Emma Weston has seen how cruel people can be towards people in the LGBTQ+ community.

The 16-year-old Royal Bay secondary student knows there is a long way to go to reach complete equality and acceptance for those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+). But she hopes a trip to Toronto for an educational forum on the issues can be a positive step in the right direction.

B次元官网网址淓quality is very important and it saves lives, you look at stats and see how many committed suicide or (were) murdered,B次元官网网址� Weston said. B次元官网网址�(Gay rights activists) in Bangladesh being hacked to death. There will always be people that donB次元官网网址檛 accept, use violence against us. But itB次元官网网址檚 one step at the time that changes the world.B次元官网网址�

The Grade 11 student said she has been bullied for being different. She hopes to take information and knowledge gained from this weekB次元官网网址檚 forum to establish a West Shore Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), a meeting place where people in the LGBTQ+ community can meet to build and promote awareness and equality.

B次元官网网址淲hen it comes down to it, we are all just (part of the) human species and it dumbfounds me there is so much hate for queer people. All we are doing is loving people,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e are receiving hate for loving.B次元官网网址�

Weston applied for the forum on a recommendation from social justice teacher Danielle Huckulak. After an interview, she was selected as one of the 75 youth nationally to attend the event. The all-expenses paid educational opportunity winds up on Sunday (May 15).

Before she left, Weston said she was looking forward to being surrounded by others with the same focus in a city she will see for the first time. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know whatB次元官网网址檚 going on in Alberta and Quebec, and (I hope to get) a sense of what is going on across Canada and what their attitudes are towards (these issues)B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 want to gain the knowledge and give it back to my peers.B次元官网网址�

The future West Shore GSA will be available for anyone, whether they attend Royal Bay or not and regardless of age, ethnicity or sexual orientation, Weston said.

B次元官网网址淚 really believe this group will help the community. (ItB次元官网网址檒l) bring awareness to LGBTQ+ issues and education and diversify, even more, this growing community.B次元官网网址�

alim@goldstreamgazette.com