1. Creating inclusive schools for gender and sexually diverse students
fYrefly Saskatchewan
Suzy Yim, MSW

2. fYrefly Saskatchewan
Describe each program briefly

3. fostering Youth resiliency energy fun leadership yeah!
fYrefly stands for:

4. What is ?
Canada’s largest, volunteer-based, summer leadership retreat for LGBTQ+ and allied youth
Ages 14-24

5. What is ? An educational, social, and personal learning retreat
Helps youth develop the leadership skills and resiliency necessary for them to become change agents in their schools, families, and communities

6. What is ?
Employs a youth engagement model, encouraging young leaders to take charge of services for youth
Run by a team of youth and adult camp leaders

7. What is ? Artist-in-residence
Inspiring creativity and challenging oppression through art

8. What is ? Celebrating identities
Confronting bias, stereotypes, bullying and discrimination
Coming out and embracing one’s identities
Celebrating complex, unique, intersecting identities

9. What is ? Leadership skill development
Self-esteem and resiliency building
Career café with role models
Financial literacy
Special recognition for attending leadership track workshops

10. What is ? Holistic health Fitness, nutrition, exercise
Negotiating healthy relationships
Youth health and safety
Self-care and nurturing ourselves

11. What is ? Expressive arts Challenging oppression through art
Participatory drama and dance
Gender expression through drag

12. What is ? Community Youth networking
Anti-oppression and community activism
Creating safer schools
Information session for family and loved ones

13. What is fYrefly in Schools?
Provides informative workshops, training and consultation on sexual and gender diversity, focusing on enhancing inclusion of GSD in the school system

14. Working with educators
Training and consultation for teachers and administrators offer both theoretical and practical tools for ensuring teaching and learning environments are reflective and supportive of student diversity.

15. fYrefly in Schools video

16. Workshops for youth
Workshops for youth seek to increase student awareness of GSD and promote safe and respectful school communities

17. Workshops for youth Youth engagement
Workshops are fun, interactive, informative, and designed for youth
Youth empowerment
Youth peer educators share stories of how LGBTQ+ issues have impacted their lives

18. Workshops for youth Terminology Debunking assumptions and stereotypes
Impacts of homo/transphobia
Stories from youth educators
Q&A

19. Youth peer educators
Volunteers are years old, identify as LGBTQ+ or allies, and seek to make a difference for GSD youth in Saskatchewan

21. #hearourstory Aeryn’s story
How does our work as educators impact these stories?
How do we work with students so they feel welcomed, safe and ready to learn?
Feedback from students on their role as educators on impacting these stories

22. GSD 101: The basics Language and terminology
Complicating sex and gender
Practicing with pronouns

23. Terminology Matching game handout
Ask if they have any questions or if any terms are new to them

24. More than the rainbow??

25. Sex vs. gender

26. What does it mean to be transgender?

27. #hearourstory Judy’s story Wren’s story Bill C-279
This enactment amends the Canadian Human Rights Act to include gender identity as a prohibited ground of discrimination.
It also amends the Criminal Code to include gender identity as a distinguishing characteristic protected under section 318 and as an aggravating circumstance to be taken into consideration under section at the time of sentencing.

28. Handout: ask participants to map their gender and sexual orientation on this chart

29. Mapping your gender and sexual orientation
Have you ever questioned your gender or sexual orientation map?
Was this difficult to complete?
Did anything surprise you?
Has your gender map changed over time?
Reflection

30. Hanne Gaby Odiele What it’s like to be intersex
Intersexy!
Hanne Gaby Odiele What it’s like to be intersex

31. Practicing pronouns
Get into pairs and practice the four gender neutral pronouns
Read all of the sentences in the black
Try to make your own sentence:
Suzy came to share zir experience working with GSD youth. Ze is excited to be here.

32. Practicing pronouns
Suzy came to share ____ experience working with GSD youth. ____ is excited to be here.
Was that difficult? Did it feel awkward?
Using gender neutral pronouns will become easier and more natural with time. Practice helps!
We need to unlearn to relearn; it feels awkward because generally, we don’t even think about pronouns, we just say them

33. Creating inclusive schools
Understanding the experiences of GSD students
Comprehensive School Community Health approach to inclusive education
Being an ally

34. How does GSD impact my classroom?
To understand how to best serve our students, we must understand their experiences

35. “The worst thing about homophobia in my school is knowing that the teachers won’t stop it.”
- SK Girl Grade 9

36. Homophobic/transphobic language
Homophobic and transphobic remarks represent the most frequently heard derogatory remarks in school, yet are the least responded to
The majority of teachers say they will always intervene when they hear homophobic or transphobic comments
Teachers see themselves as less effective at addressing transphobia than homophobia
Taylor, C. & Peter, T., with McMinn, T.L., Schachter, K., Beldom, S., Ferry, A., Gross, Z., & Paquin, S. (2011). Every class in every school: The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools. Final report. Toronto, ON: Egale Canada Human Rights Trust.
Inaction signals acceptance

37. Homophobic/transphobic language
_____ hear negative expressions such as “that’s so gay” daily
_____ hear pejorative terms such as “faggot” used daily
_____ report hearing persistent homophobic comments from their teachers
70%
48%
10%
Explain the porcupine game
Taylor, C. & Peter, T., with McMinn, T.L., Schachter, K., Beldom, S., Ferry, A., Gross, Z., & Paquin, S. (2011). Every class in every school: The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools. Final report. Toronto, ON: Egale Canada Human Rights Trust.

38. Internalizing homophobic/ transphobic language

39. Safety ____ of LGBTQ students report feeling unsafe at school
____ of LGBTQ students report being physically harassed or assaulted due to their sexual orientation
____ of transgendered students report verbal harassment based on their gender expression
64%
21%
74%
A staggering 64% of LGBTQ students report feeling unsafe at school
Taylor, C. & Peter, T., with McMinn, T.L., Schachter, K., Beldom, S., Ferry, A., Gross, Z., & Paquin, S. (2011). Every class in every school: The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools. Final report. Toronto, ON: Egale Canada Human Rights Trust.

40. Safety
97% of educators considered their schools to be safe but when asked about LGBTQ safety the percentage dropped

41. Safety Why aren’t teachers responding?
The Every Teacher Project: On lgbtq-inclusive education in Canada's k-12 schools
183 teachers from SK responded (6% of the sample)

42. Mental health ____ of LGBTQ youth report low emotional health
____ of trans youth have seriously considered suicide in the previous year
____ of LGBQ youth have attempted suicide, compared to 4% of heterosexual youth
51%
47%
28%
51% of LGBTQ youth report low emotional health
Suicide rate is 7x higher for LGBTQ youth
Yau, M., Rosolen, L., & Archer, B. (2013) student and parent census: TDSB students (grades 7-12): Emotional well-being (part 1 of 2) (Census Fact Sheet: Issue 2). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Toronto District School Board.
In British Columbia, the 2008 Adolescent Health Survey (AHS) of students in Grades 7 to 12 found that 28% of LGB youth attempted suicide compared to 4% of heterosexual youth.
Poulin, C. & Elliot, D. (2009). A Picture of Health - Highlights from the 2008 BC Adolescent Health Survey. (Vancouver: McCreary Centre Society).
In an Ontario study of trans (including transsexual, transgender and other gender-variant) youth aged 16 to 24 years, almost half (47%) reported having seriously considered suicide in the previous year and one-fifth (19%) attempted suicide
Trans PULSE. (n.d.). The Trans PULSE Project: Overview. Retrieved on April 27, 2011, from transpulse.ca/aboutTransPulse.html#A4Footnote
Trans PULSE. (2010). Ontario's Trans Communities and Suicide: Transphobia is Bad for Our Health. Trans PULSE E-Bulletin, 1(2).
20 to 30 per cent of transgender youth have attempted suicide
PHAC

43. Mental health
____ of teachers who reported being aware of harassment were also aware of the harassment leading to self-harming behaviours among LGBTQ students
55%

44. Health and social outcomes
LGBTQ students are LESS likely to:
feel accepted at school
feel positive about school
feel supported about their teachers
complete school
apply for postsecondary school
identify as physically healthy

45. How do I create a classroom environment that includes and supports the identities of all students?

46. The Every Teacher Project
“When asked what school safety required, almost ¾ of educators selected inclusion (e.g., through curriculum, school clubs and events, and policy) rather than regulation of behaviour.”

47. Ministry of Education Deepening the Discussion: Gender and Sexual Diversity

48. Comprehensive School Community Health approach to inclusive schools
supporting student success while addressing school community health in a planned, integrated and holistic way

50. CSCH: high-quality teaching and learning
Creating Gender Inclusive Schools (Trailer)

51. CSCH: high-quality teaching and learning
Validate students’ identities
Use gender-inclusive and non-heterosexist language
Avoid situations that force students to make gendered choices
Sharing indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing

52. CSCH: high-quality teaching and learning
Respectful, age-appropriate inclusion of LGBTQ content in curriculum
Evaluate the resources you use
Provide informal learning opportunities
Create opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking
Participate in professional development

53. CSCH: high-quality teaching and learning
Know the provincial curricula and where and how identity, privilege, oppression, equity, GSD, etc. are addressed
Gr. 1 – In what ways are families similar or different? What is a family? What makes a family special?
Gr. 3 – What is a stereotype? Where do we see stereotypes? What can be done to change them?
Gr. 5 – Where do our beliefs come from? Are they fair, just, moral?
Gr. 8 – Critical thinking: when is it necessary to question the status quo?
Gr. 10 – What is my role and responsibility in addressing inequalities?

55. CSCH: healthy physical and social environments
A welcoming, caring and inclusive environment
Anti-oppressive visuals
GSAs/Alliances for gender and sexual diversity
Gender neutral bathrooms
Alliances for GSD can become:
Safe Places
Supportive Spaces
Activist Areas

57. CSCH: healthy physical and social environments
Healthy relationships and involvement among staff, students and community
Active student participation
Informal role modelling and peer support
Know how to respond supportively when a student discloses their sexual orientation and/or gender identity

59. Ministry of Education Policy Statement (2015)
In accordance, the Government of Saskatchewan opposes all forms of prejudice, bullying and discrimination on the basis of students’ and/or teachers actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Policy Statement:
The Ministry of Education encourages and supports school division discussions, policy development and safe school practices for all students.
The ministry expects that all school divisions will respond positively to students’ requests to establish a student alliance for gender and sexual diversity in their school.
In the event any student’s request for an alliance is denied, the ministry will work with the school division to ensure that the needs of each individual student are being met.

60. SHSAA Bylaw (2016)
Student-Athlete Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
8. a) Any student, staff, coach, manager, trainer or other persons who identify as gender and/or sexually diverse may participate fully and safely in all SHSAA activities; this includes but is not limited to those who are, or who are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, queer, or questioning.
b) Any student may participate fully and safely in sex-separated sport activities in accordance with their lived gender identity.
c) Any student who identifies as unspecified must choose the gender with which they will participate.

61. CSCH: effective policy
Generic safe school policies are insufficient in improving the school climate for GSD students
Only 30% of educators felt their schools responded effectively to incidents of HBTP harassment

62. Anti-homophobia/transphobia policies

63. Anti-homophobia/transphobia policies

64. Anti-homophobia/transphobia policies

65. Anti-homophobia/transphobia policies

66. Anti-homophobia/transphobia policies

68. CSCH: family and community engagement
Working with School Community Councils and school boards
Community involvement in policy development and implementation
Connection to GSD resources in the community
Depending upon community norms and perceptions, gender and sexual diversity (GSD) may be perceived as controversial for some people while accepted without question by others.
Communication built on misinformation, or absence of information, often reinforces assumptions or stereotypes that create distance between schools, families and students. If communication is responsive and respectful, school-family communication can provide an opportunity to live out the values of inclusiveness and equity, which are really at the heart of student well-being and success.

69. Being an effective ally

70. Being an Ally
Example of man at outreach “the world would be a better place if people were more like me”
Vs. Katryna who found 2S people coming to her and identifying her as an ally

71. 1. Understand your privilege
Critically analyze how privilege and oppression shape your experiences and the experiences of others
Understand heterosexism and cissexism
Understand how other privileged identities (race, SES, religion, ability) can impact the LGBTQ experience

72. 2. Listen, and do your homework
Listen to your students
Listen to their experiences and needs
Learn and use the language they identify with
Understand gender

73. 2. Listen, and do your homework
Deepening the Discussion
Every Class in Every School
The Every Teacher Project
Resources and programs:

74. 3. Speak up, not over
Create environments where students can hold each other accountable
Stop harassment when you see it
1. Stop the harassment
“Ashley, stop and think before you speak”
2. Identify the harassment
“You just made a transphobic comment.”
3. Broaden the response
“We don’t use transphobic language at this school”
4. Ask for and monitor change in future behaviour
“It doesn’t matter if you were ‘only kidding,’ it is still harassment. If this continues, I will take further action.”
1. Stop the harassment
Personalize the response: “Ashley, stop and think before you speak”
Make your comments heard, don’t pull the student aside unless necessary
2. Identify the harassment
Label the form of harassment: “You just made a transphobic comment.”
Do not imply that the victim is a member of an identifiable group
3. Broaden the response.
Use responses like: “We don’t use put-downs at this school” to specifically include those listening, as well as the school community in general
Re-identify the offensive behaviour. “This name-calling can also be hurtful to the others who overhear it.”
4. Ask for and monitor change in future behaviour
Turn the focus to the behaviour of the harasser, asking for accountability. “It doesn’t matter if you were ‘only kidding,’ it is still harassment.”
Check in with the victim. “If this continues, please tell me and I will take further action. We want everyone to be safe at this school.” Be sure not to treat the victim as helpless or a member of any target group.

75. 3. Speak up, not over Use GSD-inclusive content in teaching
Allow opportunities for students to speak up and take leadership of GSD discussions
If you advise a GSA, ensure it is student-informed and student-led

76. 4. Apologize and correct your mistakes
Encourage students to correct you and hold you accountable
Thank students for correcting you and holding you accountable

77. 5. Ally is a verb
Active engagement in creating safer spaces

78. Resources Suzy Yim, MSW suzy.yim@uregina.ca Research:
Every Class in Every School
The Every Teacher Project
Ministry of Education documents:
Deepening the Discussion
Comprehensive School Community Health
Websites:
Trans Student Educational Resource
Gender Spectrum
Community resources:
fYrefly Saskatchewan
OUTSaskatoon
Trans Umbrella Foundation
TransSask
Suzy Yim, MSW
Kyla and Suzy
Evaluations