Leading up to the 1 Million March 4 Children protests, unions, academic institutions and politicians did not hesitate to speak critically against the protesters and their objectives. Their condemnation was clear: that these protests would be a display of hate and intolerance towards the LGBT community. We were told that one side advocates for the marginalization of gender diverse individuals, while the opposition protects dignity and freedom of expression.
As a transgender individual, on Wednesday I found myself in the midst of the Durham District School Board protesters in Whitby, Ontario. I attended as a guest speaker and spoke openly on a loudspeaker in front of more than 500 peaceful protestors.
My message was clear and simple: that Canadian democracy harbours room for both the principles of parental autonomy and the rights of transgender individuals.
These two interests need not be framed in opposition to one another, provided we approach them in the same fashion that
we treat other ideological matters — like religion — within our public institutions. This message was met with applause from the audience and I was greeted with hugs and great conversation by parents and grandparents who expressed their unwavering support for these tenets of our liberal democracy.
Trans rights and parental rights can coexist — it's dishonest to deny that
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