A local demonstration for trans rights was very “New Westminster-ish,” according to one city councillor who was there.
About 30 people, many of them trans men and women, gathered across the street from New West Community Church Sunday morning to protest a campaign by pastor Paul Dirks against Bill C-16 – proposed legislation that would add gender expression and gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in Canada.
“I thought it was very New Westminster-ish, as opposed to say what that might have looked like in Vancouver,” Coun. Jaimie McEvoy told the Record. “The whole gathering and the dialogue, I would say, was more community-like than what you might see in a bigger city. …There were no angry people there. I mean, people were angry in a moral, righteous way, but people weren’t shouting.”
McEvoy, who has a trans cousin, came to the protest to show support for the community.
“I went because I support Bill C-16 and trans rights,” he said. “I also went because the church happens to be named ‘New West,’ and I thought it was important to show that the city is open and welcoming. I didn’t want to leave an impression that this reflects the community at large in any way.”
Dirks, who said he opposes the bill mostly because he believes it would make women’s safe spaces like bathrooms, showers and safe houses unsafe, crossed the street to engage the protesters.
About seven took him up on the offer, he said, while others chose simply to register their opposition.
“I felt it was good,” Dirks said. “That’s maybe a funny word to use, but it was peaceful and there are avenues for further dialogue. I’m hoping that it’s a good thing for our community and for discussion about some of these very difficult, challenging topics.”
He and the protesters even found some common ground, he said, when it came to employment protections and personal safety for trans people, as well as provisions in the Criminal Code that would make targeting people because of their gender identity and gender expression an aggravating factor in crimes.
Did the demonstrators move him from his position on Bill C-16?
“I think ‘clarified it’ would be a better way of saying it,” he said.
McEvoy also saw the demonstration as a positive thing.
“One of the reasons I feel good about it is that trans people got to speak to media about this issue,” he said. “I’ve seen lots of news clips talking about Bill C-16 where there was no trans person talking.”
And, whether or not the protesters changed the local pastor’s mind, McEvoy said it was important for him to come face to face with the community.
“I think he’s a guy who’s exploring,” McEvoy said. “He’s new to this issue. He hadn’t been faced with having to talk to and learn from people who are affected by this issue, and, in my view, although the actions are hateful, I found him to come across as a guy who is fairly naïve and uninformed.”
