Canadians flood "1 Million March" hashtags with support for LGBTQ rights
Protests for and against LGBTQ2S+ rights erupted across Canada on Wednesday.
A group called “1 Million March 4 Children” announced it would be marching today to protect children from “indoctrination and sexualization” in schools.
Its site says it advocates for the “elimination of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools.”
LGBTQ2S+ advocates have condemned this rally, calling it “an anti-LGBTQ2 hate campaign in disguise.” Even politicians have deemed the protest as “designed to divide people.”
While many showed up in support of the 1 Million March 4 Children, LGBTQ2S+ supporters also showed up in full force to counter-protest across the country.
In #Halifax a huge rally countering hate and conspiracy theories outnumbers #1MillionMarch4Chidren this morning. Encouraging. #1MillionMarch4Children pic.twitter.com/C5dwXVafbh
— Jörg Michel 🇨🇦 (@MichelJoerg) September 20, 2023
Big crowds marched up to the Hill to protest against the attacks on trans persons. I’m committed to standing up for the human rights of all persons. #TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/BY3mbagoXI
— Artur Wilczynski (@Arturmaks) September 20, 2023
The fight wasn’t only in person but also online.
The hashtags #1MillionMarch4Chi[l]dren and #LeaveOurKidsAlone have been trending on X (formerly Twitter) all morning.
While these hashtags’ purpose is mainly for those who agree with the 1 Million March, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and their allies have flooded them with messages of disapproval.
“You’re not marching for children. You’re marching for yourselves,” posted one person. “If it was about children, you’d be listening, learning, educating yourselves and finding solutions to concerns both real and imagined.”
You’re not marching for children. You’re marching for yourselves.
If it was about children you’d be listening, learning, educating yourselves and finding solutions to concerns both real and imagined.
But this isn’t about that. It never was.#1MillionMarch4Chidren— Luke Fevin (@According2Luke) September 20, 2023
“Just because you’re a bigot doesn’t mean you get to raise the next generation as such,” added another.
HRT saves lives, not transphobia. To the #LeaveOurKidsAlone crowd, you’re the ones who need to leave kids alone. Just because you’re a bigot doesn’t mean you get to raise the next generation as such. #TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/jO9KUJeSCN
— Dexter Miller but Your Dad Calls Me Dex (@AboutTwoCats) September 18, 2023
Even beloved MuchMusic sock pocket, Ed the Sock, chimed in.
“You want to wall your kid off from the modern world to indoctrinate them with your archaic prejudices,” he said. “And if you weren’t sh**ty parents, you wouldn’t need the school to tell you if your kid is gay or identifies as trans.”
Dear #LeaveOurKidsAlone parents – you are shitty parents. You want to wall your kid off from the modern world to indoctrinate them w/your archaic prejudices. And if you weren’t shitty parents you wouldn’t need the school to tell you if your kid is gay or identifies as trans.
— Ed the Sock (@EdtheSock) September 19, 2023
One person pointed out how the top-trending 1 Million March hashtag is spelled wrong.
“If you are participating in this ignorant, hateful #1MillionMarch4Chidren today, I hope the very schools you are protesting against take time out of their day to let you know that you spelled your hashtag wrong, dipsh**s,” reads the post.
If you are participating in this ignorant, hateful #1MillionMarch4Chidren today, I hope the very schools you are protesting against take time out of their day to let you know that you spelled your hashtag wrong, dipshits pic.twitter.com/kpklVYTnah
— Clare Blackwood (@clareblackwood) September 20, 2023
Canadians United Against Hate founder Fareed Khan said on Tuesday that the rally is also the latest effort by “right-wing extremists,” including those involved in the “Freedom Convoy” protests.
Under the supporters page on the 1 Million March 4 Children’s site, you can see groups affiliated with the so-called Freedom Convoy and anti-mask groups.
The 1 Million March 4 Children has not responded to Daily Hive’s request for comment.
The group does have a statement of inclusion on its site that claims it has the “full support” of LGBTQ2S+ activists and organizations.
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