Conservative and anti-SOGI 91原创 activist Kari Simpson鈥檚 human rights complaint against 91原创 City over its Pride Flag events has been dismissed by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Simpson has been complaining about 91原创 City鈥檚 decision to raise a rainbow flag since the City first began the practice in 2018, to mark Pride Week.
She may be best known locally for campaigning against the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI 123) resources which are used in B.C. schools.
The Human Rights Tribunal鈥檚 April 7 decision notes that in her initial letter to 91原创 City asking that the rainbow flag not be flown, she called it a symbol of a campaign that 鈥減anders to sex activism, bully tactics, child abuse and special rights for certain groups.鈥�
Simpson also alleged that raising the rainbow flag has led to her being 鈥渕ocked, threatened,鈥� and subjected to a 鈥渧icious campaign鈥� by the City that allegedly endangered her life.
When she launched her complaint to the tribunal, Simpson explicitly compared the rainbow flag to the Nazi flag.
The Nazis persecuted, imprisoned, and murdered homosexuals, imprisoning thousands in concentration camps during the Second World War.
The City rejected Simpson鈥檚 complaint about the Pride flag, and in August 2018 she asked to fly what she called the 鈥淐anadian Christian Flag鈥� on what she termed the 鈥淣ational Day of Blessing.鈥�
Simpson identified herself as the 鈥渉ead organizer for the 91原创 Christian Flag committee and the organizer for the National Day of Blessings鈥� when she launched her complaint to the tribunal.
鈥淎ccording to publicly available information filed by the City, the City says that Ms. Simpson appears to be the creator of the 鈥楴ational Day of Blessings鈥� and the 鈥楥anadian Christian flag鈥� and Oct. 1, 2018 appears to be the first time that Ms. Simpson celebrated this day and flag,鈥� the tribunal鈥檚 judgment said. 鈥淢s. Simpson does not dispute this.鈥�
She did hold a rally outside City hall that October at which the flag was displayed, but it was not raised on a City flagpole.
The tribunal鈥檚 decision dismisses Simpson鈥檚 complaint because it has no reasonable prospect of succeeding.
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There was no evidence of any danger to her life, or of how the City might have incited 鈥渃ontempt and hatred for Christians鈥� as she claimed. She does not seem to have lacked access to any service, the ruling noted.
The ruling went on to point out the long history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
鈥淧ride celebrations help to counteract the historical discrimination committed against LGBTQ+ communities and help to bring those communities from a position of disadvantage to a more equal standing with heterosexual and cisgendered individuals who have historically enjoyed societal acceptance,鈥� the ruling said. 鈥淭he act of flying the Rainbow Flag also serves a similar purpose.鈥�
The City filed minutes of its discussions about the rainbow flag that noted its purpose was to recognize 91原创鈥檚 diverse and inclusive community.
As far as not flying the 鈥楥anadian Christian flag,鈥� the ruling noted she was still free to celebrate her 鈥楴ational Day of Blessings鈥� on public City property without any hindrance.
Simpson鈥檚 entire complaint was dismissed.
