Queer Granddad

Anti-SOGI Rally at Stuart Park, Kelowna, BC September 21, 2023 - Photo Wilbur Turner It may seem innocuous to most folks. A celebratory post on a Pride Facebook page with a contest giving away free VIP tickets to a Christmas expo. Let's take a little journey back to September 2023 and connect some dots. Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Kelowna at Stuart Park waving signs that proclaimed "There are only 2 genders," "Leave Our Kids Alone," and "I belong to my parents, not the state." This mostly older crowd with a few children sprinkled among them were there to join a Canada-wide event billed as 1 Million March for Children. It was a bunch of people riled up by misinformation about sexual orientation and gender identity resources in schools known as SOGI 123.  The Kelowna event was organized by Kelowna Harvest Church and its leader Art Lucier. Lucier called the crowd to gather around and started the event out with telling them "Do not engage ...

  The recent online harassment I've faced from Curtis Stone and Derek Smith reveals a troubling pattern of attacks aimed at silencing queer voices. It all began when Curtis started insinuating that my identity as a "queer granddad" made me a danger to children, a baseless and harmful accusation. His comments quickly attracted Derek, who offered unsolicited "advice" suggesting I should hide my queerness to avoid backlash, essentially blaming me for the harassment I receive. Derek Smith's "advice" was followed by a request that I debate him live on his YouTube channel and when I declined he said it proved his point that I just crave attention. This type of rhetoric isn’t new. I’ve been advocating for queer rights for over 30 years, and I’ve encountered countless instances where people attempt to frame my visibility as the problem rather than their own intolerance. When I was a kid, I faced bullying for being different, and the response from authority...

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Curtis Stone singled me out by questioning my use of the handle "QueerGranddad" and implying that there’s something questionable about my identity because I am both queer and a grandfather. His rhetoric taps into an insidious stereotype that queer men, especially those who are openly proud of their identity, are somehow a danger to children. This damaging insinuation perpetuates a longstanding and harmful narrative that equates queerness with deviance or criminal behaviour. The Roots of Harmful Stereotypes The association between queer identity and predatory behavior is a harmful stereotype that dates back decades, originating from misinformation, fear, and prejudice. The notion that queer people, particularly gay men, pose a danger to children was heavily popularized during the "Save Our Children" campaign led by Anita Bryant in the 1970s. This campaign equated homosexuality with pedophilia and positioned LGBTQIA+ individua...

Imagine you're 10 year old Alex who identifies as part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, you walk into class and half or more of your classmates aren't there because their parents opted them out... I dub the recently announced educational policy by Premier Smith of Alberta as the "Don’t Say Gay AKA Trans Panic" policy. This initiative appears to draw inspiration from one of Smith's admired figures, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. The policy seems tailored to accommodate parents who are hesitant to acknowledge the very existence of 2SLGBTQ+ youth, as if the acknowledgment itself might influence their own children, some of whom may identify as queer, to become part of the LGBTQ+ community simply by learning about the realities of the world. Picture this. As the new policy takes effect, schools across Alberta implement the opt-in requirement for discussions on gender identity, sexual orientation, and human sexuality. A student from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, let's call t...

Benita Pedersen (left) with David Parker at the United Conservative Party AGM - Facebook "Leaked audio provides details on how Take Back Alberta (TBA), in concert with a loose coalition of far right groups, are meeting monthly and working on building a slate of candidates to take over school boards in the 2025 municipal elections. After they win, TBA founder David Parker and his allies plan to purge the education system of workers and administrators who believe in basic rights, protections and dignity for 2SLGBTQ+ students and workers." --  The Progress Report In a shocking revelation, leaked audio exposes Take Back Alberta's (TBA) clandestine efforts, in collaboration with far-right groups, to manipulate municipal elections and infiltrate school boards. This alarming plan, outlined by TBA founder David Parker, is not just an assault on democracy; it poses a grave danger to the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and the democratic process itself. Undermining the Bedroc...

A counter-protester flashes a sign supportive of trans kids at a  demonstration  at the Vancouver Art Gallery that billed itself opposing ‘child medical-transition and gender identity in schools.’  Photo for The Tyee by Maggie MacPherson. The crisis involving anti-trans policies in Canada has manifested through Christian Nationalist activists' efforts, school board infiltrations, and legislative changes, most notably seen in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, further exacerbated by resolutions passed at the recent Conservative Party convention; this manufactured political wedge issue, affecting a minority of the population, stands in stark contrast to the pressing concerns of the majority regarding housing, food costs, and climate change. Christian Nationalist activists have been targeting public education policies, including infiltrating school boards, attempting to ban resources like SOGI 123, disrupting meetings, and lobbying officials, which, until recently, primarily st...