Trinity Western cancels anti-SOGI event

LANGLEY (NEWS 1130) —  A talk critiquing LGBTQ-inclusive school resource SOGI at Trinity Western University next Saturday has been cancelled by the school — just days after an event by the same speaker was cancelled at Douglas College.

RELATED: Anti-SOGI event planned for Douglas College cancelled

Matthew Wigmore with LGBTQ club One TWU says students were concerned about their safety bringing in speaker Jenn Smith after events he hosted in Oak Bay became heated.

An anti-SOGI presentation by Jenn Smith next Saturday at @TrinityWestern has been cancelled. I'm speaking with the school's LGBTQ community club.

This is just days after Smith's event at @douglascollege was also cancelled. @NEWS1130 #bced pic.twitter.com/dr5bS8sU9b

— Lauren Boothby (@laurby) June 8, 2019

He says he’s impressed the school acted so quickly to shut it down.

“It’s a very logical decision. The relationship between LGBTQ+ people and Trinity Western is one that is on difficult ground at the moment,” he says. “I think it’s improving and I think it is a long way to go.”

RELATED: Parents’ and educators’ group sends message of support to LGBTQ kids in light of anti-SOGI talks

Trinity Western says the event booking wasn’t clear, and the school cancelled it once they found out what the event was really about.

“Trinity Western University became aware yesterday that an event was advertised to take place on campus on June 15th featuring Jenn Smith. This was not an official TWU sponsored event but was booked as a facility rental through our conferences service provider. The description of the event was not made clear through the booking process. Once we became aware of the nature of the booking, we canceled the booking,” reads the statement.

Speaker Jenn Smith wrote on Facebook about the cancellation: “All I wanted to do was give a talk that covers topics that should concern all Christians. But TWU apparently now does exactly what the LGBTQ activists tell them to do. It used to be the intelligentsia were leaders and defenders of free speech. No more.”

Smith goes on to ask school club “TWU Biblical Worldview Club” to sneak him in against the school’s wishes.

Anti-SOGI event apparently scheduled at UBC

Co-hosts of the event Canadian Christian Lobby say there is another event planned at UBC for Sunday June 23.

Meantime, @UBC apparently has an anti-SOGI event scheduled for June 23, according to @CanadianLobby which is co-sponsoring Jenn Smith’s event. @NEWS1130 #bced pic.twitter.com/UqfB5I016X

— Lauren Boothby (@laurby) June 8, 2019

NEWS 1130 has reached out to UBC for comment.