A Vancouver MLA wants to crack down on violence against drag artists and performers, following a number of anti-drag protests across B.C., as well as the anti-drag bills popping up across the border.
VancouverB次元官网网址揥est End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert tabled a motion in the Legislature Monday (April 3) B次元官网网址渂ecause weB次元官网网址檝e seen too much of this, weB次元官网网址檝e seen people targeted in their communities across B.C. and indeed across North America,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淲hether it was in Nelson, Coquitlam B次元官网网址� I think this weekend in Kelowna B次元官网网址� North Vancouver, Duncan, Vancouver, in my own community in the West End. Really, the list is too long to go on.B次元官网网址�
It was just last month that the Nelson Public Library was forced to cancel a drag story time due to homophobic and transphobic backlash online. An impromptu story time ended up happening outside of Nelson City Hall as part of a rally of 2SLGBTQIA+ supporters.
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Several U.S. states, including Tennessee, have targeted drag shows. In Tennessee, the word B次元官网网址渄ragB次元官网网址� does not appear in the bill, but instead it changes the definition of adult cabaret in TennesseeB次元官网网址檚 law to mean B次元官网网址渁dult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors.B次元官网网址� It also states that B次元官网网址渕ale or female impersonatorsB次元官网网址� now fall under adult cabaret among topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers.
B次元官网网址淚daho, Montana, Arizona, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma B次元官网网址� you go on and on,B次元官网网址� Chandra Herbert said.
B次元官网网址淚t seems so ridiculous that anyone would have a problem with that but IB次元官网网址檝e got to say, our neighbours just to the south of us seem to be having a great deal of problems with that and weB次元官网网址檙e seeing it bleed across the border here.B次元官网网址�
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However, he said itB次元官网网址檚 not the first time this province has seen activism for the drag community, pointing to ted northe, who died in 2014. He stood up in drag on on courthouse steps with a sign saying B次元官网网址業 am a human being.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what it about. Being able to be so wonderfully human in our diversity, without other people stepping in to try and shame us for who we are, try and beat up and use violence to try and intimidate,B次元官网网址� Chandra Herbert said.
Chandra Herbert said the first time he dressed in drag was in Grade 12, which he called and accomplishment.
A motion allows for an MLA to express their view, and 10 other MLAs from both the NDP and Liberal parties spoke in support of Chandra HerbertB次元官网网址檚 motion, including North VancouverB次元官网网址揝eymour MLA Susie Chant and Surrey-Panorama MLA Jinny Sims.
B次元官网网址淭oxic social media might look like a lot of people are homophobic,B次元官网网址� Chandra Herbert said, B次元官网网址渂ut when you go out to the broad public and outside the echo chamber of TwitterB次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 maybe not quite as negative.
Chant said she found it remarkable that B次元官网网址渋n this day and age that this topic remains one that needs to be restated.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淰iolence hate and intimidation should have no place in our current state but it has reared its ugly head once again in the most benign of places B次元官网网址� community centres and libraries.B次元官网网址�
Surrey-Panorama MLA Jinny Sims recalled how just back in the 2000s, the Surrey school district was fighting to ban books featuring same-sex couples.
B次元官网网址淚 can remember in those days, wondering what could be more harmful to our society as a whole than to start banning books, especially banning books that were teaching about who we are.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� With files from Tyler Harper, The Associated Press
lauren.collins@blackpress.ca
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