A pair of Nanaimo Christian School students have been facing challenges creating a space for LGBTQ students, like themselves, that appropriately recognizes their identity.
Grade 12 student Anna Hill, 17, and Grade 10 student Maeci Parsonage, 15, said their suggested name for a Queer-Straight Alliance club was shot down by the independent schoolB次元官网网址檚 authorities last year.
According to Mike Suderman, school superintendent, the student-suggested name for the club was too exclusive and used polarizing language. In an e-mail, he wrote that the NCS-suggested name B次元官网网址楽pace for BelongingB次元官网网址� was intentionally chosen as it B次元官网网址渦nifies rather than divides.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e want each [student] to feel safe and supported and loved. An inclusive and neutral club name makes it easier for students who may be exploring their identity to be part of the group and not worry about othersB次元官网网址� perceptions,B次元官网网址� the superintendent wrote.
When asked specifically if the school recognized the club as a space for LGBTQ students, Suderman stated that it is a B次元官网网址渟upportive space for all students to meet, regardless of who they are.B次元官网网址�
The Provincial Health Services Authority defines queer-straight alliances or gender and sexuality alliances as groups that provide B次元官网网址渙pportunities for students of all gender identities to comes together in a safe environment,B次元官网网址� with a focus on raising awareness about the discriminatory challenges that LGBTQ people face based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
For Hill and Parsonage, having an appropriate name that reflects their community and signals B次元官网网址渁 safe spaceB次元官网网址� to other students is equally important, and doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean that students are gay when they walk through the door.
B次元官网网址淲e just want people to feel safe and welcome because at this point, we donB次元官网网址檛. WeB次元官网网址檙e hidden, weB次元官网网址檙e kind of forgotten about,B次元官网网址� Hill said. B次元官网网址淗aving a QSA at schools, especially religious schools, can help with suicidal ideations and mental health in students. I see it in my friends, knowing that theyB次元官网网址檙e not accepted. It causes horrible mental health declines B次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檙e getting to the point where itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a crisis.B次元官网网址�
published last year by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, analyzing teens aged 15-17, stated that when compared with cisgender-heterosexual adolescents, girls attracted to girls had triple the risk of attempting suicide, transgender adolescents had 7.6 times the risk, and youths questioning their sexual orientation had double the risk.
The executive director for BGC Central Vancouver Island, Karen Love, said her organization worked with children in the LGBTQ community when setting out to provide a peer-led support group for them.
B次元官网网址淭hat was one of the things we had asked B次元官网网址� if they wanted it to be named specifically for them and not a generic inclusive group. They just felt that it helped with their identity and they felt heard and they felt recognized,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t was very important to them.B次元官网网址�
Love said BGC has found that mental-health challenges among youths in the group B次元官网网址渁re exponentially growing.B次元官网网址�
In 2017, the Alberta legislature passed a bill stating that public and private school staff cannot prohibit nor discourage students from choosing B次元官网网址榞ay-straight allianceB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址榪ueer-straight allianceB次元官网网址� as club names. No such bill exists in B.C.; however, the B.C. Ministry of Education and Child CareB次元官网网址檚 sexual orientation and gender identity-inclusive policy stipulates that one of the goals to support diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions is to allow for visibility and recognition.
Although independent schools are required by the ministry to have anti-bullying policies in place, there is nothing in the Independent School Act regarding the schools and the formation or naming of school clubs. The ministry, however, does encourage independent schools to support SOGI initiatives.
Suderman wrote that Nanaimo Christian School doesnB次元官网网址檛 view its stance of the clubB次元官网网址檚 name as homophobic, saying the schoolB次元官网网址檚 inclusive practices go far beyond the names chosen for clubs. He also stated the school has sought feedback from LGBTQ students to remove barriers, and said staff receive training in sexual orientation and gender inclusion.
B次元官网网址淚 think that the message from the school is they care, but not really,B次元官网网址� said Juanita Parsonage, MaeciB次元官网网址檚 mother. B次元官网网址淭hey care, they love our kids, they want to accept them and they belong. But only kind of.B次元官网网址�
AnnaB次元官网网址檚 mother, Rebecca Hill, said her hope is that NCS parents and staff can navigate the complexities but still offer an appropriate space and name for students as they B次元官网网址渇igure it out.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎s a Christian parent, I see kids losing their faith because they feel they canB次元官网网址檛 find acceptance in the queer community and the faith community. And IB次元官网网址檓 not saying whether thatB次元官网网址檚 true or false, but thatB次元官网网址檚 a perception that creates a lot of turmoil,B次元官网网址� she said.
Anna Hill said she doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to leave and sacrifice her independent school education because of the club and name refusal, but having a QSA at NCS would make her B次元官网网址渘ot hate going to school every day.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e gone to the school for 10 years, I have amazing relationships with the teachers there, with my friends there, and I donB次元官网网址檛 want them to think that we hate them,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e want them to understand that what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing is wrong and they can change something and make people feel safe and comfortable going to the school and I think it would change a lot of things for people.B次元官网网址�
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