He gained prominence after he teamed up with another group to buy billboards supporting “gender critical” author J.K. “This is hate speech that causes harm.”Īlthough the forum’s title – “What Kids Learn About Gender in School" – sounds innocuous, the keynote speaker is Chris Elston, who calls himself Billboard Chris.Įlston has traveled across Canada waging a one-man crusade against changing teenagers' gender identity and teaching about it in school. “Their argument is trans people don’t exist,” Becker said. She said the library is giving the air of legitimacy to a hate group. “Their goal is to stir things up, to promulgate transphobic beliefs.” “The people who are speaking are anti-transgender activists,” said Wendy Becker, a leader of LGBTQ Action Rhode Island. “We deeply understand the concerns of all of the community who have reached out.” “There has been an outcry from the community,” he said. Much as he disagrees with the views of the forum, library director Ed Garcia said the library has a long-standing practice of allowing outside groups to hold private meetings, a position supported by the American Library Association and case law.Īsked whether the library was tacitly endorsing hate speech, Garcia said the law isn’t clear on what constitutes hate speech. The library was closed to the public Monday night and there was a sizable police presence outside the building. The Cranston Public Library has tried to stay away from the controversy, part of a national conservative movement to curb the acceptance of transgender students’ rights in schools.
“How are transgender people supposed to feel safe in this library before, during and after this event?” “We would like the Cranston Public Library to explain how they are providing a safe and inclusive space for all visitors including trans young people while hosting a speaker who proclaims that transgender kids do not exist,” said Jaye Watts, an advocate in the transgender community, in a letter signed by Youth Pride and the Democratic Women’s Caucus, among others. 'Gender Queer': Westerly is the latest school district embroiled in a debate over the memoir Library's role in forum questioned South Kingstown: Unions to block release of records that could lead to 'teacher harassment' in race debateĬritical race theory: South Kingstown School Committee will not pursue lawsuit over records requests She could not be reached for comment Monday. Solas, a South Kingstown parent, wanted to know if critical race theory was being taught in the classroom. One of the speakers was Nicole Solas, who made national news last summer after she filed 200 public-record requests with the South Kingstown School Committee. Calling it “hate speech,” activists had earlier asked the William Hall Library to cancel the event, sponsored by the Independent Women’s Network, a right-wing organization that national news media have characterized as anti-feminist.
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