Billboard in West Kelowna stirring controversy

A new billboard in West Kelowna wants to prevent kids from learning too much about gender identity, sexual orientations, and race relations at school. 

“What are your kids really learning in school?” the billboard asks, with a cartoon of an angry-looking, purple-haired, masked woman who’s in front of a Pride flag. Underneath is a web address for the organization GetAwake.

On the GetAwake website is an article with a photo of the billboard. The article challenges the ways in which hate and discrimination is being taught in schools – it argues that the concept is packaged in a wholesome and lovingly way, but in reality it’s promoting “extreme political ideologies like Critical Race Theory, and social justice pushed upon young impressionable children.”

Videos shared on the page are about a de-transitioning trans person, drag queen story time and one titled, “How Woke are our schools?”

The organization also takes a jab at face masks.

Kelowna's Wilbur Turner with Advocacy Canada said the billboard is in violation of two provisions of Advertising Standards Canada’s code – section 1 about accuracy and clarity, and section 2 about disguised techniques.

“This is an attack on empathy, inclusion and diversity as well as on our amazing educators who are to provide classrooms free from discrimination and bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said in a direct message. 

SOGI-123 is described by Get Awake as “extreme gender and political ideologies.”

Turner said it’s actually about preventing children from getting abused.

“Discrimination happens when an identifiable group is singled out and characterized as sexual predators or enablers of pedophilia, and singling out is based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” Turner said.

He considers the image on the billboard to be a dog whistle meant to appeal to people who don’t support the 2SLGBTQ community.

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