Anti-gay T-shirt 'very troubling,' Hubley says
By Susana Mas
First posted: Tuesday, November 01, 2016 11:17 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, November 02, 2016 01:45 AM EDT
The anti-gay message on the T-shirt of a visitor to Saunders Farm in Ottawa this past weekend is “very troubling,” says Kanata South councillor Allan Hubley.
A picture of a young man wearing a black shirt with an anti-gay message was posted on Facebook by a young woman, who was “appalled” to see what the sweater said: “If you are gay, don’t approch (sic) me. I’ll kill you.”
“This is very troubling news that someone would manufacture, sell, or want to own clothing with such a message,” Hubley said in an email to the Citizen.
“To also wear it to a place full of children takes it to a whole other level of poor decision making,” Hubley said.
Hubley’s son, Jamie, used to work at Saunders Farm.
Jamie was an openly gay high school student who had been bullied throughout his life. He suffered from depression and in the fall of 2011 took his own life.
After his death, the family-owned farm launched an annual fundraiser in Jamie’s memory, in support of mental health services.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Saunders Farm condemned the message on the T-shirt “that promoted hate.”
“We are outraged, offended, and taking the appropriate steps to ensure a similar situation never occurs again on our property.”
Whitney Martin, the young woman who posted the picture on Facebook, said she and her friends alerted farm staff.
“We immediately found an employee of Saunder’s Farm, showed him the shirt, and he said he would inform management and the police. When we saw this guy again, we happened to be right beside a few police officers, so we pointed out the shirt to them,” Martin said on Facebook.
According to the Saunders Farm, “our staff member was advised that ‘nothing could be done unless the owners want him off the property’ by Ottawa Police.”
The man left the premises before the farm management could remove him.
Hubley applauded the owners of Saunders Farm for their strong public stance.
“Hopefully other businesses will follow the example of Saunders Farm and send a clear message that this is unacceptable in Canada. Especially here in Ottawa, where we all try to be respectful and accepting of each other and celebrate the fact we have the freedom to be different than each other,” Hubley said.
Ottawa police was not immediately available for comment.
With files from Joe Lofaro
smas@postmedia.com
twitter.com/susanamas
Anti-gay T-shirt 'very troubling,' Hubley says | Ontario | News | Toronto Sun
By Susana Mas
First posted: Tuesday, November 01, 2016 11:17 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, November 02, 2016 01:45 AM EDT
The anti-gay message on the T-shirt of a visitor to Saunders Farm in Ottawa this past weekend is “very troubling,” says Kanata South councillor Allan Hubley.
A picture of a young man wearing a black shirt with an anti-gay message was posted on Facebook by a young woman, who was “appalled” to see what the sweater said: “If you are gay, don’t approch (sic) me. I’ll kill you.”
“This is very troubling news that someone would manufacture, sell, or want to own clothing with such a message,” Hubley said in an email to the Citizen.
“To also wear it to a place full of children takes it to a whole other level of poor decision making,” Hubley said.
Hubley’s son, Jamie, used to work at Saunders Farm.
Jamie was an openly gay high school student who had been bullied throughout his life. He suffered from depression and in the fall of 2011 took his own life.
After his death, the family-owned farm launched an annual fundraiser in Jamie’s memory, in support of mental health services.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Saunders Farm condemned the message on the T-shirt “that promoted hate.”
“We are outraged, offended, and taking the appropriate steps to ensure a similar situation never occurs again on our property.”
Whitney Martin, the young woman who posted the picture on Facebook, said she and her friends alerted farm staff.
“We immediately found an employee of Saunder’s Farm, showed him the shirt, and he said he would inform management and the police. When we saw this guy again, we happened to be right beside a few police officers, so we pointed out the shirt to them,” Martin said on Facebook.
According to the Saunders Farm, “our staff member was advised that ‘nothing could be done unless the owners want him off the property’ by Ottawa Police.”
The man left the premises before the farm management could remove him.
Hubley applauded the owners of Saunders Farm for their strong public stance.
“Hopefully other businesses will follow the example of Saunders Farm and send a clear message that this is unacceptable in Canada. Especially here in Ottawa, where we all try to be respectful and accepting of each other and celebrate the fact we have the freedom to be different than each other,” Hubley said.
Ottawa police was not immediately available for comment.
With files from Joe Lofaro
smas@postmedia.com
twitter.com/susanamas
Anti-gay T-shirt 'very troubling,' Hubley says | Ontario | News | Toronto Sun
