A southern Albertan organization that aims to provide support for the LGBTQ+ community, received a significant donation on the same day the Trudeau government introduced a bill looking to protect Canadians from being discriminated against because of their gender identity or gender expression.
Over 1,000 parents and community members packed the gym at Wilson Middle School in March as School District 51 discussed policies protecting lesbian, gay and transgender students in Lethbridge public schools.
READ MORE: Lethbridge School District 51 attracts over 1,000 at gender policy meeting
Renee Richards was one of those people in the room at the time and said she left feeling both ashamed and sad about things said during the discussion.
“It was upsetting, people were upset and people were very passionate and took it very personally what was said,” Richards said.
“It bothered me. I just thought, something has to happen. Bridges need to be built and hands need to be extended.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Richards extended a hand full of money that had been collected in the community, and passed it over to OUTreach Southern Alberta. In total, $2,600 was donated to the organization that provides education and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“What it will do is allow us to expand our community outreach program,” OUTreach spokesperson Tiff Semach said. “What we do there is build organization and business-specific sessions so we can introduce them to LGBTQ+ issues in southern Alberta.
“This money will allow us to expand right across southern Alberta. Right now we are mainly focused in Lethbridge.”
Members of the LGBTQ+ community also reacted to the Liberal government’s Bill C-16.
WATCH: Liberal government proposes Bill C-16 to protect transgender rights
“To me this isn’t a partisan issue as much as it’s a human rights issue,” Dillon Hargreaves, a prominent activist in the community, said. “To see a government elected to office who, regardless of your views on that party, is keeping the promise to protect Canadians who are LGBTQ+.”
Both the introduction of Bill C-16 and the cheque presentation took place on a day recognized as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
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