A Nanaimo mother is on a warpath after a biological male allegedly entered a women’s change room — wearing a wig — and attempted to look under the stall at her nine-year-old daughter..Janayh Wright told the Western Standard she took her daughter and niece to the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre last Friday and, while they were in the change room, a man wearing a wig and face mask walked in without a towel or bag and began “loitering.”.Wright says that once she got her daughter and niece into the stalls to change, the man entered the stall next to her daughter..“I saw their black wig come down to peer under the stall,” said Wright, noting the person came out fully dressed and appeared to have no intention of using the facility to change..Wright says she exchanged words with the man, who then explained he identified as a woman and it was therefor his right to be in the women’s change room..“I told them I didn't care what they identified as because this is not a gender issue but a pedophilia issue,” she said..Wright said she then escorted the man out of the change room before being told by staff that it was a human rights violation to remove the man if he identifies as a woman..“I am disgusted that a family facility in our community is continuing to allow this happen,” she said, noting there’s been other alleged incidents possibly involving the same individual..Nanaimo RCMP says it is investigating the incident..“There has been much talk on social media however at this time we are investigating just the one incident,” Const. Gary O’Brien told the Western Standard Thursday..Wright said more than 100 people gathered outside the centre on Sunday, "standing with her for children's safety.". NAC . NAC .“These predators are appropriating transgender identity to gain access to our children. We need to put a stop to this as a community, a city, and a country,” said Wright, who has repeatedly reiterated that she has no issue with transgender people, but rather people using self ID laws for predatory purposes..BC introduced provincial legislation in January last year allowing people to change gender designations on their BC Services Card, BC driver’s licence, BCID card, and BC birth certificate without the confirmation of a physician or psychologist..“Moving to a non-medical model of gender identification will reduce a real barrier that two spirit, transgender, non-binary and other gender diverse people in the province face when trying to change their identification documents,” said Grace Lore, formerly BC’s parliamentary secretary for gender equity..“Each individual knows their own gender best, and today, I am proud that our government is recognizing this by taking landmark action.”.Lore is now the minister of state for child care..When asked for clarification as to whether biological males must formally change their documented identity prior to using the women’s change room, or if a verbal statement of identity is sufficient, Nanaimo city staff said refusing access to gendered spaces that correspond with a person's felt gender identity is a violation under the Human Rights Code and Human Rights Act..“Recently, there have been two reported incidents regarding the activities of an individual in the women's change room who may be transgendered. Staff have been in contact with RCMP and will continue to work with them as needed throughout their investigation,” City of Nanaimo representatives told the Western Standard, further noting it takes the incidents “very seriously.”."City staff work to provide a safe and welcoming recreational facility for community enjoyment. This includes regular change room inspections and awareness of patron behaviours."
