Chief executive of World Outgames maintains dignity of event despite online protest

An online protest accusing the World Outgames of money-making opportunists has come from an unlikely source.

Copenhagen Queer Festival, a self-proclaimed yearly event for ‘anyone who takes interest in criticizing and transgressing the prevalent norms governing gender roles and sexual identity’, presented this year’s festival theme entitled ‘F**k money: Commercialization – Mainstreaming – Anticapitalism’. The theme is aimed at the 2009 World Outgames taking place in Copenhagen from 25 July – 2 August.

According to the Queer Festival website, the city’s attempt to paint itself as a ‘pink city’ by promoting events such as the World Outgames is an excuse to make money on the numerous participants and guests who will be attending the World Outgames event. The allegation proclaims the Outgames to be based on a ‘capitalistic concept where everything costs money’ thereby making it virtually impossible for people with low economic resources to participate. A specific citing of the 2,200 kroner fee to attend the Outgame’s human rights conference – ‘Love of Freedom – Freedom to Love’ – is listed as an example.

The festival, which is in its fourth year, provided information as well as arranged activities, workshops and a demonstration relating to the theme. The week long festival culminated on 26 July.

Outgames chief executive Uffe Elbæk responded to the remarks stating that, although the World Outgames event does help to promote a ‘healthy revenue’ for the city of Copenhagen, the statements made on the Queer Festival website are overexaggerated.

‘From a business point of view, the Outgames are good for the city because it generates revenue, which is good during a global economic crisis. However, [the Queer Festival’s] attitude and comments regarding the Outgames having a capitalistic agenda seem to be presumptuous and not based on facts,’ he told The Copenhagen Post.

Elbæk went further to describe how the World Outgames raise money for people in poor economic situations, particularly persons living in African, Asian and Eastern European countries.

‘Our Outreach Programme has been able to fully pay for the food, flights and accommodations of 350 people world-wide who would have otherwise not been able to afford to attend World Outgames 2009.’

Recipients of the programme’s financial gratuity are also taught specific professional skills, such as capacity building techniques and how to organise events and run campaigns. The intent is for the participants to implement the newly acquired skills into their home communities.

Yet despite the negative publicity, Elbæk believes the situation presents a good example of the nation’s tolerance toward open disputes.

‘I am happy to live in a country where public debate can raise awareness,’ he said. ‘Though I do not agree with their statements, I respect their right to voice an opinion.’
Attempts to contact Queer Festival officials were not returned.