[van-announce] Fw: [TransVancouver] Queer Friendly Schools Conference

[Tami Starlight]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Tami 
To: TransVancouver at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 12:34 AM
Subject: [TransVancouver] Queer Friendly Schools Conference


***********************

Queer Friendly Schools Conference
Friday, October 22, 2004
Vancouver, B.C.

A national call for photographs, images or artwork reflecting the 
diversity of LGBTQ education and culture in Canada.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, and queer (LGBTQ) 
community in Canada has a rich and diverse history represented by 
significant periods of social change and activism. The first wave of 
change drew upon the experiences of our feminist sisters and was 
marked by the increasing visibility, organization, and mobilization 
of LGBTQ individuals and community groups. The second wave witnessed 
the building of coalitions and the quest for the rights and 
recognition of LGBTQ equality through the Courts. Now, we are 
entering into what Ryan (2003) defines as perhaps the most important 
wave - attitudinal change. 

The Surrey Teachers' Association (2000) states "Schools remain one 
of the last bastions of tolerated hatred toward GLBT people." 
Increasingly, LGBTQ youth, teachers, and allied educators across 
Canada have become more and more visible and vocal in their attempts 
to address homophobia as one of the last acceptable forms of 
discrimination in schools. Significant progress is being made. 

· 2002 - Teenager Marc Hall stands up and fights for his right to 
take his boyfriend to his Catholic high school prom. 

· 2003 - The Alberta Teachers' Association becomes the first 
educational association in Canada to include gender identity as a 
protected ground of discrimination in their Code of Professional 
Conduct.

· 2004 - Joining the precedent set by the Quebec National Assembly, 
the Canadian Teachers' Federation, the British Columbia Teachers' 
Federation, Gay and Lesbian Educators of British Columbia, the 
Surrey Teachers' Association, and the Vancouver School Board all 
endorsed June 2, 2004 as a National Day Against Homophobia. 

These and many other initiatives represent significant steps forward 
on the road to LGBTQ inclusion in Canadian schools and communities. 
Unfortunately, many of our schools across the nation are still 
hostile environments for LGBTQ students and teachers. Ryan (2003) 
describes these school environments as closets that are "built out 
of a desire for survival and protection." Some LGBTQ youth are lucky 
and survive these closets of oppression. Increasingly, many of these 
youth are moving beyond a legacy of simply trying to survive and are 
learning to thrive in their schools due to the support of their 
parents, committed educators, and gay-straight student alliances. 
Unfortunately, many LGBTQ youth who do not have these important 
sources of support end up dropping out, tuning off, or in tragic 
circumstances commit suicide. 
Confronting homophobia and heterosexism is every educator's 
responsibility. We will not have inclusive and welcoming schools 
until every student and every teacher feels safe and valued for 
their individual uniqueness.

Clearly, we have come a long way as an LGBTQ community. Through our 
human rights and legal victories in the Courts we have taken 
significant steps on the road to inclusion. Yet, we still have a 
long and challenging path that lies before us. We each travel 
different roads along that pathway. 

Some of us walk alone with our memories in silence.
Some of us walk together holding the hands of our friends, families, 
and allies.
Some of us walk to remember those we have lost, but not forgotten. 
Some of us walk for those who have come before us and for those who 
will come    
  after us with the dream of a hopeful future of endless 
possibilities.

No matter what road we travel or path we walk, each journey begins 
with a single step. 

As a part of that journey and in preparation for the 2004 Vancouver 
School Board Queer Friendly Schools Conference, we are collecting 
diverse and unique images that represent waypoints along the road to 
inclusion.

These images will be incorporated into a visual narrative multi-
media presentation for the conference's opening keynote 
presentation. 

Pictures, images or artwork might include any of the following 
themes:


- gay-straight student alliances
- pride/celebrations 
- images of resiliency, hope, and possibility
- grass roots community activism
- determination and commitment
- allies & alliances 
- LGBTQ community youth groups
- narratives of school
- families we choose
- friendship
- remembrance 
- resist-stance
- overcoming barriers
- celebrating accomplishments



Please send us your images and a short description or story to help 
inspire, motivate, and fortify our deliberations as we gather 
together at this important educational event to imagine the road to 
inclusion and the possibility for Queer Friendly Schools.

Photographs, images or other creative works may be sent to:

Kristopher Wells
7-104 Department of Educational Policy Studies,
Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G5
kwells at ualberta.ca 

All submissions will be returned upon request. 





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