“There are Muslim, white, and Asian students in the crowd. There are students from every ethnicity. This is not an ethnic or a religious protest, this is a protest for the students who just ... want to not be indoctrinated. We just want to have our beliefs that differ from other people,” said A.T., one of the organizers of the walkout.
Sammy, a Muslim student who helped organize the event, explained that the protest was not against LGBTQ students themselves, but was focused on the school’s administration promoting beliefs and values that go against the teachings of the school’s religious circles.
“There have been a few incidents in which biological males have walked in on [Muslim girls] adjusting their hijabs. So our problem is that they have now pushed it against religious circles and religious minorities,” he said. “We’re here not because we’re against them existing. We’re here because we’re against them forcing their beliefs against us.”
Ali Elwayd, who is also Muslim, said his younger siblings have been punished for pushing back against being taught gender ideology, even though it goes against what they were taught at home. Elwayd said he is concerned that the pushing of gender ideology is leading children to believe that they should identify as LGBTQ.
“They’re kids and they don’t have their own ideas yet. And childhood is like the wax to your adulthood. Whatever builds up on it comes with you. You might have grown up with something, like your traditions and beliefs, and you still have it now,” he said.
Other Protests
The protest came two days after Muslim families led a protest against gender ideology at the headquarters of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and a week after hundreds of protestors and counter-protestors gathered in Ottawa during an event held by “Billboard Chris.”“Student walkouts are one way to share a message, but there are many other ways to respectfully show support for issues that are important for students,” she said.
