VANCOUVER—A University of British Columbia event was temporarily disrupted Sunday night as protesters entered a lecture hall and were led out of the building by police before being temporarily detained.

Tensions had been growing in the days ahead of the talk by Jenn Smith, an anti-SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) activist. Lessons on SOGI are integrated into B.C.’s curriculum, and Smith opposes teaching kids about sexual orientation and gender identity at schools. Proponents argue the lessons aim to reduce bullying and create inclusive environments for all kids.

Smith is a 54-year-old transgender identified man who dresses like a woman and uses he/him pronouns. The talk at UBC, which some staff and students had loudly denounced, was in collaboration with the Canadian Christian Lobby. During the presentation titled The Erosion of Freedom, Smith argued transgender women are not women because they are “biologically” men. Promotional materials in advance of the event said it was mean to examine “how transgender politics in school and society is undermining our freedom and harming women and children.”

According to Canadian law, the sex a person is assigned at birth does not determine their gender identity and people are protected against discrimination based on that gender identity.

Smith spoke to an audience of about 70 people, showing photos of Morgane Oger, a prominent trans woman who has advocated in support of LGBTQ rights in B.C. for several years and saying that Oger is a man and not a woman. Smith referred to Oger using “he” pronouns.

At the rally outside, about 30 people held signs with messages of support for trans and LGBTQ people, waved the rainbow and trans flags, blew loud horns and chanted. A few of the protesters entered the building shortly after Smith’s talk began, paying the minium $5 donation to get into the venue. Outside, as people who wanted to hear the lecture tried to enter the venue, some protesters attempted to block them, shouting “shame, shame.”

Brad Dirks, a member of B.C. Families for Inclusivity, which organized the rally, said he was disappointed in UBC for allowing the talk to continue. He had expected it to be cancelled like previous talks by Smith planned at Douglas College and Trinity Western University.

“Trans rights are not up for debate,” Dirks said. “The university should stand up for trans people, rather than to allow this stuff to take place.”

The small group of protesters who entered the lecture room chanted loudly at the front of the room, disrupting Smith’s presentation. Security was called and a couple of police officers entered the room and asked the protesters to leave.

Shortly after, the fire alarm went off, and security asked everyone to leave. Within about 15 minutes, Smith’s talk continued.

Ahead of the presentation, a student advocacy group, a transgender professor and an organization representing thousands of staff members called on the University of British Columbia to cancel Smith’s talk.

Mary Ann Saunders, a research and writing lecturer at UBC who is a trans woman, told Star Vancouver she was deeply troubled by the administration allowing Smith to speak on campus.

Smith’s views outside of the norms of acceptable discourse on trans matters, Saunders said.

“His appearance on campus, I can’t experience it as anything other than a betrayal, particularly given the university’s stated emphasis on and valuing of principles of diversity and inclusion,” Saunders said. “It doesn’t seem as though the university actually values the most vulnerable students and faculty and staff.”

Smith thinks teaching kids about gender diversity and the idea that a person can transition is “patently absurd,” as it will only confuse and upset them. Ahead of the presentation, he told Star Vancouver he is not Christian but does support “parental rights” for those with Christian views.

“Parental rights would be (an idea held by) Christians who believe God created a man and a woman and they don’t want you going to their kids telling them that boys can be girls,” Smith said.

He also rejected the idea that his lectures harm trans people and said he does not engage in hate speech.

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“I am transgender and I do not promote hatred of myself or transgender people in general. The charge is absurd, offensive and dangerous to my person,” Smith said.

In 2002 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the public education system has a right to teach tolerance and LGBTQ-inclusive curriculums.

Under provincial policies, schools must educate kids on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Ministry of Education even commissioned a special resource guide, SOGI 123, to help teach this curriculum.

UBC declined multiple interview requests. In a statement, the university said it supports trans and non-binary students through its research and campus resources, but its support “can be regarded in balance with the institution’s commitment to freedom of expression.”

The administration said Smith’s talk is not sponsored by the university and his use of its lecture hall came through a private booking.

On Wednesday, an organization representing nearly 5,000 UBC staff members sent a letter to the school’s president asking him to cancel Smith’s event. In the letter, the Association of Administrative and Professional Staff at UBC (AAPS) accuses the school of allowing “anti-transgender hate speech” in its facilities.

“We are disappointed that the university would characterize the spreading of hate speech against transgender individuals as a matter of free speech,” it reads.

In response, UBC’s statement says hate speech is governed by the Criminal Code of Canada and anyone concerned that Smith is engaged hate speech should contact the RCMP. In a followup letter, the AAPS argued that “if the university is aware of potential criminal activity on campus, it has an obligation to curtail that activity in advance of a crime being committed.”

At a talk on May 2 in Oak Bay on Vancouver Island, members of the Soldiers of Odin — a far-right organization classified as a hate group by the non-profit Canadian Anti-Hate Network — showed up and acted as his bodyguards. The talk was cut short by protesters who disrupted the event and police were called.

Smith told Star Vancouver he did not invite the Soldiers of Odin but accepted their offer to accompany him to the front door as he was afraid of entering the building on his own among the throngs of people who showed up to protest his talk and voice support for LGBTQ youth and SOGI teachings. Members of the Soldiers of Odin then stood guard at the front doors during the talk.

Correction: This story has been changed from a previous version that identified Jenn Smith as a trans woman. In fact, Smith is a transgender identified man who dresses like a woman and uses he/him gender pronouns.

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