A GROUP of protesters held a snap rally outside the Croatian Wickham Sports Club on Monday night against what they have labelled a "transphobic" community information event.
Craig Cole was hosting the 'Leave Our Kids Alone' event inside the club on October 14, aimed at "ending the sexualised indoctrination of young children's minds".
Around 150 members of the Newcastle community protested on the evening to "let Craig know his queerphobia is not welcome here".
"Just like any other group of people trans folks can do good, can do bad, can do anything they want because at the end of the day they are people," protester Leon Flint said.
"We deserve the basic human right of self determination just like anyone else. Stop focusing on the trans and remember that we're people," he said.
Mr Cole, a former AustraliaOne party independent, said the protesters were wrong about the nature of the event.
"These information sessions are not an attack on the trans community, if they actually stopped and listened to the information that is being presented - it is about ending the sexualised indoctrination of your children," he said.
"... and also not having our children subjected to radicalised, far-left gender ideology in the school system."
When asked to elaborate on the ideologies, Mr Cole claimed that in the Victorian education system there were gender neutral toilets causing uncomfortable situations for children. He did not give any examples of such things occurring in NSW schools.
Mr Cole has facilitated numerous programs with disengaged youth in the community for 18 years, and within the Victorian education system for 15 years.
He also said he had many "gay friends", and that while people were entitled to be and believe what they wanted, they were not entitled to push those thoughts onto others.
"It's simple. If you are a parent who wishes your child to be taught highly inappropriate sexual content and radical gender theory, that is your entitlement," he said.
"What you are not entitled to do is indoctrinate other people's children through the school curriculum with your own personal beliefs."
Protest organiser and spokesperson Nimiah Anderson said "spreading fear mongering and hateful misinformation only causes harm".
"I don't want that here in my community. I'm showing up today because school should be a safe learning space for all kids and that includes trans kids," she said.
A Croatian Wickham Sports Club spokesperson said the event was a private function and, as a club, they were not discriminating against anyone.
Police confirmed they were called to the event.
"Upon arrival a number of people encroached on the grounds of the licensed premises towards the exterior of the building," NSW Police said in a statement.
"There were no further incidents or arrests."
The NSW Education Standards Authority said government schools and registered non-government schools must have an educational program based on NESA syllabuses for the mandatory key learning areas, including PDHPE.
"The new PDHPE syllabuses focus on equipping young people with the skills and strategies required to enhance their safety on and offline and maintain respectful, consensual and safe relationships," a spokesperson said.
"The NSW curriculum acknowledges that there are a range of cultural sensitivities, community values and beliefs across NSW schools.
"Schools determine how syllabuses are taught and have the scope to present topics and select resources in age-appropriate ways, that are consistent with the school ethos and the diversity of student needs."
