Organizers of an 鈥渁ll-bodies鈥� swim at a Langley City pool that was billed as 鈥渇or LGBTQ2S+ youth and their allies鈥� have called it off after it drew flak on social media for excluding parents and guardians.
Critics also blasted a circulated 鈥渟wim dress鈥� code for the event, open to 鈥測outh ages 12 - 24鈥濃�漷hat said 鈥渁nything below the waist must be covered鈥� saying it allowed topless swimming.
LGBTQ+ All-bodies swim in Langley BC is an upcoming pool party on July 10th, put on by adults where only children are allowed to enter. The flier says that kids can be topless and strictly prohibits legal adult guardians from entering....
鈥� Sharika Soal 馃嚭馃嚫 (@SharikaSoal84)
Let's get the party cancelled 馃槂
The following statement was posted online:
鈥淒ue to community response, we feel that we can no longer offer a safe and comfortable environment for the youth that wished to attend the Youth All-Bodies Swim; and therefore, we will be postponing the event.
This event was organized and supported by the City of Langley, the Langley Local Action Team and Encompass Support Services Society as a safe, non-judgmental and inclusive activity for youth.
We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming, positive support for the Youth All-Bodies Swim.
We are hopeful that we will be able to host this event in the near future.鈥�
Langley City Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Francis Cheung said because the Supreme Court has declared laws against topless swimming to be unconstitutional, the City is not in a position to impose a ban.
Because it was organized by Encompass, a group the City has worked with before, it gave them a break by allowing the pool to be rented on per-swimmer fee basis rather than the usual flat rate, Cheung advised.
It was the decision of the organizers to call off the event, Cheung added.
鈥淥ur part was to book the event,鈥� Cheung said.
Going topless has been legal in B.C. since 2000, when that outlawed exposed female nipples.
鈥淚 do not find in the evidence support for the view that the parks could not operate in orderly fashion if a female were to bare her breasts in a circumstance that did not offend criminal laws of nudity,鈥� B.C. Supreme Court Justice R.R. Holmes declared.
Heat was also apparently directed at the other Langley, the Township, which took to Twitter to advise that 鈥渘o, this is not an @LangleyTownship event and not held at one of our municipal pools.鈥�
Other B.C. communities have hosted similar events in the past.
According to one online account, the first official All Bodies Swim was organized in 2010 during a transgender forum in Vancouver.
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In Surrey, the first-ever 鈥渁ll-bodied鈥� swim was held at Newton Wave Pool last October, organized by Youth for a Change and city staff. The private event鈥檚 tagline was 鈥淎ll Genders, All Sexualities, No Judgment.鈥�
Surrey鈥檚 manager of parks, recreation and culture Laurie Cavan told Black Press Media the event was for youth ages 15 to 21 and featured accessible, gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms. Two more 鈥淵outh All-Bodies Pool Party鈥� events are planned in 2019, however the dates are not yet finalized.
Christine McCracken, executive director of programs at Encompass, stressed the Langley event has been postponed, not cancelled.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just following suit and modelling after the other, successful events,鈥� McCracken stated.
McCracken observed that while there has been criticism, much of it 鈥渨ay off course鈥� on social media, there has also been 鈥渁 lot of support鈥� expressed online.
鈥淥ur intent was never to have a clothing-optional event, our intent was to provide an inclusive and safe, non-judgmental space for youth,鈥� McCracken said.
Kim Hilton, Langley City Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services said the proposal by Encompass met the City goals of encouraging people to be healthy and active.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to be accessible and inclusive to all,鈥� Hilton observed, adding the municipality and Encompass have worked together on many joint initiatives over the years.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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