5 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Let us help you connect to the world around you and the things that matter through better hearing. Clinician to determine hearing aid candidacy. See clinic for details. With So Many Options Out There, Let Us Help Answer Your Questions and Find The Best Hearing Technology Tailored For YOU! our Questions and Hear for the HOLidAYS! Receive up to $2500 off a pair of hearing aids. Expires december 31st, 2022. Enjoy the sounds of the holiday season, whether it is talking with your loved ones, hearing your favourite music or watching your favourite movies! 60 day trial period to ensure satisfaction. Book an appointment for a complimentary hearing assessment and in office hearing aid demo. WHAT'S NEW WiTH HEARiNg Aid TECHNOLOgY Proudly Family owned, local matters Amy Deegan Family-Owned Clinic 1031 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, ON L1G 4W3 Ministry of health Assistive Devices Program, GM Green Shield, VAC, WSIB, ODSP, and MCSS funding available (905) 240-5055 deeganhearingclinic.com PFLAG Durham is asking for the Durham District School Board to stand with them against trustee Linda Stone following recent transphobic tweets. Jake Farr, president of PFLAG Durham, said the organization will be filing a formal grievance in response to alleged antitrans rhetoric included in recent tweets and retweets by the trustee. "Here is someone who is on the board of trustees and is directing and giving guidance, yet she's putting out these erroneous, unfactual, and I would say hateful, tweets," said Farr of Stone's tweets, which questioned the validity of gender affirming medical care and included links to disturbing conspiracy theories. "There are already enough people in this world who are having a hard enough time getting their head around people who may be different than their idea of normal. We're having people call into us, wondering what's going to happen and if this means the board won't be supporting them. They're afraid to be at school." While the DDSB put out a statement condemning the tweets, Farr said it's not enough and he would like to see stronger action. "We know that the board is different from the trustees as individuals, but many people don't, they connect them, and it's very dangerous for the DDSB to be connected to this because people will lose a lot of faith in them," he said. "They put out a statement that they don't condone it but it's like no one is standing up. Someone has to stand up." The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) local District 13 has made it clear they stand with PFLAG. "District 13 stands in solidarity with the trans community and against hate," the group tweeted. "District 13 strongly condemns the hateful comments made by Trustee Stone in her social media posts over the past week. We are committed to fight homophobia and transphobia and the significant harm it causes for our students, colleagues and the broader queer community." They also tweeted out a link to the board's integrity commissioner complaints process for members who wished to file a formal grievance on the issue. Farr said PFLAG will also be filing a formal grievance regarding the Twitter activity, most of which has now been deleted. "We've had enough of this sort of rhetoric," he said. "You have your right to free speech, but you don't have to be so hateful. She's basically erasing our existence. I think for someone in a position of power, who is supposed to be guiding our education system, to be posting these comments, it's dangerous." This is not the first time Stone has faced controversy over comments made on Twitter or in public. She resigned her trustee seat earlier this year following community outcry regarding her criticism of the board's human rights policy, and comments made about gender neutral washroom. She was reelected to the board in the October municipal elections. Stone did not respond to requests for comment on the current controversy but did address the backlash on Twitter. "I have no idea who made complaints and for what. No communication asking me my side or what I'm thinking," she said in a tweet. "For caring about children, the effects of puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, surgeries, listening to detransitioners heart breaking stories this is what I receive. Why is caring about these kids so controversial? They need more guidance before making life altering decisions." PFLAG CALLS FOR ACTION AGAINST DDSB TRUSTEE LINDA STONE MOYA DILLON mdillon@durhamregion.com NEWS STONE HAS COME UNDER FIRE FOR RECENT TRANSPHOBIC TWEETS Jake Farr, president of PFLAG Durham, is asking the Durham District School Board to stand with them amid controversy over transphobic tweets by trustee Linda Stone. Ryan Pfeiffer/Torstar