Chilliwack elects first transgender man to school board, ‘sense of relief’ for local community

Voters in Chilliwack made history Saturday, with one new member of the school board believed to be the first openly transgender man elected into public office in Canada.

Teri Westerby will be one of seven trustees to serve in the Chilliwack School District for the next four years.

“I think about the people that fought so hard to get us here, to get me here specifically, all those people that have fought for our rights for gay marriage for transitioning rights, and they’re the reason why I’m here today,” Westerby told CityNews.

“It makes me really think about what that means for the future of where we’re going to go for equality, where we’re going to go for inclusion, and making sure everybody belongs.”

Teri Westerby was elected as one of seven Chilliwack school trustees. He is believed to be the first openly transgender man elected into public office in Canada. (Courtesy: Chilliwack Pride Society)

Westerby faced some adversity during his campaign, with his and fellow candidates’ signs defaced with graffiti.

But with all the votes now counted, five of the seven school board candidates elected in Chilliwack have progressive views on issues like SOGI 123 education.

“I think it sends a very loud signal that we’re ready to embrace the diversity and the what it means to be Canadian,” Westerby said. “And that Chilliwack is ready to move forward and that we’re ready to do it together in a unified way, and collaborate on making things better for everybody.”

Westerby election gives ‘sense of relief’ for Chilliwack 2SLGBTQ+ community

While Saturday’s result was historic for Westerby, it also held significance for Chilliwack’s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Mallory Tomlinson, a director with Chilliwack Pride, has two children attending school in the district. One of them is transgender.

“It shows the students in Chilliwack that anything’s possible and that they’re going to be accepted, that there’s diversity and representation on the board now,” she told CityNews of Westerby’s election.

Teri Westerby and Mallory Tomlinson. (Courtesy: Chilliwack Pride Society)

Chilliwack Pride was only established in 2019, with Tomlinson saying it was the local transgender community speaking out against comments made by previous board members that led to its inception.

“Five years ago, when Barry Neufeld first spoke out about his feelings, it did not feel that way. As a parent of a trans child, it felt really defeating and we almost left this community because of the hatred. So, today, I woke up and it’s a whole new feeling, a big sense of relief,” Tomlinson said.

Neufeld had been at the centre of controversy during his term as board trustee for his public comments about teaching SOGI 123. Earlier in the year, a BC Supreme Court petition to remove him from the board failed.

He was not re-elected as school trustee in the 2022 election.

“It’s been tough as a parent having to attend board meetings and having to fight for kids that should just be able to go to school,” Tomlinson said.

Related stories: 

• Chilliwack election: Ken Popove re-elected mayor, Barry Neufeld out as school trustee

• Chilliwack school trustee candidate’s sign vandalized

• Chilliwack school board candidate plans to sue Barry Neufeld over ‘striptease artist’ comment

Following Westerby’s win, Tomlinson hopes to see more members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community get elected to public office.

“I think that these people moving up into positions of power has become really natural,” she said.

“No one knows our lives better than people with lived experience,” Westerby added. “So this is just a small step in the right direction for making sure that everyone with lived experience has their own voice heard.”

Westerby will serve on the school board alongside Carin Bondar, Willow Reichelt, David Swankey, Margaret Reid, Teri Westerby, Heather Maahs, and Richard Procee.

With files from Hana Mae Nassar and Martin MacMahon.