Gender Ideology Tensions in Schools Reach a Boiling Point

Advocates for eliminating sexualization in Canadian schools turned out in droves on Wednesday and met with counter-protesters in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

The 1 Million March 4 Children includes citizens of different faiths and backgrounds galvanizing in cities nationwide as part of the "resolute purpose" to eliminate sexual orientation and gender identity pertaining to educational curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools, per its website.

The group describes itself as "brothers and sisters standing up to free our children from the bondage of indoctrination." It encouraged a code of conduct to which supporters of the movement must adhere, including "to apply the highest ethical standards in all decisions and actions, whether online or in public spaces."

March epicenters were located from coast to coast, in provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon.

March organizer Mahmoud Mourra, who is also the main organizer of 'Leave Our Kids Alone Calgary', called the turnout "amazing" in comments made to Global News Canada. He also said his group is not founded on hate.

"We should leave our kids, and their (the counter-protesters) kids, alone until they are adults and mature enough to determine what they want out of this life," Mourra said. "I cannot press my Islamic ideology into someone's life. I don't want them pressing their ideology into my kid's life."

Newsweek reached out to 1 Million March 4 Children via email for comment.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported the counter-protesters in an online post.

"Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country," Trudeau wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country—you are valid and you are valued."

A spokesperson for Trudeau had no additional comment to Newsweek aside from Trudeau's post.

Large gatherings across every province

The CBC reported Wednesday that more than 1,000 protesters and counter-protesters filled the public square in Kitchener, a city in Ontario. In Guelph, another Ontario-based city, about 500 arrived on the scene and the majority of them were counter-protesters.

The Waterloo Region District School Board, headquartered in Kitchener, issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was privy to the protest's intentions and denounced it on the basis of "upholding human rights."

"We are concerned about the harm it may cause members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ and Muslim communities," the statement read. "Unfortunately, underlying some of the motivations behind these demonstrations are hate and inaccuracies about what is happening in schools.

"We continue to focus on creating inclusive, safe spaces, and ensure the well-being of all students and staff that affirm the lived experiences and identities of students and families, especially those most marginalized."

A similar message was echoed by the Upper Grand District School Board, which includes schools in Guelph and Wellington County. The board told the CBC that it "will not tolerate hate" and supports the rights of individuals to express their gender identities.

Videos of the march have circulated on social media. One clip from the march in Montreal showed a male and female arguing, while another showed a large crowd in Ottawa.

Lines of police officers separated people on both sides of the issue in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, according to CTV News.

"We're not asking people to be converted or change who they are. We're asking people to have the opportunity to show up as they are—that's all," Olivier Hebert, who was outside the New Brunswick legislature, told the media outlet in Fredericton, in support of LGBTQ+ students.

Amr Hanafi, a father of two young boys, said he showed up in Montreal due to worries about his children being exposed to ideas of gender change at a young age.

The turnout in Calgary was reportedly quite large, with one person on scene claiming that supporters of the movement outnumbered counter-protestors "50 to 1" and did so peacefully and without fanfare.

In Ottawa, police reportedly made several arrests—including two for inciting a riot and another for causing a disturbance.

"I respect the right to protest, however the specific targeting of 2SLGBTQIA+ children for being who they are, has no place in our city," Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe wrote on X. "The protests taking place today will only cause harm to youth who are looking for our support and acceptance."