These United Church members showed up to say no to anti-LGBTQ2S+ protests

Counter-protestors advocating for gender-inclusivity on Sept. 20.(Photo courtesy of Stephen Milton)

On Sept. 20, United Churches across the country were demonstrating their support for the LGBTQ2S community by counter-protesting 1 Million March 4 Children rallies. The 1 Million March 4 Children participants are advocating for schools to remove their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculums. These protests have emerged as introducing gender-neutral washrooms and requiring parental consent for using students’ alternate pronoun raises concerns within various provinces.

Here is a look at some Canadians advocating for a gender-inclusive school environment.

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Rev. Steve Berube (left) of St. Paul’s United Church in Riverview, N.B., and Rev. Catherine Stuart (right) of Mount Royal United United Church in Moncton N.B., at counter-protests. (Photo courtesy of Central United Church)

Chinook Winds Regional Staff with other counter-protestors in the Calgary area. (Photo courtesy of Chinook Winds Region United Church of Canada)

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Members of Sackville United and FSLDW Regional Council in Sackville, N.B., Visions United and Central United in Moncton, N.B., and St. Paul’s United in Riverview, N.B., at counter-protests. (Photo courtesy of Central United Church)

Counter-protest in Ottawa. (Photo courtesy of Rebekah Dillman, Rideau Park United Church)

Counter-protest in Toronto. (Photograph courtesy of Stephen Milton)

Counter-protest in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Milton)

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Sherlyn Assam is Broadview’s assistant digital editor and a Canadian freelance writer currently based in the United Kingdom.

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3 Comments Leave a Reply

David Lewis says:

Sep. 23, 2023 at 8:42 am

The two pictures credited to Central United Church in Moncton were inaccurately labeled in this article. The United Church clergy, members and adherents that took part in the two counter protests in Moncton, collaboratively supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community, represented Sackville United and FSLDW Regional Council in Sackville, Visions United and Central United in Moncton, and St. Paul’s United in Riverview.

Reply
- Emma Prestwich says:
  
  Sep. 23, 2023 at 11:22 am
  
  Thank you for letting us know, David! We’ll fix these captions.
  
  Reply
Robert Hess - Nanaimo, BC says:

Sep. 29, 2023 at 2:29 am

This is not really a LGBQ… issue. Parents, not teachers or councillors, are legally responsible for the care of their own children, and therefore must be involved in any serious decisions their children make, along with wanting to be involved because they love them and want the best for them. The United Church needs to advocate to strengthen and protect the parent – child bond, not weaken it.

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