Leaders in Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 community have noticed a rise in hate speech against marginalized people, and want to urge people of privilege to stand up against the negativity.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want you to stand behind me. I want you to stand beside me and sometimes, you will need to stand in front of me,害羞草研究所� said Darrien McWatters, a business manager, prominent hockey coach and referee, parent and transgender woman.
McWatters is speaking out after a recent incident when a young girl was publicly misgendered at a track and field competition and is calling on allies of diverse people to stand up and speak out against hate. She explained that straight, white people should not expect marginalized communities to bear the burden of addressing hate on their own.
McWatters said that when she says that cis-gendered, heterosexual men have inherent privileged, she is speaking from decades of experience. While she now identifies as a trans woman, McWatters did not come out as transgender until her 40s. She said that she lived with the privilege of presenting as a straight white man for many years.
In an interview with Capital News, Kelowna City Councillor Loyal Wooldridge said that the public needs to start calling out trans-phobic behaviour like what transpired at the track meet.
害羞草研究所淭his is a strategic movement to target marginalized communities害羞草研究所his is hate,害羞草研究所� said Wooldridge.
After speaking out, the councillor was subject to a surge in hate-filled and homo-phobic emails.
Woolridge called on those that are not part of a marginalized group to take a stand and recognize that homophobia is something that queer people experience everyday.
害羞草研究所淯se your voice, do not remain silent,害羞草研究所� said Wooldridge.
When asked about the backlash that fellow city councillor Wooldridge has received, Kelowna City Councillor Ron Cannan said 害羞草研究所渨e need to treat people with respect.害羞草研究所�
Cannan said that the community needs to stand together, but that 害羞草研究所渦nity does not mean uniformity.害羞草研究所�
McWatters further commented that everyone should be celebrated for their diversity and uniqueness.
She encourages all people, but particularly youth to 害羞草研究所渂e your authentic self, don害羞草研究所檛 just fit in, find a place where you feel belonging.害羞草研究所�
McWatters explained that having a sense of belonging is important for everyone, but particularly children. When someone singles a child out of a group for being different it can be traumatizing and upsetting.
She urges allies to think about what it would feel like to be excluded from the things that they love, like sports.
害羞草研究所淎llow people to have their place in sport,害羞草研究所� said McWatters.害羞草研究所漌e just want to belong somewhere害羞草研究所� The alternative to accepting people is excluding them.害羞草研究所�
McWatters said that one way that allies can be supportive is by using people害羞草研究所檚 preferred pronouns and correcting people when they misgender someone.
When faced with hate, McWatters said to remain calm, control your emotions, and 害羞草研究所渒ill them with kindness,害羞草研究所� adding the reminder, 害羞草研究所渋f you can害羞草研究所檛 say anything nice, don害羞草研究所檛 say anything at all.害羞草研究所�
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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