Man Banned From Food Bank Over His Views Of Marriage Equality

A Canadian food bank banned a man because he didn’t want to sign a volunteer form requiring him to “respect the relationship of only a man and a woman in marriage.”

When Richard Friesen wanted to help out at a local food bank in Winnipeg, he says he was banned from volunteering after he questioned a section of the lifestyle agreement form he was told to sign.

“One particular thing on the lifestyle agreement that struck me as very, very odd, especially with today’s world that we live in, was the ‘must respect the relationship of only a man and a woman in marriage,’” Friesen told APTN National News. “To me, now that is a very, very outdated way of thinking.”

It turns out, the Winnipeg Harvest food bank branch Friesen went to is sponsored by the Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship church.

After questioning the Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship’s volunteer form, Friesen said that he brought his concerns to Winnipeg Harvest, which distributes food to hundreds of community agencies like Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship. The food bank subsequently changed its form, however, Friesen was still banned from returning.

“We’ve contacted the Human Rights Commission,” said Tony Friesen, Richard’s father, “and they say that is not legal. That can’t be. Like I say, the Church has since changed its application form, but in the mean time, they are still discriminating against my son.” Tony Friesen is currently on crutches, making it difficult to access a food bank further away.

The father and son are not the only people who disagree with the food bank’s processes. Tanya Smith doesn’t like how the food bank requires her to sit through church services she doesn’t agree with before she’s allowed to have access to the assistance programs.

“In the end, you just stay quiet,” Smith explained, “because you know you need the food, and if you rock the boat something bad might happen, like you get refused services, or the people that are providing you the services may treat you differently.”

Another resident, Althea Guiboche, feels that practicing religion shouldn’t be associated with using a food bank.

“Food is a basic human right, and religion should not have to come in to play with that,” Guiboche said. “We should just feed and we should just help because that is what they need. They need somebody to care, and to make them, you know, do a song and dance or whatever before they eat is just not dignified.”

What are your thoughts on the Bethlehem Aboriginal Fellowship food bank and religious based charities in general? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Image: Screenshot via APTN National News
Hat tip: Friendly Atheist