British Columbia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, has expressed deep concern over the “hate-fueled marches” scheduled to take place in various communities across the province and Canada on Wednesday. These marches are organized by a group known as “1MillionMarch4Children” and claim to be “standing together against gender ideology in schools,” referring to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity programs implemented in British Columbia’s public schools.
In a statement, Govender emphasized that peaceful demonstrations are an essential aspect of democracy and can stimulate healthy debates. However, she firmly stated that the human rights of the transgender and LGBTQ2S+ community are not open for debate. Her office conducted an inquiry revealing that nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ2S+ students do not feel safe in school, a stark contrast to the 11 percent of heterosexual students who feel similarly. Attempts to remove LGBTQ2S+ content from school curriculums were described as hateful.
The City of Whitehorse is aware of a planned march in their city on September 20 and has issued a statement denouncing anti-LGBTQ2S+ messaging targeting community members, asserting that it will not be tolerated. Bylaw officers in Whitehorse are informed about both the planned march and a counter-protest, with RCMP scheduled to monitor the situation.
Govender passionately argued that those seeking to “protect” their children by eliminating school-based support for gay, bisexual, trans, and other students are misinformed. She made a heartfelt plea, stating, “Erasing LGBTQ2SAI+ people from our curriculum will not change your child’s identity, but it will make schools, and the LGBTQ2SAI+ people in them, less safe.”
Govender also highlighted that transgender individuals have become the target of a “surge of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and hate.” She stated that these rallies go beyond hate based on gender identity; they are an affront to human dignity, expression, and the rights of all individuals.
In a letter addressed to Premier David Eby, Govender urged the release of details regarding the effectiveness of 12 recommendations submitted to the province by her office in March. These recommendations stemmed from a public inquiry that examined reports of hate in British Columbia. Govender believes that these recommendations provide a “road map of how to take tangible and transformative action against hate.”