, which claims to represent 55,000 people in B.C., Alberta){kind=link}
Muslims protested against gender identity education in schools across Canada because they thought it was dangerous for young people from Muslim backgrounds and the present political context.
Canadian Muslims speak against LGBTQ: The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), which claims to represent 55,000 people in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, issued a statement online last week asking Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, school boards, and unions to apologise for labelling thousands of peaceful parent protests as hateful.
Numerous religious organisations joined hundreds of Muslims in a rally on September 20th to voice their concerns and demand parental rights regarding the education of their children. They objected to the prior statements made by Canadian officials and school boards because they raised the possibility that Muslim students would experience more bullying and harassment in the classroom from peers and teachers.
Numerous people commented on the message on social media. Scott Moe, the premier of Saskatchewan, agreed with it, as did Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party.
On the other hand, MAC claimed that “it wants schools to acknowledge religious rights and believes that mandated celebration or affirmation of LGBTQ, including direct or indirect impositions to participate in ‘Pride’ events and activities, constitutes an infringement on legal rights of Muslims.”
When asked to give an interview to CBC, MAC rejected, stating that they “will not be making any more comments at this time.” When asked on Thursday if he would withdraw his remarks in light of the MAC’s calls, Trudeau responded that he would always speak out against intolerance. Additionally, he said, “I never suggested that someone who is concerned about parental rights is somehow filled with hate and intolerance.”
While MAC cautioned that Muslim parents’ opposition to LGBTQ education puts their children at risk of bullying, several queer Muslims and allies warn that Muslim support for the “parental rights” movement harms queer Muslims by ignoring their existence and pushing for students to have option to skip LGBTQ curriculum.
“Promoting LGBTQ Inclusion in Education: Addressing Homelessness and Suicide Rates”
Although province-specific curricula on sexual orientation and gender identity differ, they are generally based on data revealing that LGBTQ students have greater rates of homelessness and suicide. Following the demonstrations, some school boards released statements endorsing LGBTQ students.
The Toronto District School Board released a statement on September 19, stating, “In our schools, we welcome students as they are and do not tell them who they should be.” In accordance with the Ontario curriculum and the Ontario Human Rights Code, “we achieve this by focusing on their academic learning and fostering feelings of belonging.” Since years, there have been rumblings about gender identity and LGBTQ inclusion in schools.