B.C. business's Bud Light sign referencing Kid Rock comments elicits controversy

A sign outside a business in Sooke is making waves in the local community.

The sign reads "Get them woke Bud Lights out for target practice."

It references a video posted to Twitter by recording artist Kid Rock in response to Bud Light's support of a transgender influencer.

The video shows Rock shoot up cases of Bud Light. It's also part of a larger movement that has begun south of the border to boycott the company.

"We’re part of a queer family and a queer community here in Sooke," said Lyndze Harvey, a local resident.

Harvey and her partner. Tyler Roach, say the message posted on the sign is hateful.

"That’s making our community unsafe for people and that’s just not acceptable," said Roach.

"To have somebody say you’re not welcome here with a sign is dangerous," said Harvey.

Harvey identifies as queer and the couple's two children identify as transgender.

Despite concern, the owner of Barry Marine, which put up the sign, isn’t apologizing. He declined an on-camera interview but said the sign is just a joke and people need to lighten up.

On Monday morning, he said he was planning on removing the message but said that choice has nothing to do with community reaction. He just wants to change what the sign says.

"You can claim it’s a joke all you want but it does real harm," said Veronica Greer, a transgender counselling therapist with VLG Counselling.

She says Vancouver Island is seen as a safe place for transgender people but the message on the sign challenges that notion.

"When it harms people's identity and stokes the fires of hatred, it’s not OK," said Greer.

For Harvey and Roach, it’s about making Sooke more inclusive, something that they say the community has already become.

"Communities don’t tear down others, they don’t take the most marginalized and beat-up on them with jokes," said Harvey. "We come together and support each other."

Late Tuesday afternoon a new message was posted to the sign in front of Barry Marine. It read, "Cars that run on water have been invented but those guys went missing."