The national 1 Million March for Children returned to Surrey on Friday (Sept. 20) 鈥� but with a significantly smaller crowd than last year.
The 2023 event saw about 1,500 people turn out for a march starting at Bear Creek Park; this year, the event attracted only about 50. Last year's event had also seen about 150 counter-protesters, but this year saw no counter-protest since supporters of SOGI had been encouraged to attend a counter-protest in Vancouver.
The annual march is held to protest the educational resource called SOGI 123 (sexual orientation gender identity) that has been implemented across schools in B.C. The tool is aimed at being inclusive towards students who may identify as 2SLGBTQ+ and at combating bullying.
Comprised of parents, children, seniors and other community members from Surrey and other parts of the province, the march began as a demonstration along King George Boulevard and 88 Avenue. The small crowd then made its way down to outside the building of Education Minister Rachna Singh's constituency office.
The entire building was closed with security on grounds to keep members of the public off the property.
"She's our minister, she's our MLA, but when her constituents come to speak to her, they close the office and run away," said Amrit Birring, an organizer of the protest as he took the microphone.
Birring also made some bold claims, with one in particular that 18 students at Sullivan Heights Secondary have chosen to identify as animals.
"Every single day, they behave as if they are animals. ... We need to make those animals humans again, make student animals human again," Birring said to a crowd of about 50 protesters gathered.
"They are brainwashed and indoctrinated."
In a response to a Black Press Media inquiry, Surrey Schools' communications director Rena Heer said there is "zero evidence" to support this claim by Birring.
Schools teach 'respect and compassion': district
One parent present at the protest with her two children was Shandi Nicell, who chose to home-school her children largely due to the implementation of SOGI 123.
Nicell said that she learned about SOGI from other parents which made her not want to put her children in public education. The Surrey mother claimed that sexually explicit books about accessing pornography and oral sex are available to "young children" in schools.
"I could see what was happening and I talked to other parents," Nicell said, adding that she did not take any of her concerns or questions about SOGI to anyone working in the Surrey school district.
Other protesters declined interviews with Black Press Media.
The Surrey school district says the concern over sexually explicit materials in schools is one of the misconceptions about SOGI 123.
"There is no pornographic or explicit content in any curriculum taught in our schools," a district fact sheet says. "SOGI-inclusive education and resources address topics like diverse identities, family diversity, stereotypes, bullying and name-calling."
A school district explainer notes that SOGI is not "a prescribed curriculum or distinct program" and stresses that all topics are introduced in ways appropriate to the age group in question.
For more on what SOGI is, check out and these
A statement from Surrey Schools on Friday stresses that SOGI's focus is on respect.
"All Surrey Schools students learn about respect and compassion, while more complex topics such as discrimination and injustice are explored in a developmentally and in an age-appropriate manner. Educators are equipped with tools to provide facts, foster empathy, and help students understand and respect each other," the statement said.
Concerned parents should contact teachers, principals: district
Annie Ohana, a social justice teacher at L.A. Matheson Secondary, said in an email to Black Press Media that parents with concerns should speak to their children's teachers about them and, if needed, ask for alternative assignments.
"The disinformation and misinformation of these rallies, however, have led to defamation, slander and libel of so many in the teaching profession, quite legitimately putting lives in danger. What we saw last year were lies, dehumanization, vitriol, and hate speech, far beyond any real concerns. As educators we stand strong in our dedication to human rights, and representation in schools," Ohana said.
The Surrey Schools statement reiterated that if parents or guardians have questions or concerns about what is being taught in classrooms, teachers and principals are the ones to contact.
"In accordance with the BC Human Rights Code, Surrey Schools supports a safe environment for all students and staff of any race, colour, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identity," the statement said.
Why SOGI 123 resources matter
Simon Fraser University sociology professor Dr. Travers said that resources like SOGI 123 are vital for trans and queer students.
"They signal to queer and trans children and young people that there's nothing wrong with them, that being queer or trans are normal and healthy variations in sexual and gender identity. And secondly, they communicate to everybody else that there's nothing wrong with queer and trans people, and they work against discriminatory attitudes and behaviours," Travers said.
They noted that Canada has come a long way in the last 50 years in the gains for queer and trans people.
"What we are now seeing is a backlash that is designed to push queer and trans people back out of public life," Travers said. "There are absolutely conservative elements who are anti-LGBT to the core, but most politicians are using anti-SOGI and anti-trans initiatives to get elected."
Travers said the gains that have been made in their lifetime are "mind-blowing."
"It's incredible compared to what it was like when I was a teenager in the 70s, to now that I can live as an openly queer and trans person, that that I am able to live as an openly queer and trans person, that my quality of life is extraordinary, that I expect to be respected and I'm typically treated with respect."
"Queer and trans social movements and all our supporters have done incredible work and now we're seeing the backlash," they said. "So in a lot of ways, we need to understand this backlash being the result of the incredible success that we've had."
