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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Transsexual Jesus sparks protests | Transsexual Jesus sparks protests |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| About 300 protesters held a candlelit protest outside a Glasgow theatre over the staging of a play which portrays Jesus as a transsexual. | About 300 protesters held a candlelit protest outside a Glasgow theatre over the staging of a play which portrays Jesus as a transsexual. |
| The protest was held outside the Tron Theatre, where Jesus, Queen of Heaven - in which Christ is a transsexual woman - is being staged. | |
| It is part of the Glasgay! arts festival, a celebration of Scotland's gay, bi-sexual and transsexual culture. | It is part of the Glasgay! arts festival, a celebration of Scotland's gay, bi-sexual and transsexual culture. |
| Festival organisers said it had not intended to incite or offend anyone. | Festival organisers said it had not intended to incite or offend anyone. |
| The Christian protesters gathered outside the theatre ahead of the opening night of the production on Tuesday. | The Christian protesters gathered outside the theatre ahead of the opening night of the production on Tuesday. |
| Jesus, Queen of Heaven, which runs until Saturday, is written and performed by transsexual playwright Jo Clifford. | |
| The demonstrators sang hymns and waved placards. | The demonstrators sang hymns and waved placards. |
| One read: "Jesus, King of Kings, Not Queen of Heaven." | One read: "Jesus, King of Kings, Not Queen of Heaven." |
| Glasgay! supports the right to freedom of expression and offers audiences a diverse view of LGBT life Steven Thomson Festival producer | Glasgay! supports the right to freedom of expression and offers audiences a diverse view of LGBT life Steven Thomson Festival producer |
| Another said: "God: My Son Is Not A Pervert." | Another said: "God: My Son Is Not A Pervert." |
| Festival organisers described the banners as "fairly provocative" and said they could be viewed as inciting homophobia. | Festival organisers described the banners as "fairly provocative" and said they could be viewed as inciting homophobia. |
| Glasgay! producer Steven Thomson said: "Jesus Queen of Heaven is a literary work of fiction exploring the artist's own personal journey of faith as a transgendered person. | |
| "Glasgay! supports the right to freedom of expression and offers audiences a diverse view of LGBT life. | "Glasgay! supports the right to freedom of expression and offers audiences a diverse view of LGBT life. |
| "This work is not intended to incite or offend anyone of any belief system. However, we respect your right to disagree with that opinion." | |
| He added: "We welcome genuinely interested audience members who wish to understand the artistic intention behind this work." | He added: "We welcome genuinely interested audience members who wish to understand the artistic intention behind this work." |
| 'Christianity marginalised' | |
| Pastor Jack Bell, of the Zion Baptist Church in Glasgow, who took part in the protest, said: "We didn't threaten anyone going into the play or any of the cast members. | |
| "It was a peaceful protest with hymns and placards. | |
| "You can't blaspheme God and use freedom of speech as an excuse for that." | |
| He added: "True biblical Christianity is becoming marginalised through political correctness. | |
| "If this play had treated the prophet Mohammed in the same way there would have been a strong reaction from the Islamic community, but that just wouldn't happen." | |
| Glasgay! is described as "Scotland's annual celebration of queer culture" and is funded by the Scottish Arts Council, Event Scotland, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and Glasgow City Council. | Glasgay! is described as "Scotland's annual celebration of queer culture" and is funded by the Scottish Arts Council, Event Scotland, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and Glasgow City Council. |