Counter-protesters gathered across the street from the Yukon Legislative Assembly building
The counter protest against the ‘Million March’ spanned numerous city blocks, far outnumbered supporters of the ‘1 Million March 4 Children’
The ‘1 Million March 4 Children’, a nationwide rally against Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity curriculum programming in schools, had it’s Whitehorse march on Wednesday at noon, with attendees gathering at Shipyards Park, before walking down 2nd Ave towards the Yukon Legislature chanting “We love our kids, let us parent”
When asked what inspired them to support the million march, there was a common theme for many, which was the loss of parental agency in their Children’s education
“When you’re 18 years old, you can do whatever you want. But up until 18, I think that parents should have a good strong say on what their kids are doing, because they do in so many other areas, and that seems to be fine. But in this in this one area of sexuality, it seems that now it’s ‘hands off’ and parents, it’s none of their business. If a school teacher or school counselor were to tell the parents that their child is thinking of changing their gender, and that’s outing a child somehow and then subjecting the child to perhaps some kind of harm from the parents… that’s quite a jump to say that the parents are going to somehow harm their children. It’s taking for granted that the parents are going to for sure oppose them changing the gender.” – 1 Million March 4 Children Supporter
There were also supporters of the march who identified as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and they were just as concerned about the way, and the age, that their children we’re introduced to the subject matter of gender identity and sexual orientation.
“First off, I want to make it clear, I am not homophobic, I am actually bisexual. I am not transphobic I actually have, should be considered to have, gender dysphoria. I’ve always thought of myself as a man in a girl’s body. My concern is that when my oldest started kindergarten, halfway through the school year, his teacher asked the children if they felt as though they were in the wrong bodies, so they might feel like they’re a girl… and when we tried to bring the matter up with the vice principal, she refused to talk to us about it. She said that we had no business talking about that.” – ‘1 Million March 4 Children’ Supporter
Those interviewed in support of the ‘1 Million March 4 Children’ requested anonymity.
Both The City of Whitehorse and the Yukon Employee’s Union had issued statements condemning the march in advance.
In a statement posted to their official website, The City said they support peoples right to organize and protest, adding “the promotion of anti-2sLGBTQIA+ ideas has no place in our community & messages that target fellow community members will not be tolerated”
In a strongly worded letter, the Yukon Employee’s Union compared the demands of the ‘1 Million March 4 Children’ to anti-desegregation movements in the United States, and encouraged their members to join the counter protest against the ‘Million March’ outside the Legislature Building. That counter-protest drew in a major crowd, spanning a number of city blocks along 2nd avenue, between Hanson and Roger Street, and vastly outnumbered the supporters of the ‘1 Million March 4 Children’.
When asked how it felt to witness the scene, Yukon Employee’s Union President Steve Geick had this to say:
“To see people standing across the street with signs that refer to, you know, teach our kids science and not… I’m not going to to say what’s on their sign… I mean, that’s totally ridiculous. Everybody deserves to have a voice, no doubt, but what is coming from people that support far right wing, it’s just not in our playbook… This is important. We’re talking about the influence on children. Well, that’s our future. And so I would rather see our children move forward with an open mind rather than a closed mind, decided by someone else” – Steve Geick, Yukon Employee’s Union President
