Taranaki Lesbian Newsletter – Country & Western Line Dancing + k.d. lang Article

This page features a community call-out for a women’s country & western line dancing group in Taranaki, alongside a reprinted international news article about singer k.d. lang and commentary relevant to lesbian visibility and queer representation in popular culture.

Community Activity Notice

Country & Western Line Dancing (Women’s Group)

• Proposal to start a women-only line dancing class in Taranaki

• Instructor: Jane (Val Deakin Dance Trust)

• Aim: To break down barriers, meet others, dance, and have fun

• Requirement: Approx. 10 people needed to form a class

• Time: Evening classes proposed

• Contact: Fiona (New Plymouth phone number listed in original newsletter)

Themes:

• Creating safe social spaces for lesbians and queer women

• Community-building through dance and shared interests

• Cultural connection through music (including references to k.d. lang)
  

Media & Cultural Commentary

Article: Another beef stew for k.d. lang

• Source: International news article (sent in by a New Zealander living in Canada)

• Topic: Alberta government’s refusal to congratulate award-winning singer k.d. lang

• Issues Raised:

  • Homophobia in political institutions

  • Public reaction to k.d. lang’s vegetarianism and open lesbian identity

  • Wider discussion of LGBTQ+ visibility and backlash in the early 1990s

• Relevance: Highlights international LGBTQ+ issues shared within the local Taranaki lesbian community to foster awareness and solidarity.