CUPE Saskatchewan calls for allies to stand up for transgender kids and support the ban on Scott Moe

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With Pride month just a couple weeks away, CUPE Saskatchewan proudly announces its support for the recent decision by Queen City Pride to ban Scott Moe and the Sask. Party government from their pride month celebrations and calls on Saskatchewan organizations to speak up and declare where they stand: with 2SLGBTQI+ people and their families, or with Scott Moe and his hatred for queer and transgender people.

“Scott Moe is a threat to all queer and trans people,” said Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “We stand in solidarity with Queen City Pride and all pride groups across the province that decide to ban Scott Moe for the safety of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

Throughout the world, including in Canada and Saskatchewan, there has been an increase in the introduction of anti-2SLGBTQI+ laws and policies as well as hate-based attacks on queer people. While the Sask. Party government has a long history of attacking 2SLGBTQI+ people through their opposition to gay marriage and refusal to enshrine the right to form Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and other safer spaces in schools in law, we have seen a recent escalation in the province’s anti-2SLGBTQI+ agenda, including:

  • Scott Moe replaced the professionals and experts on the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission board with several underqualified, partisan appointments.
  • Last fall, in order to stave off political factions in his own party, Scott Moe launched an unprecedented attack on vulnerable youth in Saskatchewan schools, ultimately using the charter’s notwithstanding clause to suspend their charter rights and the charter rights of all education workers.

“I am calling on all organizations, many of whom regularly participate in Pride celebrations, to make a public statement about their support for banning Scott Moe,” added Peterson. “Specifically, where does the Regina Chamber of Commerce stand”? Where do the big corporate sponsors of Pride stand? Now is the time to show their values, be an ally, and support the ban on Scott Moe.”

/nm cope342 /cope491