Flyer campaign targets NDP candidate's transgender identity

The NDP candidate for Vancouver-False Creek says she's concerned about the impact of a set of flyers distributed in her ridingtargeting her transgender identity and the LGBTQ community in general.

The flyers distributed throughout Yaletown target NDP candidate Morgane Oger by purporting to reveal her male birth name and old photograph. It disparages her transgender identity, using derogatory and graphic language.

The flyers also expressed concerns about "the promotion and growth of homosexuality and transvestitism in British Columbia and how it's obscuring the immutable truth about our God-given gender."

Oger is not new to public life, having served as the chair of the Trans Alliance Society and chair of the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council.

She says she's able to deal with the targeted campaign but worries about its effect on others especially young members of the LGBTQ community.

"I'm resilient. I have a tough skin. This isn't the first time somebody has been horrible to me," Oger said.

"But not everyone is resilient like I am. Not everybody has seen this enough to deal with this."

In November, Oger became B.C.'s first openly transgender woman to be nominated by a major political party.

If elected during B.C.'s upcoming May 9 provincial election, she would become the first transgender MLA in the province.

She said she hopes the flyers don't dissuadeLGBTQ youth from living openly and participating in civic life.

"My problem today is a lot of kids are going to see this and be devastated," she said. "They're going to see that if they're discovered or someone wants to pick on them, someone might do that to them."

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With files from Vivian Luk