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Gay Ski Week stirs dispute in Telluride
Rocky Mountain News ^ | January 13, 2005 | Joanne Kelley

Posted on 01/13/2005 9:15:02 AM PST by presidio9

Telluride's Mountain Village will host Gay Ski Week next month, an event that has stirred debate among residents of the posh ski -resort and the funky Victorian town a few miles away.

In a community that prides itself on diversity, a controversy erupted last month when a resident of Mountain Village wrote a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, questioning why the ski village would promote the gay ski event, which takes place Feb. 26 to March 6.

The letter struck a nerve in the community.

"It was definitely vociferous. It's to be expected," said Suzanne Cheavens, editor of the Telluride Daily Planet. "We're a progressive, liberal sort of place."

Many residents, and even former residents, wrote to voice their support for the village's sponsorship of the ski week, which coincides with the Telluride AIDS Benefit.

"This community is so accepting of absolutely anything," said Ron Gilmer, a letter writer and AIDS activist who spoke by phone Wednesday from Telluride, where he has lived for 13 years.

After the flurry of letters was published, a Web site that publishes an online guide to Telluride, posted a warning to alert families considering a ski vacation about the Gay Ski Week event.

"We weren't trying to be judgmental. The issue isn't having a gay ski week," said Al Heirich, a longtime local resident who operates the site. "Anybody has a right to informatively let folks know what's going to be going on in a small town."

Heirich says he posted the alert after visitors to his site had inquired about the controversy they had seen on the local paper's Web site.

Now he's in a dispute with the ski area.

Telluride ski resort has asked the site to remove links to its Web site. Heirich says he has done so.

"It was unauthorized, and we felt he really didn't represent Telluride or the Telluride ski resort," said Maryhelyn Kirwan, ski resort spokeswoman.

Kirwan said the ski resort expects to host a variety of groups throughout the season, including many Christian and religious groups, college groups and youth groups.

Mountain Village spokeswoman Kerri Cardin said the resort's first gay-oriented ski week in 2004 attracted about 250-300 people, although the village was not a sponsor that year.

Aspen is among the ski resorts hosting gay ski weeks. This year's event runs Sunday to Jan. 23.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: gaydays; gayskiweek; homosexualagenda; telluride
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To: mlc9852

"Well, when is Christian Days at Disney World? Been to any Christian "outfests" lately?

"

Actually, there are several at Disney World, each year, capped by their Christmas celebration, complete with choirs singing religious Christmas songs. You might look at their site and their calendar.

As for Christian "outfests," I attended one such, termed as a "revival," this year in the Twin Cities. Lots of people there "outing" themselves as Christians.

You see, people belong to different affinity groups, and they're proud of their affinities. Everyone from Undertakers to Auto Mechanics join groups which promote their professions, hold conventions, and even have ski outings.

So, this is a "gay days" at some ski resort. OK. I'm sure church groups have also made block reservations at the same resort. I know that churches here in Minnesota do that sort of thing at the ski areas in this state and in Wisconsin. So, you have "Lutheran day" at some ski resort. Happens all over the place.

It's just that you don't like gays, so you don't think they should have "gay days" anywhere. That's fine. I'm not gay, and I don't care if they have a "gay days" somewhere I might be going. I just don't care. I don't care if there's a big church group there, either, and I'm an atheist.

I let people live their lives...as long as they let me live mine. I can guarantee I'm not going to turn gay if I'm skiing on the same mountain as a bunch of gay people. I can equally guarantee that I'm not going to turn Christian if I ski on the same day as some Christian group.

Either would be a non-event to me.


21 posted on 01/13/2005 9:34:29 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: tfecw

I think the 250 - 300 people figure is in reference to the number of gay people that participated in the event, not the total number of people that skied that week.


22 posted on 01/13/2005 9:37:55 AM PST by rogers21774
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To: cweese

um, er, you said pole....hahahah


23 posted on 01/13/2005 9:38:00 AM PST by Cardician (Magic is a Vanishing Art.....)
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To: MineralMan

Actually, I like a lot of people who have chosen to be homosexuals. So you are wrong in your assumption. However, I believe the Bible teaches homosexuality is sinful and I don't believe condoning sin is ever right. Simple as that.


24 posted on 01/13/2005 9:39:22 AM PST by mlc9852
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To: presidio9

Does this mean that during the rest of the season gays are not allowed to ski there? If not the I demand a "Heterosexual Awareness Ski Week" as equal time.


25 posted on 01/13/2005 9:39:35 AM PST by rogers21774
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To: presidio9

OK, try Googling:

Christian Ski Retreat
Church Ski Trip

Looks like there's lots going on...


26 posted on 01/13/2005 9:40:04 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: presidio9

Try Google on:

Disney Night of Joy


27 posted on 01/13/2005 9:40:55 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: MineralMan
hmm I don't want to jump into the middle cause i sort of agree with both of you...but doing a google search would be misleading.


There is a difference between an organization taking a field trip somewhere and a ski resort catering to a certain party.

Now if that search turns up This ski resort doing a "White day" or a "black day" or "Hispanic day" then I'd say you have something to compare
28 posted on 01/13/2005 9:42:18 AM PST by tfecw (dolphins are the spawn of evil)
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To: ZeitgeistSurfer

Actually there IS gay rugby, gay rodeo too.


29 posted on 01/13/2005 9:42:32 AM PST by conserv13
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To: MineralMan

There are a lot more Christians than there are gays, yet you don't see Telluride going out of its way to Block out and sponsor a Christian Week. Why do you suppose that is?


30 posted on 01/13/2005 9:43:05 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: presidio9

But won't the presence of so many flamers just melt all the snow?


31 posted on 01/13/2005 9:43:09 AM PST by Redcloak (My New Year's resolution: To make up a new tag line.)
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To: CSM
What brand of skis are gay?

Head?

32 posted on 01/13/2005 9:43:59 AM PST by conserv13
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To: MineralMan

There's a Disneyworld at Telluride now?


33 posted on 01/13/2005 9:44:15 AM PST by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: presidio9
In a community that prides itself on diversity...

How diverse is the Telluride community?

34 posted on 01/13/2005 9:47:28 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (Fraud is the lifeblood of the Democratic Party)
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To: presidio9

"There's a Disneyworld at Telluride now?"

Someone else brought up the Gay Days at Disneyworld, so I tossed that one in.


35 posted on 01/13/2005 9:48:04 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: Modernman
Because, at the end of the day, gay dollars are the same color as straight dollars.

...and there's a lot of those gay dollars to be had. Gays often have quite a bit of disposable income. (No breeding, less expenses!) And since they often have quite a bit of taxable income, they're beginning to see the logic in voting for Republicans. You can't take very many ski-n-sex trips to CO if The Swimmer has taken a big chunk of your money away.

36 posted on 01/13/2005 9:48:22 AM PST by Redcloak (My New Year's resolution: To make up a new tag line.)
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To: conserv13

NAAWP - Nat'l Assoc. for the Advancement of White People

you'll never see it.


37 posted on 01/13/2005 9:48:52 AM PST by bicyclerepair (Help I'm surrounded by RATS (S. FL))
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To: conserv13
Actually there IS gay rugby, gay rodeo too.

I knew about the rodeo, but RUGBY? Must be the influence of the Brits. Can't imagine the Aussies swishing through a scrum.

38 posted on 01/13/2005 9:48:59 AM PST by ZeitgeistSurfer
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To: presidio9
There are a lot more Christians than there are gays, yet you don't see Telluride going out of its way to Block out and sponsor a Christian Week. Why do you suppose that is?

From a marketing point of view, Christians, as a group, are not distinct enough to be targetted. How do you put together a marketing plan that will attract both evangelicals and Catholics, for example?

Homosexuals, on the other hand, are much more easily targetted by marketing. Plus, based on their average level of education, disposable income etc., they're a pretty attractive group from a marketting perspective.

39 posted on 01/13/2005 9:49:04 AM PST by Modernman (What is moral is what you feel good after. - Ernest Hemingway)
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To: presidio9
Telluride ski resort has asked the site to remove links to its Web site. Heirich says he has done so.

"It was unauthorized, and we felt he really didn't represent Telluride or the Telluride ski resort," said Maryhelyn Kirwan, ski resort spokeswoman.

Since when do you need authorization to have a link to another web site on your own site?

40 posted on 01/13/2005 9:49:15 AM PST by nosofar
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