Dear editor:

Not sure where this town is going, but this sign “celebrating traditional marriage” is definitely not the right way.

I was on my way to work on Monday morning when my husband and I passed this sign on Henry Street in Virgil. This is disgusting and unacceptable.  

I, an openly gay man, married for 16 years, always tell people: You don't have to like me, you don't have to accept me. We all have our beliefs be they political or religious or whatever. 

However, the one thing I ask for is respect.

This sign is not that at all. Niagara-on-the-Lake ranked #3 in the top 20 friendliest towns in Ontario. A sign like this does not reflect that. 

A wise lady once said: “When they go low, we go high!” My question is. How low can one go in this town?

Here we are in the 21st century, putting up lawn signs like this. I took the day to think about this, since there were so many feelings. Angry, disappointed – and actually a little surprised.

Surprised that nobody took that sucker off their lawn yet! Angry and disappointed because, here we are, in the times when kids are still struggling to come out, be themselves, one puts a sign on their lawn not only stating the word “traditional” but they even had the male and female symbols printed.

 All I can say is SHAME ON YOU and shame on the person who printed this for you.

I am glad they celebrate their traditional marriage, but here is what I say to that. My husband and I, and millions of same-sex couples, celebrate our gay marriage – and people like this household with their ill-concieved signs will never change that. 

Many members of the LGBTQ+ community (including me) came to Canada and left their home country for this exact reason. Discrimination, bullying and, in some countries still, jail for being gay.

There is no place for signs like this in this town, in this province and not in this country. I respect your right to free speech, but that doesn't give you the right to promote something that's hateful and damaging.

After posting this on social media, many people voiced their opinion and I want to thank them for their support.

Unfortunately some don't know the difference between right and wrong. To those people, I invite you all to do a little research online, educate yourselves and learn how damaging one sign can be. 

Barnabas Farkas
Virgil