When reading the three interviews for school board in the August 26 edition of The Chilliwack Progress, I saw a familiar pattern. The first candidate, Margaret Reid, uses clear language describing how she supports Chilliwack Pride and other worthy organizations. So I know exactly where she stands.
The other two candidates, Elliot Friesen and Kaethe Jones, make no direct mention of supporting or opposing SOGI123 or Chilliwack Pride, so I guess I have to infer that they are against.
But this puzzles me.
Why, if Friesen and Jones are proudly against SOGI123 wouldn’t they clearly proclaim it? Why the evasive language?
I realize there are many other issues to be concerned with by school boards, but unfortunately in Chilliwack, sex education seems uppermost.
So, I thought I would investigate a little more to get to know Friesen and Jones better. I couldn’t find any info on Friesen, but did find something interesting that Jones had put on Facebook. She said, in reference to the Ukraine invasion, that “Putin is the only world leader who at this point is a biblical gatekeeper!!” (Her double !!).
Well, that got my attention.
So back to the SOGI123 issue. What are the people who have set themselves against inclusive sexual education in schools so afraid of? Is it that they literally think that a “straight” person could be convinced to become a member of the LGBTQ+ if they know too many facts of life?
I guess this thinking might spring from the sad idea that you can “reprogram” an LGBTQ+ person and brainwash them into blue and pink; ignoring the fact that your brain is pretty much sexually pre-wired.
Or is it because they are worried that if the child does not conform exactly to pink and blue, they are immoral and they will become bank robbers or drug dealers?
There’s no earthly reason why an LGBTQ2+ person can’t be a truck driver, a teacher, a lawyer or a brain surgeon if they’re cut out for it, just the same as everyone else.
Just raise them safely in a kind, logical society that doesn’t mess them up! SOGI123 tries to help with that.
Pauline Harms
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