Ottawa's Shopify not cutting ties with store selling products alleging 'grooming' of children

Calls are growing for Ottawa based e-commerce giant Shopify to cut ties with a controversial merchant, 'Libs of TikTok.'

Critics say its merchandise, which includes products with the words "Stop Grooming our Kids," is anti-LGBTQ2S +.

Activist and author Amanda Jette Knox says the language used by Libs of TikTok is a dog whistle for anti LGBTQ+ people. She says it’s a well established fact that the idea of grooming children is something that is weaponized against the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans and drag communities.

This comes as hate crimes against LGBTQ2 people are growing. According to statistics Canada, in 2019 there were 263 hate crimes reported targeting sexual orientation. That's 41 per cent higher than the previous year and the most since 2009.

“A lot of this is perpetrated by the groomer narrative put out by organisations and accounts like 'Libs of Tik Tok,' Knox said. “It is actually impacting people to see that stuff being sold, it does not exactly lend to folks feeling safe.”

Somerset ward councillor Ariel Troster, who has been out for two decades, says she's disappointed Shopify continues to do business with the account. She personally knows the impact such words can have, and cited the deadly shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado.

“Given the events of a couple of days ago in Colorado Springs, I’m very disappointed to see that Shopify has not dropped this account," Troster said. “It shows the company does not care about them. It shows that profits in the case of this company are more important than protecting people from harm.”

Shopify issuing a statement Tuesday saying the merchant doesn't violate the company's acceptable use policy.

"We host businesses of all stripes and sizes, with various worldviews….We take concerns around the merchants on our platform very seriously.”

That policy specifically bars users from promoting or condoning “hate or violence” against “people based on … gender” and “sexual orientation,” among other categories.

Troster told CTV News Ottawa if Shopify does not fix the problem, boycotts may follow.