Teaching Kids Hate Has No Place Here

"Mama, can you draw rainbows with me?"

I didn't expect to weep after hearing my son utter these words, but it happened to be on the eve of a mass anti-2SLGBTQIA+ protest across Canada. He didn't know such an event was happening, but he told me lots of people wearing rainbows at school that day. So we talked about it.

My son is almost 5 years old, but has long understood that rainbows are a symbol of love and acceptance. He recognizes that some families look different than our own, and knows what it means to be trans or non-binary. He also knows it's wrong to be mean to someone just because they're different.

These things weren't difficult for him to learn, and it certainly wasn't hard for me to teach them to him. I'm not trying to boast about what a great parent I am (hell, I'm winging this whole mom gig 90% of the time). This isn't indoctrination either. I'm simply a parent who's just trying their best to raise a decent human being.

Far right groups are growing larger each day in Canada, and it's terrifying. It certainly doesn't help that certain political leaders are pandering to them with dog whistle language to push anti-LGBTQIA2 policies. These are adults that cling to misinformation and claim the basic human rights of others are infringing on their 'freedoms'.

They are breeding hate within our communities, and as a parent I will not stand for it.

As much as I want my child to be inclusive and respectful of others, I also want him to have queer friends to grow old with. I want trans and gender diverse youth to have a fighting chance at life, and right now they are in danger. If you're raising children, no matter their age, I implore you to include them in this conversation. Show them how to stand up for their peers, and denounce hate that they will encounter.

If an almost 5-year-old can easily learn to be loving, kind and accepting of others, you have no excuse.
Hate has no place here, and I promise my son will be one of the first to remind you of this.