The North Peace Pride Society (NPPS), a Canadian LGBT pride group, declared the ousting of its board president, Sean Gravells, subsequent to his arrest on December 31 over multiple charges related to s3x crimes involving children and child p0rnography.
In a statement released on January 5, NPPS highlighted the charges against Gravells, 39, encompassing acts such as touching a person under 16 for $3xual purposes, s3xual interference with a person under 16, possession, and distribution of child pornography, as reported by CBC News.
Having held the position of board president since 2018, Gravells was promptly removed from his role in response to the severity of the charges.
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Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the NPPS statement underscored the group’s dedication to community values and emphasized the immediate action taken to distance itself from Gravells.
The society acknowledged the potential impact on its reputation, stating, “We want to clarify that the society itself is not implicated in any charges; these are isolated to the individual.”
To uphold the highest standards, NPPS committed to subjecting all board members to record checks. The delay in releasing the statement was attributed to the sensitivity of the situation and privacy considerations.
While some board members are directly involved with youth through library programs, it was clarified that Gravells was not among them. The LGBT organization explicitly stated that it has not been charged with any crime.
Notably, Gravells’ name was absent from a recent NPPS website search, but an archived version displayed a bio page featuring Gravells against a rainbow-colored background.
In April 2022, Gravells and NPPS collaborated to promote signups for an all-ages drag show in Fort St. John, a city located about 500 miles north of Vancouver. Gravells expressed the group’s commitment to assisting young individuals interested in trying drag for the first time, providing guidance on costumes and makeup.
A social media video, undated but circulating online, showed Gravells interacting with children at a local pride event. NPPS, in partnership with Fort St. John Public Library, organized Pride Teen Night events open to youngsters as young as 13.
Despite the association with children’s events, NPPS advocates for s3xual orientation as it relates to children’s rights, emphasizing its commitment to supporting s3xual orientation, gender identity, and children’s rights for the healthy upbringing of all children.
Gravells made his initial court appearance on January 1, securing release on $2,000 bail. The court set his next appearance for January 29.
