BRANDON — A United Church minister says his congregation has been subjected to an increased level of intimidation because of its inclusivity of the LGBTTQ+ community.
“It’s terrible, there’s still a lot of intolerance, fear and ignorance. We’ve consistently had pushback since becoming an affirming ministry, but we’re not going to be deterred from our message of love and affirmation,” Craig Miller of Knox United said.
Knox United has welcomed the LGBTTQ+ community since 2010. In the last three months, Miller said, there have been specific incidents of harassment targeting the congregation and attacking his ministry.
That’s one of the reasons the church keeps its doors locked on Sundays, he said. It also has a designated safety liaison who “greets folks at the door, just keeping an eye on things.”
“We want to be open and inclusive, but we also want to be safe and smart, and protect the folks who are here with us,” said Miller.
On Christmas Eve, someone left a phone message that said, “Pastor, you’re a pedophile, Jesus says. It would be better if you had a rope hung around your neck and drown in the sea,” Miller recounted.
“It’s also emails like, ‘John Knox would be rolling in his grave, how can you be a Christian church, you’re leading people to hell, you’re a false teacher,’” Miller said.
“It happens with people driving by and yelling homophobic slurs when we’re putting out Pride signs,” he said.
In November, a violent threat was made in the comments section of the SERC Winnipeg Facebook page, Miller said, in reaction to Knox United Church holding a Transgender Day of Remembrance service in Brandon. The post was later deleted.
SERC stands for Sexuality Education Resource Centre, which offers education and prevention around sexuality and reproductive health, including those who identify as LGBTTQ+.
The re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States has “emboldened” others who share anti-trans views, Miller said.
“We’re concerned that people may be pressured back into the closet, particularly youth and young adults… They may look at what’s happening in the larger culture and say, ‘I’m not going to take the risk to be my authentic self. So, I think it’s important for us to stand with those folks,” said Miller.
On Sunday evening, a supportive community gathering was held at the church for gender-diverse people and their allies.
Wendy Friesen got the idea to plan the event, said her wife, Anastasia Gibson. Both are trans women who were married on June 15, 2024, during Pride celebrations in Brandon.
“The political climate” in the United States, Friesen said, has “hammered” the community.
“So, we decided to create an event for people in our community to come by, decompress, learn a few things, speak with others, realize that there’s strength in numbers, and to tell them they’re not alone,” said Friesen.
— Brandon Sun