Organizers of an B次元官网网址渁ll-bodiesB次元官网网址� swim at a Langley City pool that was billed as B次元官网网址渇or LGBTQ2S+ youth and their alliesB次元官网网址� have called it off after it drew flak on social media for excluding parents and guardians.
Critics also blasted a circulated B次元官网网址渟wim dressB次元官网网址� code for the event, open to B次元官网网址測outh ages 12 - 24B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址漷hat said B次元官网网址渁nything below the waist must be coveredB次元官网网址� saying it allowed topless swimming.
LGBTQ+ All-bodies swim in Langley BC is an upcoming pool party on July 10th, put on by adults where only children are allowed to enter. The flier says that kids can be topless and strictly prohibits legal adult guardians from entering....
B次元官网网址� Sharika Soal 馃嚭馃嚫 (@SharikaSoal84)
Let's get the party cancelled 馃槂
The following statement was posted online:
B次元官网网址淒ue to community response, we feel that we can no longer offer a safe and comfortable environment for the youth that wished to attend the Youth All-Bodies Swim; and therefore, we will be postponing the event.
This event was organized and supported by the City of Langley, the Langley Local Action Team and Encompass Support Services Society as a safe, non-judgmental and inclusive activity for youth.
We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming, positive support for the Youth All-Bodies Swim.
We are hopeful that we will be able to host this event in the near future.B次元官网网址�
Langley City Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Francis Cheung said because the Supreme Court has declared laws against topless swimming to be unconstitutional, the City is not in a position to impose a ban.
Because it was organized by Encompass, a group the City has worked with before, it gave them a break by allowing the pool to be rented on per-swimmer fee basis rather than the usual flat rate, Cheung advised.
It was the decision of the organizers to call off the event, Cheung added.
B次元官网网址淥ur part was to book the event,B次元官网网址� Cheung said.
Going topless has been legal in B.C. since 2000, when that outlawed exposed female nipples.
B次元官网网址淚 do not find in the evidence support for the view that the parks could not operate in orderly fashion if a female were to bare her breasts in a circumstance that did not offend criminal laws of nudity,B次元官网网址� B.C. Supreme Court Justice R.R. Holmes declared.
Heat was also apparently directed at the other Langley, the Township, which took to Twitter to advise that B次元官网网址渘o, this is not an @LangleyTownship event and not held at one of our municipal pools.B次元官网网址�
Other B.C. communities have hosted similar events in the past.
According to one online account, the first official All Bodies Swim was organized in 2010 during a transgender forum in Vancouver.
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In Surrey, the first-ever B次元官网网址渁ll-bodiedB次元官网网址� swim was held at Newton Wave Pool last October, organized by Youth for a Change and city staff. The private eventB次元官网网址檚 tagline was B次元官网网址淎ll Genders, All Sexualities, No Judgment.B次元官网网址�
SurreyB次元官网网址檚 manager of parks, recreation and culture Laurie Cavan told Black Press Media the event was for youth ages 15 to 21 and featured accessible, gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms. Two more B次元官网网址淵outh All-Bodies Pool PartyB次元官网网址� events are planned in 2019, however the dates are not yet finalized.
Christine McCracken, executive director of programs at Encompass, stressed the Langley event has been postponed, not cancelled.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just following suit and modelling after the other, successful events,B次元官网网址� McCracken stated.
McCracken observed that while there has been criticism, much of it B次元官网网址渨ay off courseB次元官网网址� on social media, there has also been B次元官网网址渁 lot of supportB次元官网网址� expressed online.
B次元官网网址淥ur intent was never to have a clothing-optional event, our intent was to provide an inclusive and safe, non-judgmental space for youth,B次元官网网址� McCracken said.
Kim Hilton, Langley City Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services said the proposal by Encompass met the City goals of encouraging people to be healthy and active.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e just trying to be accessible and inclusive to all,B次元官网网址� Hilton observed, adding the municipality and Encompass have worked together on many joint initiatives over the years.
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