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Welcome back to policy and rights. Here in Depictions Media Radio. I'm your host, Michael Kloggs. So, over the weekend, as you as many of you know that our team does speaking engagements on human rights and social justice, and over the weekend we were able to do a talk on a social justice talk and human rights talk on pinkwashing and sexual orientation and gender identity as the policy anti
bullying policy has been written by the British Columbia government. Well, okay, so great British Columbia has a policy out there that says that gender identity and sexual orientation will be recognized and that they're as part of that policy that there should be no bullying ut it and it is introduced at all levels of government, from school systems to actual provincial working offices. Okay, so here's the problem in the school systems. Though, school systems operate by way of curriculum.
So on one hand, you have one group of people that say, hey, you're trying to indoctrinate my children and turn them into something that they are not. You're trying to force them to be gay. Not necessarily true, but can be interpreted that way because they put no claimers or anything like that to the policy itself. So you have one group of people that and some of the extremists out of that group, they want to burn books,
they want to have teachers fires. They are marching that you are trying to indoctrinate our children into being something that they are not. That you are trying to change our children and force them into a tunnel that they do not belong. Which, okay, set aside the extremists to book burners and all. As a parent, I understand, I wouldn't want my government dictating to my children what their gender identity should be or their sexual orientation. No, I
would not want that. You didn't want a teacher standing there saying, oh, Joey, because you're wearing pink, that you have to be identifying as a trans person, or Julie, you're wearing brown and blue, you have to be identifying as a trans person, and then try to guide them down a path towards surgeries, medications, all that sort of stuff. No, I wouldn't want that either, not as a parent. That
should be left to be within our families. Okay, then you have the other side of a coin saying that well, they aren't doing enough because parents are are are the bad guys, That children are afraid to come out in front of their parents because of the ridicule and the shaming that is going to go along with it. Very
valid point. Also, I understand where they're going with that, that there are families out there that still believe in reprogramming and all sorts of other really weird stuff that does that they do to torture the gayness out of
a person to make them go straight. Okay, So here it is in a nutshell, and this is what we had discussed in our talk after showing our film Mutah's cartoon A Gin your Fluid Queer Muslim that one school counselors and teachers as while they say that it is great that the province has put forth a policy and they've posted on their website, it's really great. This is totally awesome. It means that the province is taking a
stance to eliminate the bullies from the crowd. Okay, where are the resources, Where are the resources to help counselors and teachers in the school systems to deal with the bullying, to the guidelines to deal with that. Where are the resources for parents who have a ginger fluid or gay child so that they can deal with those things in a loving way? Where are those resources? Where?
Where?
How did the problems set this up? They're making a statement, but there's nothing behind this statement. It's just a statement. And that's where the problem actually lies. The reason why you have one extreme saying, hey, doing in docrity my children, and the other one saying that parents are being bullies in trying to tortured their shold the gain is out
of their children. Well, that's why we have that. So the two sides of the same issue, and the problem with the real problem with the issue is is that the government didn't provide resources to the parents and hasn't provided resources for the teachers and the counselors and the schools, all of which want to protect the children. They want to make sure that our children grow up happy, well adjusted, and able to express themselves. That is the common thread
between both sides. That is what they want for the children. Now how do we make that happen is another question. So along with that, of course, pride has always been a political protest trying to get rights for same sex relationships, for the for equality in a job place for uh, transgender people, so the and allow allow freedom of expression of who we are as we just generally walk down the street. And with that being a political protest, there's
a lot that goes along with that. So we know that and we're not going to play this uh in this particular podcast what Mark Karney had to say while he was at the Vancouver Pride. But who we will actually have from the Liberal Party is Ernie Clausen, and he is the MP of where this particular radio station sits for White Rock South Sorry, British Columbia, as he makes some statements about support and government support for those who are being marginalized because they are in same sex
relationships or have a non binary identity. We are also going to hear from the mayor of Langley, Langley City, British Columbia, as he is in a same sex relationship and he was given the honor of raising the Pride flag for the for the Langley Pride event and over Langley for the month of August. Okay, so we're going to hear that and we're going to hear bits and
pieces about what those two have to say. We're also going to hear from the senior Resource director in Langley, British Columbia as she talks about some of the issues that go along with being elderly and being gay, and how there are other issues that go along with that, such as being left alone, finding themselves in a lonely place, that sort of thing, and as a senior, because well, you didn't follow the traditional relationship boundaries, you didn't follow
the traditional binary way of living male female, that you went non binary, and now you're left alone in your older in your elder years. So why don't we get started and let's hear from each of the three people as they talk about Langley and Pride. In Langley.
And Langling Pride have together here.
Last Sunday, I was honored to be walking next to our Prime Minister in the Vancouver Pride great and he mentioned to a number of people that he is an ally of the LGBTQ two plus community. So I'm proud to be part of the party that believes in inclusivity and believes that every single person in Canada is an EGUO and so I'm just so.
Honored and proud to be here.
And I just want to also say that I am the co chair of the National Pride Caucus in Ottawa, and so I belong to a group that unfortunately at this point there's only members that sit on my side of the floor that are part of it, even though
there's members that should join our group. But together with one of the senators christa Senator Christopher Wells of Alberta, ironically we co chair the National Pride Caucus and we intend to let Canadians know that we are there and we represent the LGBTQ two plus community and everybody who identifies as either an ally or a supporter of our group. So thank you so much and again happy try.
Oh you're also very pleased to have the city of Langley mere Nka Pahal here with us to help raise our flags.
Meir, thank you very much.
I have to say there's a connection to Langley because I ordered flowers for my husband and I think your husband showed up at our door, so.
Connection right there. He owns a power shop. By the way we bought the contexts.
I should have started with that he owns a power shop. But I am pround to be here on behalf of Langley City Council, and I know our council, every single member of council has been very supportive of the two s LGBTQ I A plus community. I'm just gonna say gay and career from that on because that is a lot of letters and numbers. But I know that people
have different labels and it's very important. But you know, we did our first flag raising and we actually had to defend that right at the BC Human Rights Tribunal because someone thought that was an inappropriate thing to do. But we did win and that community vould do that. That's because the council as a whole, so I'm just trying to give them a lot of credit there. But everyone really been thinking about this season. So there's two
things that come to mind. I was actually at a Pride dinner last weekend and someone said, hey, this is like our gay Christmas, and to me, it's actually like gay Thanksgiving. And I've really been thinking about you know, Pride as a protest. That's really been top of mind and I'm sure for a lot of queer people it has been, and I wanted to share some of the things that I'm thankful for and it's from our elders,
or my elders at least. So there were people that said, you know, enough is enough in the nineteen seventies and they got like gays removed as a mental disorder, so that was a huge thing. There were folks that, you know, there was a lot of raids and places where queer people went, whether it was bars or pathoses and stuff like that, and they said, you know, enough is enough.
We deserve to be here.
And then they decriminalized moosexuality and they said, hey, you know what, these people are actual human beings. And then we step ahead further where people fought for the rights for us to get married and have spellsal benefits. And I was lucky to benefit from that. So when I got married, I didn't have to worry about all of these things. You know, my elders did and plot for us. So I think those people deserve a round of applause. Here today can play plot.
And you know, one of the things.
That is really powerful is just by showing up here, by putting that rainbow flag up is a protest in a way, because we're still trying to be erased, even in twenty twenty five, which is really shocking, and you see that in other communities and in other places of Canada. So I think it's really really important that we're here today raising the rainbow flag, saying hey, we're here and we're queer.
I've said that a lot in the.
Last few days because that's really really important and we celebrate who we are. And you know, Langley City and the township are really great places. They embrace mostly to s lgbtwo two slgbt q I A plus people. So again, very happy, happy Pride, happy silver Pride, happy pride for Langley.
We have a Pride society.
So round of applause for all the hard working factors for that. And you know what a lot of fun and we're super hear today.
Thank you Mayor, it's really good to have you with us today. I'd like to introduce Oliver Day. Oliver is our board director with the Langley Pride Society.
Typically give speeches of giving the short I just want to say a lot.
Of thank you. Thank you to keep.
Which and all the stuff at the Senior Center of helping us get this event off the ground. Thank you to fellow committee members on Priday planning folks from our board folks from the Seniors Pride group this projects to work on and are excited.
That is happening.
Thank you for everybody that's here, especially sponsors, our vendors, performers, and of course the volunteers. Thank you for showing up and saying that. Thank You's place where we can celebrate. You might have heard the phrase be who you needed when you were younger, and that's what I keep in mind when working over here events a language. I want to be visible for those who can't be are still figuring themselves out, and maybe to inspire people to be
praying formosults. I hope you can lder friends today on alb pro as people, a community, a country in the world and the part of our progress. Residence and stream.
Thank you, Thanks, Thank you so.
Langley Pride twenty twenty five is a powerful reminder that pride has no age limit and that every generation plays a role in our collective story.
This is our organization's third Pride event. We have in previous years held our Silver Pride, where the focus is to connect older, gay and queer people, celebrate the everyday heroism of people living their authentic lives, and to promote intergenerational discussion and commemorate those who campaign for the freedoms so many enjoy today. LGBTQ plus and all the other alphabet letters.
I can remember what they are. We'll get it right.
These seniors are more likely to be isolated than the already isolated older people in our society. They may be afraid to be public about their relationships because of generational stigma, and more likely to experience depression because of their inability to live their lives fully. Pride is celebrated all over the world to have some fun and to acknowledge the challenges and opposition that gay queer people have based.
While enormous progress has.
Been made in this social rights movement, there are still businesses, organizations, and individuals who are targeted with hate, and there are still aspects of the cultural and political landscape that do not recognize gay and queer folks as equal members of our society. Our Pride event today celebrates their stories of love, hope and activism. Older gay queer people have different life experiences and different challenges. Are LSRS Senior Pride group meets
every month and they are welcoming new members. If you're interested through this group, we encourage folks to gather in celebration, understanding, advocacy and support. So today we are here to affirm that the Langley Senior Resource Society is an inclusive community.
This is embedded in our organization's values.
We value all seniors in Langley and we want to support learning, recreation and social lives.
No matter who you are, no matter who.
You look like, what you look like, no matter where you come from, and no matter who you love, you.
Are welcome here.
As long as you're over fifty.
I think we're.
Right, So can you hear me? This is for for the Ray Corp.
This is for the press.
So yeah, So that's just that's what And it's twenty minutes, the twenty minute story, but it's I think it's important to tell, and especially here in Langley. I'm so happy that Langley Pridus invited us to show our film and and also committed against pink quashing and supportive of Langley's seniors and Langley youth and everybody else. So I'm really happy to be here.
I'm very happy to be here in Langley to talk about this. One thing I do want to say, though, is two of my fellow volunteers are back there at the flag raising. Interestingly enough that the mayor of Langley City showed up for the flag raising. In fact, he did the flag raising, but the mayor of Langley Township did not show up. Is I does that kind of say something about who we should be voting for versus who we might want to leave out when it comes
to issues around equality. And that's a and the longest short of it is is pinkwashing is about being being able to express yourself equally as everyone else.
In the world.
And that was why we decided to put this story together the way it is and include especially includes link where she's talking about what's happening to her people back in Palestine.
So Michael is depictions media, the broadcaster, podcaster and.
And uh and and has been h helped me make this film in another film as well. So thank you very much Michael for helping me tell this story. Any questions, any just any comments, anything that, uh that you wanna share of. Yeah, Alec, So.
I know that being gend.
Like, what was the moment you decided to let go of this time and come into your.
Own gender as a gender?
I I know when I started, I decided I wanted to be a counselor. And the reason I wanted to be a counselor because there was nobody there to help me. And so I decided that I I wanted to be able to what help myself first and come to terms of of who I was, and then they able to help other people like yourself.
Like.
And uh so when I was doing my counseling my practicum, and they came aconst this youth were way ahead of many of us when you to gender identity and started saying there, well have non binary and things like that. So, I mean I knew I was gay, and that was a struggle to begin with. In fact, I'm not even out as as a gender person to my mom, and
I'm being gay and accepting my husband. This is enough for her, but to I started expressing, like you know, momtas was there since I was six seven, as it used in the film, but she had to hide who she was and then gradually started coming out and things like that. And when I start young people and sort of laylou and in Toronto and things like that, it
just gave me permission to express who I was. I mean, I don't think there was a turning point as such, Momtas has been coming out gradually, right, And I'm sure a lot of you can come to understand that because you probably ushed your experience as well. But yeah, it was yeah, first of all being gay, suppressing who I was as a gay person, and then suppressing my gender identities. It's it's it's still coming out. Is is ongoing, it it never stops. I'm sure you can understand that anybody else.
Okay, where in Islam or the Muslim faith does it say that being entering into a same sex relationship is an abomination?
No same work place in the Bible? Well supposedly, I mean the thing is Islam is not very clear when it comes to same sex relationships. But there is space in Islam for uh transgender identity. In fact, uh places like Pakistan. I don't know bout Bangladesh, but pakist On and you run sexual assignments, surgery is allowed, but there's not many a lot of resources for trans people. But the but the Koran does recognize that there are people whose gender is not clear, and in fact says that
uh where to pray? Right, if you're if you're, if your gender is, how are you identify you pray with the women or the women, or you pray with the men. But if you're if your gender is not clear, then you pray in the middle. Right, So I mean there is space for that.
Now.
There are queer Muslim activists who will argue that if you accept trans identity in the Kuran and Islam, then the idea of trans is transcending gender. That means all queer folks transcend gender because we have saying sex desire. So therefore, if you accept trans folks, we should accept oh, of all queer folks. But we're not there yet, and that's part of the struggling. I think that's the same struggle, whether it comes today's in my Christianity, Yeah, you can speak more to that, well, yeah.
I can probably speak more about Judaism or Christianity because as the whole thing. The reason why I asked the question is because I grew up going to Roman Catholic Catholic school for thirteen years kindergarten through twelfth grade, and you were told that you were an abomination if you desired the same sex or if you didn't like I like to wear pink, I like to wear certain style shoes and things like that it's just clothing. Yeah, and so the nuns would try to beat that out.
Of me, and.
It isn't anywhere in the Bible. As a matter of fact. If we try trick it, track everything back to the Hebrew and then back into Sanskript, what it comes out to be is there is a quote unquote warning that you won't have children. Does that matter to everybody if you're with the one you love?
Yes?
So I I met a Jewish person and they said that in in the Torah. Uh, the tour speaks about doesn't speak about what gender or sexual orientation whatever, But what does talk about is who you can sleep with in your family like t Yeah, family taboos, Yeah, something like that. That that's in the that's in Leviticus apparently, Yeah, what you would Michael has both a Christian and Jewish background, so you can talk about so knows where about that.
But you know that the thing is that what really gets to me is that a lot of those people who are the antisci leaders here in the valley and in Syrian things like that are people from my community, right And and you know when you look at Pakistan, India, places like that, there's spaces for trans folks, and yet they are afraid of letting their children express who they are. And they're going after teachers like Annie Johanna right who who are creating space for letting young people discover and
explore who they are. She's who's also a Jewish leader. So yeah, this is why I think that this is one of the reasons why I thought it's important to tell my story. And I think it's it's a good place to the Senior Center or watch I am a senior so almost sixty two showing my my my story. Anybody else wants to share your thoughts. Feeling fiscal ahead, there's a question of.
Going into the counseling.
I found that there's not a lot of discussion around.
To gender.
MM.
I'm just wondering, but what's your experience.
My experience is my school counselor is uh put me in a room and never didn' eman talk to me. But I know, I but I think a like, whether you're a counselor or a teacher or a a preacher or whatever, you're in that response r role of of of listening and supporting people. Right, So it's I think l and that's why I wanna become a counselor, because
I have lived experience. A lot of counselors don't right and theyre an and so they're l this could be a good resource for them, or other resources like we have with salam or Share has resources and things like that in terms of about cultural diversity and and sexual orientation, general identity. They need those resources, they need that training, and I think hopefully, I think the BCT is getting
around that. So when these people are protesting, you know, in in front of schools, saying oh, they're indoctrinating our kids with SOGI, well, SOGI is just a policy. It's not even even in a resources that that does teachers have. It's just the beginning. So it's you know, we just gotten there and these people are protesting saying, oh they are indoctrining. No, they're not right. In fact, the teachers don't even have the resources. Some teachers do better than others,
Some counselors do better than others. Some some preachers are great, some are like very you know conservative. So I I think it's a personal thing, and it's a community basis thing. It's a resources thing. I think we need to have more resources for people like counselors and teachers and and then teachers.
Yeah, I'll agree, especially on the preacher party. Yes, sir.
So that question to you, is you gonna step a few steps? You know, the parents that raised me and you. I have nine siblings. Did I ever hear the word sex in my whole life in that family?
No, not once.
And when somebody within our religious community became pregnant outside of wedlock, she was sex shamed or slutshing.
Or whatever a few pointed words.
And when something else came up at one time about kids talking about sex or misbehaving, I still remember as clear as yesterday.
You guys, as we were all boys, know that you can come and talk to me about this at any time.
And I remember thinking, at the age of twelve or thirteen, not on your life, because you'll shame the hell out.
Of me in two seconds.
Yeah.
So what does that tell you about my father and my mother? They were frightened to death of their own sexuality.
Yeah, they were controlled by their religion. Yep. So you gotta you gotta stayed in the confinement. Yeah, you're not gonna go anywhere saying you're wrong and we're right.
Yeah, And I think that's what a lot of these parents are coming from. Out of fear.
Right back to pinquashing making a simple analogy. The TV Bank is doing is making good business. They don't give a shit where that money comes from.
Yep.
And so to say they're ping c They're just making my business decisions. So for an organization to cut their fan the.
Care, I'm I'm conscious that I'm training on difficult ground here.
To cut their their funding off does nothing to the TV bank. They only impacts your organization. And I'm not saying they shouldn't do that. I'm saying we need to think about those things a little bit further. We need to start educating the generation that you talk to your your first practical placement, Gender fluid blah blah blah.
Yeah, they were growing up with kids that were our children's children, and they grew up in a different atmosphere.
Than post war babies. True, and they had parents who allowed them to speak. So the fear isn't there. The religion, religion is about control, and religion is under all of us. Yeah with cappinings, No, I'm just saying it's very very complicated.
Y It is that you can make a single distinction and a single accusation and a single mayor cope up, No.
It's it's I I I expand them exactly right. I mean you're right, and I I think depends where you are too, Like you know, some areas are more open than others, and hearing the valleys more difficult as you know. In terms of UH, I I think. Yeah. I was just talking to Alec about we met this UH Muslim parent just yesterday who has a trans kid, right, and they said, we need to have support for the parent.
It's right. So this is what we need to do, is we need to support parents who have queer and transfer U.
Situations ago in one sure, yeah this Langley, that is not the same place.
But look at this. We have Pride right here in Langley, which is it's that's really great. I I'll give you an example about the pinkwashing thing. Like Surry Pride had the TD Bank, they also have Prosperate Credit Union. They realize that they can find the money elsewhere, right, they sent the money back to TD banks and we don't want your blood money. And they got Prosperate Credit Union as a prime sponsor. So if there's a will, there's
a way to stop pinquashing. Others have capital pride in Toronto, Ottawa has, many others have and you know s s. We fought for our rights at Stone Wall and here and things like that. But when we have our siblings who are suffering in Palestine, who are being r raped and murdered, uh not all the all Palestines are. But if if you're query, you're even more vonderable, then we can just sort of take that blood, money and and
and and and celebrate pride. Cause it's all right. Yeah, yeah, I'm just saying that it is will and and so they probably prove that there is a there's.
A way to do that. You you're you're green with h L with a lot of that. So I I do have a question, free I.
I think the process is a multi generation process. It is I look at my apparent.
Generation, which was you know, a post uh early nineteen hundreds to two thousand, and then mine and then.
What would be my kid's age and their kids. The world of difference. The world is the same place our language were talking about in ten years. Our own language has changed ye about disconcarity yep, so to pretty school. But you gotta keep educating at every line. Capitalism is a very big part of this problem.
It is agreed, capitalism it is it is is a very big w uh part of the problem.
Yeah, the first one that happened.
Yeah uh.
A uh, most respects. I would like to clean up something to me that it's it's.
So fundamentally important that Unlis the issue of Palestine to the struggle here in our communities is so important.
I thank you at the bottom of my heart. I am greezing and so purged. Why what's happening?
You got pain?
If I see on the screen just as a core representation often devastation exists in all of our partments. I need to cut this out.
When you're forgetting really essential things, when you're bringing this to all of our attention.
I thank you for all of them, heart, thank.
You, thank you for recognizing that it the the my I guess my bottom line point is is this and take it for what it is worth it. We're all human beings. It doesn't matter who we decide to love, who we decide to enter relationships with. What matters is that we all try to share that common thread and that common energy of love with each other. Everybody that
we meet every day. And that's the reason why I do these films is because I want people to see that we can love each other unconditionally, and we can love each other with th there's no need for for the hate at all. Yes, sir, I'm sorry, you go ahead.
The power of language needs to be respect to you said. Who we decide to love. That is the main that we get.
Love.
And you know what, I I welcome. I welcome the correction. Thank you.
Very Religion, community and choice choice.
I I am a I am a recovering Roman Catholic that just say a lot. Yeah, but you're but you're right, I can't as far as my family is concerned, just the fact that I dressed the way I do, I can't. I cannot go back east and and and go to a family reunion. Yeah, you know, but hoping they make this.
And thank you a ting answering you talk about.
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