside from the unexpectedly large number of pollens, fungal moulds and hay products waiting to attack the unsuspecting townie.
I enjoy writing, see my play Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori on The Wireless Theatre Company, The Plays Wot I Wrote and The Battle of Barking Creek both available on Amazon.co.uk and am very fond of classic cars so my ideal occupation would be acting in a film I had written set in the 1930s/40s, we live in hopes.
I am delighted to say that since venturing to the countryside where space is not quite the premium it is in town, I have due to the availability of two double garages acquired more classic cars to form a small collection the pride of which are a 1947 Bentley Mk VI and a 2000 Bentley Arnage.
My various blogs and websites are continually evolving and I’m sure that by following the appropriate links you will find something which will edify or amuse.
I have written a number of different books all available on Amazon, so don't be shy should you feel the urge to purchase. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Joe-Wells/e/B06XKWFQHT/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Dear Sir, I was totally outraged, recently, when I spotted my Aunt Maud dressed in what appeared to be trousers and a tweed jacket. I would welcome your advice on how I should deal with this egregious matter!
Dear Peter,
I believe your Aunt Maud may be being led astray by her dubious close friendship with local district nurse Sister George who also dresses in a similar fashion. I have to say that your Aunts sudden desire to dress in such a fashion and the fact that she has never married has caused some tongues to wag in the village but I feel we can take some comfort for the Vicars sermon last Sunday. Whether the text which said, “let him that is without sin cast the first stone” was directed against those who gossip about your Aunt I couldn’t possibly say but one has to hope that in time the matter will blow over. Failing that perhaps one could purchase a London newspaper and point out to your Aunt the wonderful job opportunities and the rather more liberal attitudes of those who live there. I hope some of this may have been of help.
I am sir, your obedient servant,
Joe Wells Esq.
The world has gone mad! Sod the LGBQ people! How dare they claim the right to be offended by other men dressing as women? Dressing in drag is far more insulting to actual women.
I’ve never liked to see men dressed as women. As a youngster I could not understand why Danny La Rue was making fun of women by over dressing as one. I still find it offensive.
My son is gay, he is not the slightest bit camp, though he is a great impressionist.
He has no time for the over acting of camp men and dislikes seeing men dressed in drag. He does not take part in Pride parades and does not regard himself as part of the LGBQ community, in fact he hates that he has been given the label of an LGBQ person.
He describes himself as a man who just happens to have been born gay.
Sadly I don’t think it’s the LGBQ community that has complained, it’s the ‘woke’ Chief Executive of the Charity who is complaining on behalf of the LGBQ community!
The Diary of a Country Bumpkin 
Dear Sir, I was totally outraged, recently, when I spotted my Aunt Maud dressed in what appeared to be trousers and a tweed jacket. I would welcome your advice on how I should deal with this egregious matter!
Dear Peter,
I believe your Aunt Maud may be being led astray by her dubious close friendship with local district nurse Sister George who also dresses in a similar fashion. I have to say that your Aunts sudden desire to dress in such a fashion and the fact that she has never married has caused some tongues to wag in the village but I feel we can take some comfort for the Vicars sermon last Sunday. Whether the text which said, “let him that is without sin cast the first stone” was directed against those who gossip about your Aunt I couldn’t possibly say but one has to hope that in time the matter will blow over. Failing that perhaps one could purchase a London newspaper and point out to your Aunt the wonderful job opportunities and the rather more liberal attitudes of those who live there. I hope some of this may have been of help.
I am sir, your obedient servant,
Joe Wells Esq.
Bravo Joe. Your signing off brought to mind my written application to my Commanding Officer, for permission to get married!
It’s a shame we don’t write like that now although with modern text speak we barely bother with proper words let alone proper sentences!
The world has gone mad! Sod the LGBQ people! How dare they claim the right to be offended by other men dressing as women? Dressing in drag is far more insulting to actual women.
I’ve never liked to see men dressed as women. As a youngster I could not understand why Danny La Rue was making fun of women by over dressing as one. I still find it offensive.
My son is gay, he is not the slightest bit camp, though he is a great impressionist.
He has no time for the over acting of camp men and dislikes seeing men dressed in drag. He does not take part in Pride parades and does not regard himself as part of the LGBQ community, in fact he hates that he has been given the label of an LGBQ person.
He describes himself as a man who just happens to have been born gay.
Sadly I don’t think it’s the LGBQ community that has complained, it’s the ‘woke’ Chief Executive of the Charity who is complaining on behalf of the LGBQ community!
You’re right, Joe. I had completely forgotten about the ones who need to be politically correct and tick all the boxes.
I think they’re beginning to do more harm than good. Thank you for putting me straight 😁 no pun intended!