LGBTQ Community Concerned About Upcoming Event at Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library is coming under fire for allowing the group Women’s Declaration International USA (WDI USA) to rent one of its meeting rooms for a private meeting on Nov. 17. The organization, which was founded in the United Kingdom, describes itself as advocating for the protection of women’s “sex-based rights” — focusing on the sexual and biological characteristics that make a female — and is criticized often for its exclusion of transgender women.

The directors of Capitol Hill Pride and Lynwood Pride, Charlette LeFevre and Philip Lipson, sent an email on Nov. 6 to SPL, Mayor Bruce Harrell, and the Seattle City Council calling for the cancellation of the meeting. The South Seattle Emerald obtained copies of the email exchange between LeFevre and Lipson, and Tom Fay, executive director and chief librarian of SPL.

“We highly encourage the library to cancel hosting any meetings as we feel the protest of this meeting will be too disruptive to the city and the community,” the email read. “It should be acknowledged there are plenty of free speech venues available to WDI, including the internet, so the Library should not feel they are required to rent a library auditorium and we feel this meeting violates the Library's commitment to the City of Seattle and the State of Washington to uphold and support diversity.”

The email mentioned demonstrations that took place last year outside of the Lynnwood Event Center after a Washington court upheld an earlier ruling that a local spa had discriminated against a transgender woman by denying her services. A protest was organized by the group Sovereign Women Speak, a group that advocates against allowing transgender women into women’s prisons. It was met with pro-trans rights counterprotestors, and several police officers were there to contain the demonstrations.

“Fortunately nobody was hurt but the level of disruption and costs of security greatly impacted the event center, which had to close [temporarily] and surrounding businesses as well as reflected poorly on the leaders of Lynnwood by not taking action to de-escalate and prevent conflict situations,” the email read.

The library had already released a public statement on Oct. 17 regarding the WDI USA room booking. It emphasizes that SPL does not promote or sponsor the meeting because it is not a library event. It also emphasizes its support for the LGBTQ+ community.

 “​​The Seattle Public Library affirms, values and celebrates transgender and gender-diverse people,” the statement reads. “The Library strongly believes that conversations about women’s rights should include, not exclude, the voices and concerns of trans women so that such conversations can lead to a positive, safe and inclusive future for all women.”

SPL said that as a public space and taxpayer-funded government agency, it cannot limit free speech and is required by federal law to open its meeting rooms to all, regardless of an individual or organization’s beliefs or values.

To minimize disruption, the meeting will be taking place after hours, and there will be increased security on site.

 “The Library’s legal obligations remain the same regardless of whether other public venues or online platforms are available for WDI USA to rent or use,” wrote Fay in an email response on Nov. 12. “Because we have chosen to make our meeting rooms available as a public service, we are required as a public agency to make them available to everyone, including those with views that are discriminatory, offensive or hateful.”

LeFevre and Lipson responded on Nov. 12, arguing that “free speech cannot be used when public safety is at issue.” They continued to urge for the cancellation of the meeting.