Protests continue in Calgary over transgender change rooms and drag events | 24CA News
Around 250 individuals confirmed up at two opposing rallies in downtown Calgary on Saturday.
The two teams of protestors had been separated by MacLeod Trail — on one aspect had been fearful about transgender people in change rooms and youngsters being uncovered to pull exhibits.
“I’m here to protect the rights of children to be safe and secure,” mentioned protester Judy Frame. “Women and children should be safe and everyone has rights.”
There have been demonstrations exterior Canyon Meadows Pool lately primarily based on allegations of indecent publicity in a change room, however Calgary police say the incident didn’t happen as reported on social media and there was no act of indecent publicity.
Supporters of transgender rights say transgender ladies have absolutely the proper to make use of the ladies’s change room.
“If you want to control what your children see, fine, that’s your truth, but just take yourself into a different area. Don’t try and make other people go by your way of living. If you don’t want to see somebody naked, you can change that for yourself. You can’t make the rest of the world do it for you,” mentioned Arifah Abkey, who was on the counter-protest on Saturday.
“It’s not your right to tell someone how to live their life just because it’s different than yours. Who are you to dictate that?”
The Calgary Public Library postponed a drag story time occasion that was alleged to be held on Saturday on the Southwood department within the curiosity of guaranteeing security.
The library says what occurred final weekend inside Seton Library was not a protest.
“It was an organized, targeted and intimidating disruption of a program in a space where small children were present,” mentioned the CPL in an announcement.
The library has partnered with Calgary Pride to host Reading with Royalty occasions for over 5 years.
“This program is a popular, family-friendly event that celebrates inclusion and imagination through stories and songs. All performers and staff complete training to ensure that events are kid-friendly and entertaining. The suggestion that it is anything else is categorically untrue and rooted in misinformation and intolerance,” mentioned CPL.
The determination to delay the Reading with Royalty occasion comes as Calgary police have charged an area pastor in relation to the incident on the Seton library.
Officers responded to stories that a number of individuals had aggressively entered a library classroom shouting homophobic and transphobic slurs on the kids and fogeys in attendance.
Some individuals at Saturday’s protest say drag occasions and youngsters mustn’t combine.
“The all-age drag queens just leave the children alone until they’re 18 and don’t expose them to anything,” mentioned Paul Marsh.
“They can learn their own sexuality when they’re 18 or 20. Just leave them alone to let them discover it for themselves,” he mentioned.
Supporters of Reading with Royalty say it’s all about exposing youngsters to studying and to totally different individuals.
“In a lot of cases we’ve been asked to come to read a story, or do a little song and dance kind of thing. It’s nothing to do with pushing an agenda. It has everything to do with showing kids a diverse, fun time and encouraging them to be exposed to people who are different from them and be OK with that,” mentioned Seth Kay.
Police say no prices had been laid at Saturday’s occasion at metropolis corridor.
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