Around 50 activists gathered outside the Minneapolis Public Schools headquarters Thursday where a “gender resource fair” was held for “families and their gender-creative young ones.”
Former Minneapolis City Council Member Phillipe Cunningham, who is transgender, organized a “dance party” to “celebrate trans and nonbinary Minneapolis youth.”
“The upcoming Minneapolis Public Schools Gender Resource Fair was shared on ‘Libs of TikTok,’ which is an anti-LGBTQIA hate platform. We want to protect kids and their families who attend from any hate that might show up,” a Facebook event page said.
CALLING ALL LGBTQIA FOLKS AND ALLIES! This Thurs, April 13th 3:45-6:45pm, join our community dance party to PROTECT + CELEBRATE OUR TRANS YOUTH! We're surrounding families with love and joy at MPS's Gender Resource Fair! Pre-registering appreciated! https://t.co/gSG5if7UAy pic.twitter.com/Tx3MFuQ0jB
— Phillipe (fil-LEAP) (@CunninghamMPLS) April 8, 2023
Two activist groups helped organize the rally to protect people from “hate,” Outfront MN and Transforming Families. The event posting explained that security for the rally would be provided by Sequeerity, which is a “Minneapolis based security team that is owned and operated by queer, and poc womxn.”
An event registration form asked volunteers to use blankets to shield attendees “from hateful language and symbols” and encouraged “those trained in community defense” to attend.
The gender resource fair featured speaker Dr. Angela Kade Goepford from Children’s Minnesota. Goepferd is the director of the “gender health” program, which gives puberty blockers, hormones, and menstrual suppression drugs to kids. Posters advertising the fair also said there would be a drag queen story hour for kids.
The activists gathered on the sidewalk in front of the building, cheering, waving, and playing music. They held signs saying things like “Trans youth belong” and “We love trans kids.”
Several people were wearing the infamous “Protect trans kids” shirt that Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan wore during a bill signing.
The event organizers changed the location of the event from Loring Elementary School to the school headquarters following a negative response from the public.
“We weren’t going to take a chance with these kids,” Ian McGriff, who works with Minneapolis Public Schools Out4Good program, told the Star Tribune.
No protesters showed up at the school headquarters while the gender resource fair was taking place.
Concerned citizens protesting the event gathered to pray outside Loring Elementary School on Thursday morning, organized by Minnesota Family Council.
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
