'Deliberate act of disrespect': Pflag criticizes Poilievre for gender comments

Pflag York Region has launched a letter-writing campaign calling out federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre over his comments about not recognizing non-binary people.

The LGBTQ+ advocacy organization is criticizing Poilievre who was asked in an interview what his thoughts were on the new U.S. federal government policy only recognizing two genders. Asked to name other genders, Poilievre said, “I’m aware of two.”

Pflag put out a statement criticizing the statement, noting the existence of several non-gender binary identities.

“With his answer and wording, Pierre Poilievre can easily claim ignorance, but a 20-year career in politics and the experiences that come with it should say otherwise and we as a public and as allies of the community should expect that of him,” Pflag York Region president Tristan Coolman said. “It was a deliberate way of communicating with his Conservative base and a deliberate act of disrespect.”

Pflag identified several non-binary identities, including genderfluid, genderqueer, two-spirit, agender, agender and intersex.

The organization is asking its supporter to write letters to Poilievre to make their displeasure at his comments known.

The letters are also phrased to educate and identify gender identities beyond just male and female.

“I am making myself part of your queer learning journey by helping you expand your vocabulary of gender identities and how you can support individuals (like) me,” one form email said. “I hope you keep this lesson in mind as a very influential elected official, and as someone who may be our next Prime Minister.”

The letters are meant to be a bit “tongue-in-cheek,” Pflag said.

“We know his vocabulary is much stronger than that. But since he claimed ignorance, we're encouraging our community to provide Mr. Poilievre and his deputy Melissa Lantsman, an MIA member of our community, a little lesson in queer vocabulary,” Coolman said. “Language matters. Feigning ignorance on a serious topic is behaviour reserved for children and not someone seeking the top job in Canada.”

Poilievre's statement is harmful, Coolman said.

"This form (of) harm is repeated most commonly by individuals choosing to engage in a culture war with the LGBTQ2IA+ community and its allies."