Jenn Smith is a unique candidate in BC’s 2020 election. A transgender self-identified woman, Smith opposes what he sees as the mainstream trans policy program, and is taking on the NDP’s Education Minister as an independent candidate in Victoria-Swan Lake. .Born “Ricky” in 1965, he grew up as a “wounded, rejected child” and began his transgender journey while in one of the six foster homes he was raised in..“I had this foster sister in one of my homes that I lived in who was super popular, he was like one of those 1970s bad girls,” Smith told the Western Standard. “I would get dressed up in some of her mini skirts and stuff and I would actually go out walking around town.”.The bisexual Smith became a sex worker later in life. That life is behind her now, but she still typically presents long bleached-blonde curls, earrings, make-up, and leather with plenty of bling. .But Smith prefers to be called “he” and says anyone who believes presenting as female “actually transforms me into an actual woman–that’s going too far.”.Roughly four years ago, Smith began to voice his criticisms of the transgender movement..“Sports was one of the sort of real original triggers for me,” Smith said. “This is nuts because males are constructed totally differently than females. And for them to be partaking in women’s sports is just way out of line.”.Smith also believes rape shelters should not be forced to accept biological males, but what concerns him the most is “what’s going on in the schools in terms of indoctrination” through SOGI 123 teaching resources used in all ages of schooling..Smith says a disproportionate number of BC foster children and those on the autistic spectrum are put on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and then gender reassignment surgeries. .“Cults do that to people who are sort of wounded, emotionally lost, looking for some sort of direction in their life. Same thing with transgender. It’s all these wounded people and they’re all being offered sort of a new life,” Smith said..Smith’s stance has inspired support from moderate feminists and social conservatives, but raised the ire of others. “I’ve been besieged by the LGBTQ community and in that process, I’ve had my freedom of speech trampled over and over again,” said Smith..In May of 2019, Oak Bay police shut down an anti-SOGI protest with Smith, in part of due to hundreds of protesters inside and outside of the building he was speaking in. “If you look at events like what happened to me at Oak Bay [and at UBC]…This may be the best example of cancel culture run amok in Canada.”.Smith decided to run as an independent candidate in Victoria-Swan Lake to publicize his call for an inquiry into the gender transitioning of minors and reinforce parental rights..“Part of this comes out of the fact that I’ve had trouble getting a platform and being heard. The media won’t address anything or any of my concerns even though I’ve got all of this controversy swirling around me. You’d think that they’d be interested, but they do their best to ignore me.”.On October 27, Smith was slapped with a 30-day ban from Facebook for posts he made in May where he called someone “a rainbow clown.” He says his ban from Twitter is permanent because he refuses to call transgenders by their preferred pronoun..“But to me a man is not a woman. I cannot be a woman. That is true. You want me to surrender that, but I can’t surrender that…because the moment we start surrendering [one] truth, how many others will fall behind it?”.He was disappointed that the chamber of commerce would not allow Smith and a Communist candidate to participate in the local candidates’ debate..“Jenn Smith shows up and Rob Fleming, he’s probably scared of him,” said Laura Lynn Thompson, the former People’s Party federal candidate now running for the Christian Heritage Party in Smith’s home riding of Abbotsford South..“Rob Fleming can’t argue one little bit against Jenn Smith. Rob Fleming doesn’t have the skill to argue Jenn Smith’s amazing knowledge about transitioning minors and what they’re doing to kids in foster care in BC, and how there’s a doctor in British Columbia [Wallace Wong] actually bragging about transitioning 500 foster kids.”.“Like that guy needs to be hauled into jail, never mind that the MSM is silent about it, nobody talks about it. Well one way we get to talk is we get to go in the paper.”.Despite the backlash, Smith says his campaign has been successful at his primary goal – to raise awareness. Victoria newspapers have publicized Smith’s comments in local election coverage. Covid-19 did not stop Smith and his volunteers from getting to voters directly at the doors..“For the most part, the reactions have actually been surprisingly strong. And for me to get positive reactions at the door in what is a leftist stronghold is hopeful,” Smith said..“This is a message to other people who are frustrated that their issues are not being addressed by society in a meaningful way. Well, take that next step and get involved in the democratic process and run as a candidate because it frees up all kinds of opportunities for you.”.Lee Harding is the Saskatchewan Correspondent for the Western Standard
