Duelling protests held in Edmonton over sexual orientation and gender identity policies in schools – Edmonton [Video]

A protest, and subsequent counterprotest, was held in west Edmonton on Friday surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity policies in schools.

The original protest was organized by Benita Pedersen with 1 Million March 4 Children, a group that says it is against SOGI 1 2 3, an initiative the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) says is aimed at helping educators make schools safe and inclusive for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

“This is about healthy boundaries for children. It’s about, when do you expose a child to mature concepts?” Pedersen said.

“We think mature concepts should be shared with individuals when they are old enough to handle it. If you share mature concepts with a child that’s too small, that’s indoctrination and that’s unacceptable.”

Pedersen said the group is “standing up for parental rights.”

“When I review aspects of the Alberta curriculum, I actually don’t have that …