Rally stands up for LGBTQ+ community

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This article was published 07/03/2023 (1115 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A small yet dedicated group of area residents gathered on the Brandon University campus Monday evening to draw attention to a slew of new legislation surfacing in the United States that target the LGBTQ+ community.

In the shadow of the Knowles-Douglas Student Union Centre, the 30 or so rally attendees listened to speakers address the bills, which seek to ban public drag shows, gender studies programs in post-secondary schools and gender-affirming care for transgender individuals.

As of mid-February, the advocacy group Human Right Campaign was reportedly tracking 340 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the United States, 150 of which would specifically restrict the rights of transgender individuals.

BU gender and women’s studies student Mandy Swidersky organized the event, telling attendees the rally was inspired by a proposed Florida bill (HB 999) that would ban her field of study from public colleges and universities, alongside topics related to intersectionality and critical race theory.

“These programs are essential because they open up the dialogue surrounding topics such as gender fluidity, racism, ableism and so much more,” Swidersky said.

“These programs allow students to ask the questions they have never felt comfortable enough to ask and actually learn the answers.”

Equally passionate was local high school teacher Ryan Flannery, who’s been performing under his drag queen persona “Flora Hex” for more than half a decade.

In his speech, Flannery alluded to recent pieces of legislation like one passed in Tennessee last week, which prohibits “male or female impersonators” from performing in most public spaces, deeming such activity as being “harmful to minors.”

However, Flannery said he believes this kind of gender expression is vital to the mental and physical well-being of queer people like himself, which is why these recent drag bans are so concerning.

“It’s a terrifying thing to put yourself in a situation which blatantly challenges your existence, potentially opening wounds that to some of us may never heal,” Flannery said.

“As queer people, we have been conditioned to exist in quietness. To tone down who we are and to hide. But I gave up hiding a long time ago.”

The rally’s final speaker was BU alumna Leila Praznik, a transgender woman who receives gender-affirming care.

Praznik ingests small amounts of estradiol and cyproterone acetate every day as a part of her hormone replacement therapy, with the latter substance serving as a progestogen and testosterone blocker.

Praznik dramatically swallowed these pills at the tail end of her speech Monday, noting that a proposed bill in Oklahoma (the Millstone Act) would make it a felony for those under 26 to access lifesaving gender-affirming care.

“Make no mistake, these politicians and their supporters want us gone,” she said.

“They’d rather see their own child dead than happy as a gender other than the one assigned to them at birth. But we’re not going anywhere.”

Monday’s rally attracted at least one counter-protester, who interrupted Praznik’s speech holding a sign that appeared to contain quotes from the Bible and children’s author C.S. Lewis.

Praznik, however, powered through her prepared remarks over a speaker system as the counter-protester, who claimed to be a transgender veteran, eventually stormed away from the rally.

Monday’s event also featured words from BU president David Docherty, who reaffirmed his commitment to making the university a safe, welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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