Anti-LGBTTQ+ handout sours Halloween spirit

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This article was published 31/10/2022 (785 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Young trick-or-treaters in the Charleswood neighbourhood received a handout outlining radical anti-LGBTTQ+ material on Halloween.

“It makes me upset and confused,” said Winnipeg middle-years student Rhowyn Hosler, who was among those that discovered the unusual item gifted to costumed children Monday.

“I still don’t understand why people can’t just mind their own business. If people identify as something that’s outside the gender norm — like when people are trans or non-binary or gender fluid — it doesn’t affect you.”

The 13-year-old, who is non-binary, said they asked their mother what the paper from Action4Canada was after reading some of the disturbing material.

On its website, Action4Canada describes itself as “a grassroots movement… uniting (Canadians’) voices in opposition to the destructive policies tearing at the fabric of this nation.” The group claims it is committed to protecting faith, family and freedom.

Randi Dueck said her three children, including Rhowyn, and three other youth they ventured out with Oct. 31 — all of whom are between the ages of 10 and 13 — received a two-sided paper that condemns the use of “SOGI 123.”

The SOGI 123 resource promotes inclusive signage, word choices and extracurricular opportunities for LGBTTQ+ students in schools.

Dueck said she reported the situation to Rhowyn’s principal and the police, but was told by a representative for the latter the distributor is within their rights to share their opinion.

“I’m still very angry that this can happen and it’s OK,” she said, adding the handout is hateful propaganda as far as she is concerned.