For many LGBTQ2S+ children, going to school can be a terrifying, even traumatic, experience. Some SD23 staff members and educators are advocating for more representation for queer and trans students.
Tyson Cook is a certified education assistant within the school district. He mainly works with younger kids, and this year he香蕉视频直播檚 seen a lot of students coming out as non-binary. While he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have much say in the school district as an education assistant, Cook says he works with teachers and educators to make sure his non-binary and trans students feel safe in the classroom.
香蕉视频直播淓very teacher I香蕉视频直播檝e worked with has always had the same mindset that gender doesn香蕉视频直播檛 really need to have a place in the classroom. We try to have the least gendered things as possible,香蕉视频直播� said Cook.
One way to remove gender from the classroom is to replace the bathroom signs with non-gendered symbols. In Cook香蕉视频直播檚 classroom, there are two gender-neutral bathrooms and one emergency bathroom. Cook and his teacher will also hand out non-gendered emergency bathroom passes for kids to use.
But Cook stresses the importance of using non-gendered language in the classroom. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e making sure that we香蕉视频直播檙e not saying stereotypical things, like how someone香蕉视频直播檚 mom is at home or dad香蕉视频直播檚 at work. Gender is not a good descriptor, really,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Many educators and staff members are also advocating for district-wide change. Adam Kern, a teacher on-call within SD23, was heavily involved in implementing SOGI 123 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) at his school. SOGI 123 is a set of resources and policies for teachers, school staff and administrators to make schools a safe place for LGBTQ2S+ students.
香蕉视频直播淏eing a teacher is a very busy job, and you need to take time to learn something and want to do it香蕉视频直播� We wanted to make (learning about SOGI 123) nice and easy, and get it out and make it accessible,香蕉视频直播� said Kern.
And this work is important. According to a 2021 study by Egale Canada, 62 per cent of LGBTQ2S+ children report feeling unsafe at school. Homophobic, biphobic and/or transphobic language is still both frequent and widespread, and LGBTQ2s+ students are still physically and verbally harassed more frequently compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers.
香蕉视频直播淲ithin our schools, it can be as simple as putting a Pride flag on our doors and having honest conversations when something happens, like if someone is using a homophobic or transphobic slur in class,香蕉视频直播� said Kern. 香蕉视频直播淚 also try to use resources that don香蕉视频直播檛 conform to traditional gender norms.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll these things are trying to teach inclusivity, especially in the early primary ages, then we香蕉视频直播檙e able to build on that and cover more complex and deeper issues,香蕉视频直播� he added.
READ MORE: Kelowna LGBTQ2S+ advocates accuse city council of performance activism
LGBTQ2S+ representation should not be confined to the classroom, however. Cook, also known as Freida Whales, is one of the founders of the Drag Queen Story Time program at the Okanagan Regional Library in Kelowna. The program was first launched in 2019 and has been a popular library staple ever since. Cook said Drag Queen Story Time is a great way for children and their families to connect with the queer community and experience queer activities for the first time, even if he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 focus solely on LGBTQ2S+ stories.
香蕉视频直播淒rag Queen Story Time doesn香蕉视频直播檛 need to always be about queer folks. I love the kind of stories where you get to discover what香蕉视频直播檚 special about yourself and really celebrate it. I want families to know that there is a community out there that does support them. I also want kids to know that if their family doesn香蕉视频直播檛 support them, there is a family waiting for them to support them when they香蕉视频直播檙e ready,香蕉视频直播� he said.
LGBTQ2S+ voices must also be heard and represented on the administrative level. SD23 school trustee Wayne Broughton said he listens to concerns from LGBTQ2S+ parents and parents with LGBTQ2S+ children. As a trustee, Broughton engages with his community and brings those conversations to the school district to set plans, policies and the annual budget. Although he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have the power to police the school board, Broughton works with the superintendent to make sure LGBTQ2S+ youth and their parents are heard.
香蕉视频直播淟ooking to the future, I would certainly expect people to feel that they could talk to me directly or other trustees if they needed to. I香蕉视频直播檓 available on social media, and I香蕉视频直播檓 connected with groups like Kelowna Pride. My wife started a group in town called Trans Parent Okanagan Peer Support, and that香蕉视频直播檚 another avenue as well,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of people who want LGBTQ2S+ youth to feel respected and included香蕉视频直播� As long as I香蕉视频直播檓 a school trustee, I香蕉视频直播檓 making sure that senior staff know about that and that they香蕉视频直播檙e all on board with making sure that happens,香蕉视频直播� he added.
But there香蕉视频直播檚 still a lot of work the school district needs to do, especially for trans youth.
香蕉视频直播淚 would like to see some new policies to protect trans youth in the district, especially some policies around deadnaming trans students, for instance. We need to make sure we have those policies in place,香蕉视频直播� Broughton said.
READ MORE: 2021 Kelowna Pride officially underway
paula.tran@kelownacapnews.com
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