Organizers of an 乌鸦传媒渁ll-bodies乌鸦传媒� swim at a Langley City pool that was billed as 乌鸦传媒渇or LGBTQ2S+ youth and their allies乌鸦传媒� have called it off after it drew flak on social media for excluding parents and guardians.
Critics also blasted a circulated 乌鸦传媒渟wim dress乌鸦传媒� code for the event, open to 乌鸦传媒測outh ages 12 - 24乌鸦传媒澪谘淮綕that said 乌鸦传媒渁nything below the waist must be covered乌鸦传媒� saying it allowed topless swimming.
LGBTQ+ All-bodies swim in Langley BC is an upcoming pool party on July 10th, put on by adults where only children are allowed to enter. The flier says that kids can be topless and strictly prohibits legal adult guardians from entering....
乌鸦传媒� Sharika Soal 馃嚭馃嚫 (@SharikaSoal84)
Let's get the party cancelled 馃槂
The following statement was posted online:
乌鸦传媒淒ue to community response, we feel that we can no longer offer a safe and comfortable environment for the youth that wished to attend the Youth All-Bodies Swim; and therefore, we will be postponing the event.
This event was organized and supported by the City of Langley, the Langley Local Action Team and Encompass Support Services Society as a safe, non-judgmental and inclusive activity for youth.
We would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation for the overwhelming, positive support for the Youth All-Bodies Swim.
We are hopeful that we will be able to host this event in the near future.乌鸦传媒�
Langley City Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Francis Cheung said because the Supreme Court has declared laws against topless swimming to be unconstitutional, the City is not in a position to impose a ban.
Because it was organized by Encompass, a group the City has worked with before, it gave them a break by allowing the pool to be rented on per-swimmer fee basis rather than the usual flat rate, Cheung advised.
It was the decision of the organizers to call off the event, Cheung added.
乌鸦传媒淥ur part was to book the event,乌鸦传媒� Cheung said.
Going topless has been legal in B.C. since 2000, when that outlawed exposed female nipples.
乌鸦传媒淚 do not find in the evidence support for the view that the parks could not operate in orderly fashion if a female were to bare her breasts in a circumstance that did not offend criminal laws of nudity,乌鸦传媒� B.C. Supreme Court Justice R.R. Holmes declared.
Heat was also apparently directed at the other Langley, the Township, which took to Twitter to advise that 乌鸦传媒渘o, this is not an @LangleyTownship event and not held at one of our municipal pools.乌鸦传媒�
Other B.C. communities have hosted similar events in the past.
According to one online account, the first official All Bodies Swim was organized in 2010 during a transgender forum in Vancouver.
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In Surrey, the first-ever 乌鸦传媒渁ll-bodied乌鸦传媒� swim was held at Newton Wave Pool last October, organized by Youth for a Change and city staff. The private event乌鸦传媒檚 tagline was 乌鸦传媒淎ll Genders, All Sexualities, No Judgment.乌鸦传媒�
Surrey乌鸦传媒檚 manager of parks, recreation and culture Laurie Cavan told Black Press Media the event was for youth ages 15 to 21 and featured accessible, gender-inclusive change rooms and washrooms. Two more 乌鸦传媒淵outh All-Bodies Pool Party乌鸦传媒� events are planned in 2019, however the dates are not yet finalized.
Christine McCracken, executive director of programs at Encompass, stressed the Langley event has been postponed, not cancelled.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e just following suit and modelling after the other, successful events,乌鸦传媒� McCracken stated.
McCracken observed that while there has been criticism, much of it 乌鸦传媒渨ay off course乌鸦传媒� on social media, there has also been 乌鸦传媒渁 lot of support乌鸦传媒� expressed online.
乌鸦传媒淥ur intent was never to have a clothing-optional event, our intent was to provide an inclusive and safe, non-judgmental space for youth,乌鸦传媒� McCracken said.
Kim Hilton, Langley City Director of Recreation, Culture & Community Services said the proposal by Encompass met the City goals of encouraging people to be healthy and active.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e just trying to be accessible and inclusive to all,乌鸦传媒� Hilton observed, adding the municipality and Encompass have worked together on many joint initiatives over the years.
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