Competing protests over LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education in Kitchener, Ont.

Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

On one side were participants in the nationwide “1 Million March For Children,” who want changes to the current sexual education curriculum and policies.

"[We want to] create awareness about what's going on in the schools. Also, just a message to our government officials, again, that we as a society, as a people, we have a voice," said Cristina Fernandes, a 1 Million March For Children protester. "We stand in unity [against] the sexualisation of our children and presenting theories as fact and truth, instead of presenting them as theories.”

The “1 Million March For Children" in Kitchener, Ont. on Sept. 20, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

Fernandes added that not all the participants have the same concerns, but a big focus for many are the local school board’s policies preventing teachers from telling parents if their child is using different pronouns in the classroom.

"I believe that the best person to teach our kids is their parents," said Peter Sommerfeld, a father of three. "Anything else that's coming to try and pull our families apart, the trust that a mother and father have for the children and vice versa. It's hard for me. I don't see the wisdom in that."

Protestors confronting a counter-protestor for playing a megaphone siren during an open mic at Kitchener City Hall on Sept. 20, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

Protesters felt they weren't being heard at the local level.

"If the government isn't going to hold themselves accountable, then we must go to someone who will hold them to account,” said Fernandes. “That's the bottom line. There's nothing personal here, it's for our society.”

“This ‘trans agenda,’ or whatever you want to call it, it seems like its being pushed and it's causing division itself,” Sommerfeld explained.

Protester and counter-protesters at Kitchener City Hall on Sept. 20, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

Counter-protestors, meanwhile, didn’t have many issues with the current school curriculum.

“When a child is ready to come to their parents, they will. So there's nothing wrong with the education system,” said Acer Bonaparte, a media liaison with the Queer Youth Defence.

"They don't know any of the science,” Kristine Epp, a queer parent, explained. “They don't know any of what's actually happening. And they're fully misinformed about what queer and trans rights are all about.”

Counter-protesters felt it was important for them to be at Friday’s event, to stand up to the other side and show queer kids they care.

Counter-protestors at Kitchener City Hall on Sept. 20, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

“[We want] to challenge the idea that queer education is dangerous, or inherently sexual, that kids are their parents property. That queer youth don't exist, or if they do exist, they're too young to have very basic treatment. We're here to challenge that," Bonaparte explained.

“I think it's important that they know that not all parents agree with [these protesters]. People always talk about the silent majority because they like to imagine that anyone who doesn't speak up agrees with them,” said Epp. “I want to speak up and make sure they know that I support queer kids in school and trans kids in school.”

Waterloo Regional Police and bylaw officers surrounded Carl Zehr Square during the protests. The demonstrations were relatively peaceful, with only few verbal confrontations when one side was seemingly trying to drown out the other.

Protestors confronting a counter-protestor for playing a megaphone siren during an open mic at Kitchener City Hall on Sept. 20, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

City of Kitchener’s response

Kitchener’s mayor provided a statement Friday on behalf of city council.

“While the city recognizes people’s charter-protected right to organize and protest in public spaces, Kitchener City Council stands by our 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, especially youth who may be strongly impacted by these demonstrations. No member of our community should ever feel targeted because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, age or background,” the statement read, in part.

Public school board’s policy

The policy, at Waterloo Regional District School Board, surrounding transgender student’s privacy is as follows: “Some students who identify as transgender are not openly so at home because of safety and/or other reasons. A school shall not disclose a student’s gender status to the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) without the student’s explicit prior consent.”

Community reaction

Similar protests and counter-protests were held in cities across the country on Friday.

Many communities, whether or not there was a protest planned there, responded to the demonstrations.

Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCade shared her thoughts, and those of city council, on social media.

“While the city recognizes the right of groups to gather in peaceful protest, the City of Waterloo is a place where anti-2SLGBTQIA+ messages and other forms of hate will not be tolerated. Protesting is never an excuse for hate-filled symbols, words or action,” the statement read, in part.

In Guelph, Mayor Cam Guthrie also posted a statement to his social media account.

“I have just been informed of a potential protest occurring this weekend which may push blatant discrimination and bullying tactics against individuals from our LGBTQIA2S+ community. Guelph won’t and shouldn’t tolerate it. ALL are welcome and ALL should be accepted and included no matter who they are, how they identify or what they believe,” it said.

Guthrie ended with: “Choose kindness not harm.”