SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Members of a Facebook group of more than 1,000 B.C. parents and educators are sending a message of support for LGBTQ kids in light of controversial presentations attacking SOGI 123 taking place across the Lower Mainland.
They say SOGI — which stands for sexual orientation and gender identity — is about protecting children’s rights to safe and inclusive schools.
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High school teacher Kathryn Ferguson is part of the group B.C. Families for Inclusivity that sent an open letter critiquing the series of anti-SOGI presentations by Jenn Smith. A ‘Christian only’ version of the talk took place at Surrey Pentecostal Assembly on Wednesday night.
A Facebook group of more than 1,000 B.C. parents and educators are sending a message of support for LGBTQ kids in light of controversial presentations attacking SOGI 123 taking place across the Lower Mainland. @NEWS1130 1/2 pic.twitter.com/dHO2xyMdZe
— Lauren Boothby (@laurby) May 30, 2019
Instead of protesting the event, she says the group opted for a different approach.
“The letter is basically a sense of support for our LGBTQ2+ youth and really looking at how detrimental these presentations are to our youth,” she says. “Every time those words are spoken, it rings back as hate. It sounds like ‘something is wrong with you, something is wrong with who you believe you are and who you inherently are.’
“For us, our goal here was to put a story, get people to get beyond the propaganda and the rhetoric and to really think about the people in your community, your neighbours, the people you run into at the grocery store and realize that everyone is a part of SOGI.”
Instead of protesting outside the event at a Surrey church Wednesday night, she says they wanted to tell the stories of LGBTQ kids and their families, and why SOGI is important. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/0GqK9qz4b0
— Lauren Boothby (@laurby) May 30, 2019
She says SOGI resources help kids feel welcome, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
Parent Constance Carriere-Prill who has LGBTQ children, says she thinks these types of presentations are misleading.
“People fear what they don’t understand, and people hate what they fear. At the end of the day, if people are not understanding something, if they’re being given the wrong information, it perpetuates fear, it perpetuates hate,” she says.
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She questions the validity of information shared in the anti-SOGI talks, saying she hopes people who are confused or concerned about SOGI will speak with teachers, educators and other experts who can explain it to them.
“The only way to counteract discrimination against LGBTQ people is proper education. Events like tonight go against the grain for that,” she says.
