Cambridge councillor's meme alluding to Trump's 2-gender executive order causes outrage

A meme that was posted on the Facebook page for Cambridge, Ont., Coun. Adam Cooper has been met with concern and outrage, including by members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The post, which has since been deleted from the councillor's page, shows a person with blue hair screaming toward the camera. "He took my pronouns! I have to live in reality now!" is written on the image, in reference to an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that terminates a range of policies protecting 2SLGBTQ+ rights. Trump says the U.S. will now only recognize two sexes — male and female.

The meme caught the attention of Eric Bolton, a musician in Cambridge and co-founder of Grand River Pride, among others.

In an interview with CBC News, Bolton said he has come across similar posts over the years.

"Sometimes you just pass it by and sometimes you report it … or just unfriend the person," Bolton said. "But because this is a city councillor, I chose to comment."

Bolton's comment on the meme post said, "Dude… You're a city councillor. You should be better than this."

Bolton said he had hoped his reaction might persuade Cooper to delete the post, but instead, the councillor "doubled down," defending the post and commenting back, "Dude, respect others opinions. Be better than your comment."

What ensued was a  heated conversation between the councillor and Bolton.

Cooper commented in part that he'll "proudly represent reality and those that support it."

Bolton responded by saying, "You're publicly bullying a minority."

Cooper commented back, saying that calling his post bullying enters accusational territory.

"Territory that you need to think twice about entering Eric," read the comment.

The confrontation ended with Bolton commenting "any further conversation will be with all of council."

Comments, post removed

Since the interaction, Bolton said, his and any other comments against the post were deleted. The post is no longer on Cooper's Facebook page.

A screenshot of Cooper's post with the meme and comments has gone viral on a Cambridge-focus page on the social media site Reddit that criticizes the councillor's meme. The post on Reddit has garnered hundreds of comments and over 1,000 likes.

A post on the Grand River Pride Instagram page calls Cooper's meme  "hate speech" and "transphobic in nature."

"How you conduct yourself as a city councillor is important and how you make the residents of your ward feel is important," said Bolton.

Bolton himself posted the meme and exchange with Cooper on his Facebook story.

Bolton told CBC News he has received hundreds of comments and messages of support, including from three active council members.

Councillor opposes 'attempts to curtail free speech' 

CBC News also contacted Cooper for comment on what's ensued since the meme was posted.

"I believe in a person's right to have an opinion along with their right to express it without being maliciously targeted for harassment or bullying," the councillor said in an emailed statement. "Furthermore, I maintain that no individual should feel compelled to alter or conceal their views simply because another person demands such a change.

"Unfortunately, after I refused to comply with such demands, Mr. Bolton decided that my opinion, that there are only two genders or sexes, was not acceptable to him, which has led to a deliberate and malicious mob-like attempt by his numerous followers to cancel me as well as inundate me with a deluge of hateful, bullying emails and messages that nobody should ever have to endure. It will not work.

"I will consistently oppose the bullying tactics of the ideological minority as well as any attempts to curtail free speech. This is Canada, a country that cherishes liberty, not a regime where opposing views are suppressed. Wishing peace and love to you all."

In a followup interview, Bolton said the point of his post about Cooper's meme "was to say he's bullying a minority that he's supposed to represent. So my point very much still stands, and it's very sad that he's not seeing that or wanting to own any sense of that kind of brutish attitude that he was holding toward people he's supposed to represent."

The implications within the meme have brought distress and pain to families and members of our community.- Statement from Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett's office

The office of Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett emailed a statement to CBC News that said, "The implications within the meme have brought distress and pain to families and members of our community."

Liggett's statement also said Cooper's post "does not represent council nor the corporation's thoughts on gender fluidity."

The statement said Liggett tries to keep young people top of mind when she makes decisions, adding "my message is to those young people, while recognizing that differences of opinion can still exist; I want us to be known as a community who supports one another."

CBC News also reached out to Liggett for comment, but was told by her office that she wasn't immediately available.