EDMONTON – Transgender advocates and bill 10 protesters came into conflict Saturday afternoon at the Alberta Legislature as their events coincided.
A rally to show support for transgender people to use whatever washroom they associate with started first.
About 200 people came to hear from various speakers, many armed with signs reading things like: “You have an all-gender bathroom in your house” and “It’s not about bathrooms like it was never about water fountains.”
Mickey Wilson is the executive director of Edmonton’s Pride Centre. He said the laws are in place, but it’s attitudes that still require changing.
“Alberta Human Rights say we can’t discriminate based on the expression of gender, gender identity or gender expression. Period. So where we’re at is trying to bring the lived experience of people to the law.”
Wilson has identified as a transgender man for decades.
“I’ve been peeing in the men’s washroom for years already – do they really want me somewhere else?”
Meanwhile 15-year-old Ava Cline just began identifying as a girl a few months ago.
“I’m transgender myself and I just want everyone to have the right to use the washroom and use it in peace and not get stares like I get stares.”
Cline’s friend Jeroen Custers said he thinks the issue over where transgender people go to the bathroom is generational. He said kids at his high school are largely accepting.
“It’s not a big deal. You’re just going to the bathroom. Nothing is going to happen,” he said.
Karen Kerr is a supporter of transgender rights. Her seven-year-old daughter Kayleigh wanted to come to the rally “to help everyone.”
That made mom proud.
“I think it’s important we teach our kids especially, how to be inclusive and accept everyone regardless of anything,” Kerr said.
Tensions rose quickly when a man from Medicine Hat, Alberta called Marni Panas, a transgender woman – “sir.”
He apologized, but then used the term again – correcting himself first to say “ma’am” and then “person.”
Panas was offended by the comments and said “you have no respect for me whatsoever.”
The man went on to say he loves all his children – but Panas interjected: “because they’re not gay!”
He roared back, “That’s offensive – to say I wouldn’t love my child no matter what they are!”
They parted ways without coming to a resolution as busloads of protesters from across Alberta arrived at the Legislature for the second rally.
That one was organized by a group called Parents for Choice in Education.
They said legislation in bill 10, designed to assist students in forming gay-straight alliances, undermines their parental rights.
“What we’re asking for today is amendments to bill 10, amendments that would restore parents to being primary decision makers in their child’s education,” said organizer Theresa Ng.
That statement was echoed by hundreds of other protesters, including a local mother of two boys.
“My children are my biggest priority and to have a government have rights taken away from me where their health and safety is concerned,” said Val Leffers. “It’s very scary to me.”
Many bill 10 protesters said they are not for or against gay-straight alliances, they just want parents to have a say in what is happening in schools and what their children are exposed to.
As speakers took the podium, a smaller group from the earlier rally shouted and booed and were met with yells and glares.
Despite being in the same space, the two sides remained miles apart.
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