Growing up in a small farm town, gender and sexual identity were not common conversations in the community. There were of course those of us who were not afraid of the topic and were comfortable discussing it with those open enough to listen, but again, this was not the majority. I had the unique experience of moving to Toronto, Ontario straight after my high school graduation for theater school, where I was exposed to all types of people. I was raised in a very accepting household, and grew up with queer friends as someone who took dance, drama, and singing lessons at a very young age. However, my three years in Toronto taught me more about how personal and diverse gender and sexual identity are for people, than the 18 years I lived in my community. I watched as the friends I made explored their gender and sexual identity, from identifying as “cisgender”, to bisexual, lesbian/gay, non-binary, and trans. We constantly had open discussions about how they came to these personal awakenings, how liberated they felt by their discoveries, and about how complex the human experience is. Unfortunately, there were also many stories about the mistreatment and abuse they faced as 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
According to the 2015 Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, “Generally speaking, Canadian youth and young adults are healthy and highly resilient, and most are successfully making the transition to adulthood. But not everyone is flourishing…Sexual [and gender] minority youth are at a much higher risk of experiencing harassment, victimization and physical or sexual violence, both in school and in the community….Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and young adults are also more likely to commit suicide (PHAC, 2011, pp. i, 2).” pg. 7. When educators fail to discuss gender and sexual identity in school, it negatively affects our 2SLGBTQ+ in a multitude of ways. Students who may not have previous exposure and relationships with these individuals may create discriminatory biases towards them. When we don’t understand something, we grow to fear it, and that is exactly what is happening in these cases. This is why it is so important to teach topics such as the difference between gender and sex, what it means when someone identifies as non-binary, etc. By taking away the unknowns, they can begin to ask questions and learn in a safe and supported environment. Without proper sexual education (like we have now) discussing these important topics, we will continue on a path where homophobia, transphobia, biphobia and oppression towards queer and trans people are seen with a blind eye. Unless we are actively fighting for our 2SLGBTQ+ students to feel safe and supported in our schools and community, then we are aiding in their oppression.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education 2015
Hi Madison, I also grew up in a small town and was not familiar with gender and sexual identity as that was never talked about and we were never taught about it. I am glad you had the opportunity to move out of your comfort zone in a small town and be open to different learning experiences on this specific topic.
Hey Madison! Your perspective on gender and sexual identity is so important, thank you for sharing. What is one thing you think every teacher should be doing to include different genders, sexualities and perspectives in the curriculum? I love seeing you are so passionate about this topic.
Your discussions and perspectives on queer identity are very well put together and presented. How would you encourage teachers to interact with the queer communities around them to help further educate themselves?
Hi Madison,
I also grew up in a small town where things like gender and sexuality was not something that was overly discussed. I am glad that you had the opportunity to expand your knowledge. As someone who was able to branch out of the small town biases, what is one thing you would tell future teachers who have little life experience with things such and gender and sexuality?