Vancouver Pride Society says Liberals risk losing parade status if action not taken against Throness
Posted July 16, 2020 11:27 pm.
Last Updated July 16, 2020 11:28 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The Vancouver Pride Society says it will revoke permission of the BC Liberals to participate in the annual parade unless the party takes action against an MLA who continues to advertise in a magazine condemned for supporting homophobic and transphobic ideologies.
The publication is called The Light, and the magazine’s website says it is a free Christian lifestyle magazine that focuses on everyday issues while connecting Christians to local and global communities “featuring stories and testimonies presenting the gospel at work.”
The party’s decision to pay for ads in that publication has come under fire with leader Andrew Wilkinson saying the Liberals do not tolerate homophobia or transphobia, and promising future advertising decisions will reflect those values.
However, MLA Laurie Throness continues to advertise.
“This publication has published articles elevating anti-trans and pro-conversion therapy rhetoric targeting LGBQAI2S+ people. These views put LGBTQAI2S+ British Columbians in danger, and have deleterious effects on their health and well-being,” reads a statement on the website.
if there's no room for homophobia and transphobia in your party @Wilkinson4BC you need to act. Action means more than words. Start with your MLA who believes there's space for anti LGBTQ conversion therapy. pic.twitter.com/8doKTcOIPG
— Spencer Chandra Herbert (@SChandraHerbert) July 15, 2020
Because of this, the Pride Society says the party no longer meets the criteria to participate in the parade, which is going virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19.
“Vancouver Pride Society has a parade entrant matrix, which all entrants to the parade and ancillary events are scored against. These recent events have led us to re-score the application and find that the BC Liberal Party no longer meets the minimum requirement for participation,” says a statement on the society’s website.
“Vancouver Pride has requested that MLA Throness be sanctioned and that action minimally include removal from their role as Child Care Critic but ideally, expulsion from caucus. We encourage the BC Liberal Party to take the necessary action to make it clear to all that their organization does not tolerate homophobia and transphobia.”
