A group of protesters opposed to SOGI, the Sexual Orientation Gender Identity resource B.C. school districts are using to promote inclusion in classrooms, were outnumbered by LGBTQ advocates on the lawn of the B.C. legislature Monday.
Led by Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson, a parent from Vancouver who has been vocal about her opposition to SOGI, the group travelled to Victoria to urge the government to ban SOGI from B.C. schools.
B次元官网网址淚f you watch the SOGI videos, itB次元官网网址檚 disturbing and itB次元官网网址檚 upsetting,B次元官网网址� Thompson said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 whatB次元官网网址檚 being taught in our schools, that every child can be gender fluid. We believe that the gender fluid ideology is something that shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be taught to our kids.B次元官网网址�
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Thompson recognized some children struggle with gender dysphoria B次元官网网址� a condition where oneB次元官网网址檚 emotional or psychological identity as male or female is opposite to oneB次元官网网址檚 biological sex B次元官网网址� saying there should be B次元官网网址減arental, and community support to love that child.B次元官网网址�
Every child is created by God, male and female, she said, adding she herself wasnB次元官网网址檛 opposed to people who identify as LGBTQ, but that she doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel children should be able to choose their own gender.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important that children are taught that theyB次元官网网址檙e significant and that theyB次元官网网址檙e important just the way that they are,B次元官网网址� Thompson said.
B次元官网网址淒o not tell my child who is not gender dysphoric that they can be gender fluid,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淭hat is not okay.B次元官网网址�
Protestors opposing set up on the lawn of the B.C. legislature where they share space with activists
B次元官网网址� Kristyn Anthony (@kristyn_anthony)
Victoria teacher Kelli Kraft felt it was important to attend the counter-protest both as a queer-identified person and as an educator with LGBTQ students.
Carrying a sign that read, B次元官网网址淕et your SOGI facts straight with this gay teacher,B次元官网网址� Kraft welcomed dialogue with the protesters who she said were B次元官网网址渋ncredibly misinformed about what this is.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 think a lot of people are coming from outside Victoria and they donB次元官网网址檛 actually know what the SOGI 123 policy is,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 heard that people thought we were talking about masturbation in elementary school and thatB次元官网网址檚 not a conversation that we have.B次元官网网址�
SOGI allows us to talk about how gender impacts our privileges in life, said Kraft, who considers SOGI a resource for teachers to talk about these subjects in age-appropriate ways.
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Under sunny skies, the protest quickly turned into a dance party across the legislature lawn where LGBTQ advocates shared the space, inviting SOGI protesters to join in the fun.
Jenn Smith, a trans-identified man who came from Abbotsford to protest, said he felt the music drowned out his right to freedom of speech, and that he wasnB次元官网网址檛 able to deliver his message.
B次元官网网址淭he government has overstepped its bounds, theyB次元官网网址檙e interfering with parental rights,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n my opinion, theyB次元官网网址檙e brainwashing these kids.B次元官网网址�
Tammy Brooks and her daughter Asha Khan felt it was important to show support for SOGI, as a queer family in Victoria.
B次元官网网址淢y daughter identifies as queer and has for a long time and IB次元官网网址檓 a queer mom,B次元官网网址� Brooks said. B次元官网网址淚 think that itB次元官网网址檚 really harmful to kids to not have their sexual and gender identities acknowledged in the school system. It contributes to a culture of silence, and silence is violence.B次元官网网址�
For nine-year-old Khan, it was simple: B次元官网网址淚 identify as queer because I want to be able to like whoever I like.B次元官网网址�
