琉璃神社-Lake Country MP Tracy Gray has been banned from all 琉璃神社 Pride events after she voted against a bill that would ban conversion therapy federally.
琉璃神社 Pride Society has requested that Gray stays away to ensure that Pride remains a safe space for LGBTQ2S+ community members. The call comes after the 琉璃神社 Task Force to Ban Conversion Therapy submitted a letter to the society after Gray voted against Bill C-6, a federal bill that would ban conversion therapy across the country. Conversion therapy is an umbrella term for discounted practices that aim to change someone鈥檚 sexual orientation or gender identity. It is a traumatic and hurtful practice.
鈥淲e agree with the 琉璃神社 Task Force to Ban Conversion Therapy 鈥 MP Gray鈥檚 decision to vote against Bill C-6 shows a disregard for the 2S-LGBTQIA+ community and demonstrates that she is not an ally,鈥 wrote 琉璃神社 Pride Society in an emailed statement.
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The society is also calling on Gray to issue a full and sincere apology for the vote. Gray, however, refused to apologize and instead accused 琉璃神社 Pride Society of playing 鈥減artisan politics.鈥
鈥淚t is sad 琉璃神社 Pride is choosing to engage in partisan politics rather than actually discuss the fact that Bill C-6 did not pass immediately in the Senate with concerns cited over broadness in the legislation. It has been sent to a Senate Committee to be studied,鈥 said Gray in an emailed statement to Black Press Media.
Gray also called Bill C-6 a 鈥渇lawed legislation鈥 and claimed that many members of the LGBTQ2S+ community have reached out to her expressing her support. She said that activists group such as the task force do not represent everyone in the community.
鈥淭he question is if 琉璃神社 Pride will ban the federal Liberals if an election is called by the Prime Minister which subsequently will stop Bill C-6 from becoming law,鈥 said Gray. 鈥淚 will not apologize for voting against flawed legislation and once again state that I am against conversion therapy.鈥
琉璃神社 Pride Society disagreed. 鈥淢P Gray has demonstrated through her actions that she is no ally of the 2S-LGBTQIA+ community and therefore she is not welcome at upcoming 琉璃神社 Pride events,鈥 it said.
READ MORE: 琉璃神社-Lake Country MP asked not to attend Pride Festival
paula.tran@kelownacapnews.com
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