More from Canada, in a story that illustrates an undercurrent of homophobia that still exists in what’s considered by many the world over as a model in the advancement of gay rights and equality.
Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) student Brock Doiron, 17, has been trying to start a gay-straight alliance (GSA) group at his school all year, but the board has made it abundantly clear that being gay is not something you talk openly about.
“My school is not very open,” says Doiron, a Grade 12 student at Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School in Milton.“Most kids just don’t come out. They’re afraid. When I came out in Grade 9, I was bullied pretty bad. It would have been really nice to have a GSA for support.”
Doiron even considered transferring out of the HCDSB but decided instead to stay and help make the school a more welcoming place for future gay kids.
Since Halton has banned GSAs, Doiron is now trying to start Project Harmony, an anti-discrimination group where students can talk about racism, sexism and homophobia. In some Catholic boards in Ontario, students can form groups that are gay-positive, but they can't have the word “gay” in the title, a loophole some people have called a sort of Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
1 comment:
Really it's time to sack the school board.
Post a Comment