Canadian Ad Confuses Me

As a child growing up in a backwater 60 miles from my current home in Philadelphia, I was confused. I was confused as to why I had that “thing” between my legs. I was confused as to why I couldn’t get hormones and transition much younger. And this continued from adolescence into young adulthood. I was confused as to why I had to be a boy but I just learned to accept it until my mid-20s, when I finally said “frack it, I’m going to be what I’ve always wanted to be, and damn the torpedos.” I did not have the benefit of being a participant in trans-competent institutions, and I do not know how my former boarding school in Madison, Connecticut would handle students in transition.

But children in Ontario will get what I never had and maybe, a handful of those students will finally muster the courage I never had and be able to articulate their needs in a safe positive manner. But the religious right in Canada (which, unlike the powerful American megachurces, are just a bunch of underfunded white malcontents in rural Alberta who have very little political power and everybody laughs at them while double-fisting a Tim Horton’s Double Double and Labatt Blue and watching Hockey Night in Canada) managed to scrape enough funds to put out this rather confusing ad, which was published in the National Post:

A few things come to mind with this advertisement, which was based on a diversity curriculum for Toronto’s schools.

1) That girl in the photograph may end up being a straight cisgender female, and we are all cool with that. However, she could end up being a lesbian or bisexual, or “she” could be “he” or “ze” or “hir” or “they.” It is not my position to say what this child’s true sexuality or gender identity is. And if appearing in this ad causes this child a lot of shame down the road and they end up ending their life because of it, the Institute For Canadian Values will have blood on their hands they will never be able to wash off.

2) They mention the term two-spirit in this ad. Now, I can’t say that Canada’s treatment of its indigenous peoples were much better than the US, but most Americans scratch their head at that terminology. As a part-Native American transgender, I consider myself two-spirit, and the fact that the ICV said that two spiritism should not be taught as part of a diversity curriculum is offensive and only seeks to force Judeo-Christian values on cultures that may not have had the same view of gender as their European conquerors.

3) It may seem like allowing students to not take part in this if their parents object is a reasonable compromise. However, with sound medical and social science backing the existence and human rights of sexual and gender minorities, and with the countless suicides that have happened, I believe that the right for a student to be informed about sexual and gender minorities early on, whether to effectively teach them to be an ally or to support them if they come out trumps the right of a few bigots to censor this important information.

Of course, this reminds me of recent events right here in Pennsylvania, where the Bangor Area School District in Northampton County (near-ish Allentown) tried to put obstacles against the formation of a Queer Straight Alliance:

Clearly frustrated board members made it clear permission slips of that nature were against the advice of Solicitor Donald Spry and would potentially leave the district open to lawsuits. Director Pam Colton originally seconded the motion, but withdrew it after a closed-door session.

Addessi blasted that suggestion last week, saying the requirement would endanger gay students in hostile home environments.

Thankfully, the QSA will go forward as intended, and the article drove home the point.

4) The poster also mentions that teachers are not allowed to refuse to participate in LGBTQ competent education on the basis of religious freedom. Well, teachers in Canada, like in American, draw their salaries from TAXPAYER DOLLARS. Do we want our tax dollars funding bigots, HELL NO!!! The student’s right to a human rights education TRUMPS the teachers personal beliefs; if they want to scream that us ‘homos” and “trannies” are going to hell, they should keep their shit in their bedroom and away from little ears, where it belongs.

The TSDB’s curriculum statement says it best:

While the TDSB works to create a school system free from religious discrimination, this freedom is not absolute. The TDSB will limit practices or conduct in its schools that may put public safety, health, or the human rights and freedoms of others at risk.

Anywhere in the world that grants religious freedom, there are reasonable restrictions. For example, it is a reasonable accomodation to allow Muslim students to wear religious headgear, but it is unreasonable for students to disembowel animals on school premises, even if they claim their religion calls for it.

5) The poster also mentions role playing activities, which, if done right, could allow for breaking down gender stereotypes at a young age.

6) All the Toronto District School Board (where the quotes are coming from) wants for the children is to be more accepting of others and, if the child is a part of a sexual or gender minority, to be able to come out in a safe environment. There’s no forcing of children to wear assless chaps or screenings of kinky gay porn or teaching kids about leather, cool wip, and chains, or forcing them into a sexual orientation and gender identity they don’t want to be. I could have benefited from this type of education, however, South Jersey in the early 1990s (and even now in some areas), was no place to be queer, especially trans.

7) There should be a Pride Parade in every school once a year. Of course, kids are too young for the risqueness that sometimes accompanies the regular pride parades, but there is a lot that can be done that could still be G-rated.

8) I can understand why there would be a reluctance to address issues that may be “controversial,” and it needs to be done in an appropriate manner, but I believe if controversial issues are introduced in the right way, it will teach our children civic engagement, which is sorely lacking.

9) In many of the quotes above, the Toronto school board is simply following what provincial, national, and municipal laws are applicable. This makes it look like the ICV is shooting the messenger.

The Post ran an apology for the ad, and furthermore states that it would donate all proceeds to queer endeavours:

Earlier this week the National Post ran an advertisement that has caused some controversy. The ad, bought by the Institute for Canadian Values, argued against aspects of the Ontario school curriculum that include instruction about certain aspects of human sexuality. Specifically, it objected to teaching young children — those between junior kindergarten and Grade 3 — about transsexual/transgender/intersexed/two-spirited issues.

The National Post has procedures in place for vetting the content of advertising, especially advocacy advertising. The procedures are intended to ensure that such ads meet a standard of tone and respect that is consistent with furthering constructive dialogue about important public policy issues.

In this case, those procedures were not followed. An ad that should not have run in its proposed form was allowed to run.

This ad will not run in the National Post again.

This ad had its advocates, most notably, conservative legislator Tim Hudak. However, the Globe and Mail calls his bluff:

Still, the PC flyer warns parents against classrooms that would introduce concepts such as “cross dressing for six year olds” and “reclaiming Valentine’s Day [by celebrating] sexual diversity with a kissing booth.”

The statements aren’t based on what was proposed, however. The Valentine’s Day example was an idea to give chocolates to students who complete a “school climate” survey. As for cross-dressing, the Liberals said “there is no such thing.” The page cited in the PC flyer is a list of “Significant International” gay and lesbian individuals, including Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, Virginia Woolf and Harvey Milk.

I would NEVER sanction forced crossdressing, no matter what, and the TDSB would agree also, so would other entities as well. Plus, the people who are included as famous LGBT people aren’t perverts by any means, they are people who are highly visible, yet the right thinks that these people are involved with “trap” porn.

Furthermore, the TSDB decided to include LGBTQ red-letter days in its curriculum, to similar controversy, as Canadian trans blogger Mercedes Allen illustrates.

Similar outrage was raised over TDSB’s Days of Significance 2011-2012 calendar, since it noted days like the Transgender Day of Remembrance and the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers… along with the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, Feast of the Theophany and nearly a hundred other Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Baha’i, UN, Orthodox, Shinto and other holidays or commemorative occasions. This calendar is provided for teachers’ reference, and “is a collection of dates that are notable for either equity or educational focus, recognized by the United Nations, the Federal Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and the Multifaith Council of Ontario.” In other words, kids aren’t required to learn about them, but teachers have the reference, in case they become noteworthy during relevant subjects or current events. But that doesn’t stop SunTV and radio personality Charles Adler from whining that the campaign against bullying is only about “name calling and hurt feelings,” and fearmongering the idea that this will somehow be used to educate students to become trans sex workers (either that or else emotionally scarred by them — I haven’t been able to determine which).

Which brings it back home to Philadelphia; in 2007, there was an attempt at an LGBTIQ history month that ended up failing due to lack of interest, and thus, lack of pushback when more conservative parents went before the School Reform Commission to complain. It’s good to have policies, but one thing needed for everlasting change is for tolerance to happen from the ground up.