Puppet show canned following complaints about LGBTQIA+ undertones

A Corona-themed children’s puppet show was canned at the last minute apparently after a complaint from a member of the public about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Intersexed, Agender, Asexual, and Ally community (LGBTQIA+) undertone of the production.

In August, Marco du Plessis created a puppet show, Drizzles, which covered multiple languages and stories with LGBTQIA+ undertones such as a gay zebra and a same-sex couple who educated the children.

The puppet show was scheduled to be on stage on 29 and 30 October at the Perneef Children’s Theatre, but was, however, cancelled last week by theatre owner, Jopie Pierneef, allegedly following a complaint by the public.

Pierneef said she would only be able to share an official press release from her lawyer on Wednesday.

“We are shocked and deeply hurt by this blatant discrimination of our standing toward the LGBTQIA+ community,” Du Plessis said.

He explained to The Citizen the theme of the show was Covid-19-related and the importance of wearing face masks, and said there was no other Afrikaans puppet show which created awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Drizzles is the first children’s show in SA to take on LGBTQIA+ content and characters.”

“Everyone has seen Little Red Riding Hood, there is no art in that,” Du Plessis said.

Picture: Supplied

On Thursday, Du Plessis claimed he received a call from Pierneef to inform him they were no longer allowed to host the show at the theatre following complaints from the public.

Du Plessis said they had booked the venue for the puppet show in September.

“The owner said a ‘tannie’ complained and said she will no longer support the theatre after she saw a poster of the event on Instagram.

He further alleged the owner said if she knew that he was pro LGBTQIA+ and was with LGBTQIA+, she would have never allowed it.

Du Plessis said he simply asked for the same opportunity as any other production to showcase his content.

The puppeteer holds a professional diploma in Child Psychology, a professional diploma in Counselling, a Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) practitioner certification and was currently a Psychology student at Unisa.

“A person’s sexual identity only develops between the ages of three to five years old,” Du Plessis said.

“What about it if I am gay, I don’t turn others gay with my other productions. Are they assuming that we are sexualising the children?”

Doctor, author, and human rights defender/activist, Anastacia Tomson, said the cancellation of Drizzles was not just unfortunate, but also represented a shameful and damaging decision that stands in stark contrast to South Africa’s Constitution and social values of embracing and celebrating diversity.

“To frame the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters as “controversial” serves only to reinforce the idea that something is inherently wrong with members of this already marginalised community.”

“We should not be teaching our children that diversity in sexual orientation or gender identity is immoral or deviant, but rather that these represent a normal aspect of human diversity. The timing of this decision, during South Africa’s Pride month, is particularly devastating. LGBTQIA+ people, whether children or adults, are part of every community, and should be respected, included, and indeed celebrated,” Tomson said.

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