Canadian LGBTQ+ groups met with a member of Alberta’s legislature last week who described trans kids as feces.
The meeting did not go well.
Related:
Parent banned from their kid’s soccer games after protesting a trans player
The parents wore pink ‘XX’ wristbands in protest of the trans girl’s participation.
Alberta representative Jennifer Johnson had likened transgender students in Alberta’s schools to a “teaspoon of poop” in cookies to describe their effect on the school system’s overall performance.
Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox
Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world.
“It does not matter that we’re in the top three percent of the world. Who cares if they got 89 percent in Chemistry 30? Who cares that they’re entering post-secondary — if they’re chemically castrated?” Johnson said of trans students in an audio recording that surfaced last year during her election campaign.
She went on to say that the presence of trans kids in Alberta schools was the equivalent of mixing feces into a batch of cookies.
“‘Enjoy them, I only put a teaspoon of poop in them, but it doesn’t matter because it’s only a teaspoon in the whole batch,’” she can be heard saying.
“Same idea — we can be top three percent, but that little bit of poop is what wrecks it.”
Johnson was running for her seat with Canada’s United Conservative Party, and despite the damaging revelation, was elected.
Days before the vote, however, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith barred Johnson from caucusing with conservatives, saying she needed to educate herself on trans issues.
Despite the condemnation, Smith is shepherding policies through Alberta’s legislature that would require parental consent for pronoun changes in schools and ban transgender athletes from female sports. Smith has said Johnson could be readmitted to the caucus after those measures pass in the fall.
Johnson currently sits as an Independent but is now on an apology tour trying to get back in Smith and UCP’s good graces. That includes ingratiating herself with the LGBTQ+ constituents she offended.
Last week, Johnson met with a collection of five LGBTQ+ groups, but the face-to-face ended with reps walking out on her, the Winnipeg Free Press reported.
A clip of the meeting shared online revealed a tense exchange between Johnson and Victoria Bucholtz with the group Queer Citizens United. Bucholtz pressed Johnson on whether she believes transgender women are women.
“I’ve never been asked that before,” Johnson answered.
“Will you say that on the record right now?” Bucholtz asked.
“No, I want to have some time to think on that,” Johnson replied.
Bucholtz told Johnson it was clear that she wasn’t ready for the conversation. Bucholtz added she wouldn’t be part of Johnson’s effort at “pinkwashing” her relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.
“Can we disagree and still respect each other?” Johnson asked.
“No,” Bucholtz answered before leaving the meeting. “Goodbye.”
In a joint statement after the meeting, all five groups condemned Johnson’s insincere outreach.
“We do not have confidence that she would defend queer Albertans’ rights in this provincial government,” the statement said.
“Queer rights are human rights, and they are not up for debate.”
Jonathan Luscombe of the Lacombe Pride Society said the exchange revealed the LGBTQ+ community at a breaking point in their effort to educate Johnson.
“If you cannot acknowledge all of us, you’re not going to stand up for all of us,” said Luscombe. “We have done all that we can to show her that she has to step up.”
Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.
Don't forget to share: