Lawyers against Transphobia succeeded in cancelling a private booking of a film scheduled to be played at Vernon’s Cineplex theatre.
The theatre was rented for June 15 by a group called the FreedomNetwork to show “The War on Children.”
The film claims that transgender children are harmed by medical care for their gender dysphoria, even though the care is provided according to well-established guidelines of medical practice.
“We pointed out to Cineplex their legal obligations as a theatre owner,” Kylie Walman, a member of Lawyers against Transphobia and a well-known Vernon lawyer, said. “And we pointed out that to permit the film to run would be contrary to the values of inclusion that Cineplex supports, and would be particularly bad press for Cineplex in Pride Month.”
In a statement to Global News, a Cineplex representative supported that view.
“We made the decision to cancel the private screening out of respect and in support of PRIDE month and the 2SLGBTQI+ community,” a statement from the company read.
According to its website, FreedomNetwork is planning to screen “The War on Children” in Salmon Arm, Pitt Meadows and Campbell River.
Walman said that Lawyers against Transphobia will be writing to each of those theatres to explain their legal obligations under the Human Rights Code with respect to a showing of a film that harms a marginalized community.
“We would expect those theatres to follow Cineplex’s lead,” said Walman. “Otherwise of course we would follow up with legal action.”
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