Trans Rights Activists Address Victoria City Council

Thirty trans rights activists answered the call of 1 Million Voices For Inclusion and rallied at Centennial Square to support two of their peers addressing the Victoria City Council demanding it deny transphobic We Unify a venue for its upcoming conference.

The demonstration follows a successful letter writing campaign by the organisation, which already succeeded at convincing the Union Club of British Columbia to repudiate the organisation for its dinner event preceding the conference proper. In contrast, the City of Victoria declined to follow suit, invoking its legal obligations to respect free speech under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Revelations pertaining to several of the conference’s speakers proved too outrageous for the general public to stomach, to the point that they convinced nearly 1900 signatories to reach out to the city, drew the ire of the of the Victoria Pride Society, and attracted considerable media coverage.

I so wanted to pack that room, but with only two-day notice it was impossible. I wish we’d had five.

Two members of 1 Million Voices For Inclusion addressed the Council. The first one was… me. I primarily made a legal counterargument by invoking the BC Human Rights Code and the Criminal Code, while stressing out the city was reneging on its own commitment to “condemn any and all anti-SOGI mobilizations that seek to undermine the rights and dignity of gender-diverse individuals”, and to “call on community leaders to denounce the attacks on transgender and gender-diverse individuals”.

“No form of discrimination is acceptable or tolerated. This includes discrimination because of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or economic status.” Oh the hypocrisy…

The second one was a 2-spirit advocate of the indigenous community, who made a strong parallel with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) to underline the perils faced by queer and transgender people when inflammatory rhetoric goes unchecked, and rejected the City’s stance as incompatible with its professed commitment to reconciliation.

As usual I am my own worst critic, never satisfied with my performance, but everyone around gave us both heartfelt praise as we walked away from the stand. My partner even had a long chat with Mayor Alto; I haven’t yet gotten to ask how the conversation went.

That being said, we do not expect the city to reverse its decision; consequently, we move forward with our plans to disrupt their events. Keep an eye on Instagram for announcements.

Recent Posts

I’ll Be Out of Commission for a While…

I had big plans to bring good fights to the City of Victoria, but I have to put them on…

2 weeks ago

CRAB Park Residents Petition BC Supreme Court for Judicial Review

Here's the latest chapter in the judicial saga opposing unhoused residents of CRAB Park and the Vancouver Park Board.

3 weeks ago

Victoria Marches for Palestine, Take Fifty-Three

As the crisis widens in the Middle East, a broader fight has been looming against the Zionist regime, and this…

3 weeks ago

NO, I WON’T TAKE BACK MY STATEMENT ON SUSAN KIM!!!

Lately a lot of you people have been getting under my skin and I've been itching to write about it.…

3 weeks ago

UVic Palestine Supporters Stage Walkout for Student Strike

While the encampment has been defeated, UVic students are still fighting their institution until it divests from the genocide in…

3 weeks ago

Palestine Supporters Mark Grim Anniversary of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

Protesting on the anniversary of an assault that made over a thousand victims is obviously a delicate undertaking, but critics…

4 weeks ago

Are you protesting social injustice?

Whether you're denouncing police brutality or government overreach, clamouring for a safe drug supply or affordable housing, defending homeless encampments or fighting off the colonial invader, advocating for the disabled or racial minorities, pursuing either legal or extralegal means of retaliation, you'll find plenty of interest within these pages by a fellow insurrectionist butting heads with a callous society and a corrupt system. Come misbehave with the rest of us!

Subscribe on wordpress.com (click the "Subscribe" button for email notifications)

Recent Posts