A Campground for Gay Men Bans Trans Men
“Camp Boomerang is a private, membership-only RV park/campground that allows only ‘guys’. A ‘guy,’ in terms of this discussion, is defined as a person with a penis, presents himself as male and has a state-issued ID that says ‘male’,” owner Bryan Quinn wrote on Facebook.
The campground, which is due to open next summer in Orleans, Michigan, has become the target of justified criticism by publicly- and proudly- confessing their intent to discriminate against the trans masculine community.
“We understand this statement, unfortunately, may not make everyone happy, but feel it needs to be clarified. It is our hope that everyone who visits Camp Boomerang enjoys a comfortable, safe, non-confrontational environment going forward. Being a ‘private membership only’ entity allows us the ability to build a like-minded atmosphere. We don’t mean for this to come off as a ‘like it or leave it’ attitude, but we feel it’s necessary for everyone to know exactly what our vision is for Camp Boomerang,” Quinn explained in a February 15th post in their Facebook Group.
Many voices of dissent from potential customers who identify as cisgender gay men found themselves blocked from the group altogether for defending transgender men.
The issues with Quinn’s statement are numerous. Beyond the blatant discrimination rooted in his own intolerance, he implies that, in order for cis gay men to feel “safe,” transgender men must be excluded. This telegraphs the message that, somehow, trans men compromise the safety of cisgender gay men.
Also, Quinn’s unwavering focus on one’s genitalia they must possess and a gender marker on government issued ID in order to gain admission suggests that his “vision” for the campground surpasses the traditional expectations of bonfires and barbeques typically had at a campground and leans far more into promotion of sexual activity. Otherwise, it begs the question; Why would would-be campers care about- or need a ruleset ensuring exactly what they will find beneath another member’s underpants?
