RMCLA GSAs- Lauren White
Hello. It is such an honour to be presenting here today. Thank you to the Rocky Mountain Civil
Liberties Association. My name is Lauren White, and I am a straight ally living here in
Edmonton. I am in grade 11 and am an honours student attending St. Joseph’s Catholic High
School, where I am also a member of the Creativity- Action- Service program, Social Justice
Club, and Improv Team. I am only 16, and not a lawyer. I can’t tell you things about how Section
6.8 correlates to the fifth paragraph of section 3.6 of the Charter and how that violates the
seventieth paragraph of this agreement. But I can tell you how I feel, as an Albertan student,
towards this issue. I can tell you how we feel, being directly affected by the outcome of this
debate.
A couple of months ago, I was on Facebook before going to bed. My friend had posted a link to
Paula Simon’s Edmonton Journal article outlining the injustices youth are facing at Archbishop
Joseph MacNeil by being denied a Gay- Straight Alliance at their school. I read several more
articles, sources, and studies. I couldn’t sleep. An issue like this feels so out of the times. We
are in 2015. Why are support groups for a serious issue being debated when they should be a
right? I started an online petition on change.org.
On it, I note that:
Debbie Engel, the chair of the Edmonton Catholic School Board, claims that Catholic schools
have zero tolerance concerning homophobia. However, they will not support Gay- Straight
Alliance clubs in schools because according to Ms. Engel, “we truly truly believe that we don’t
want to have any club that excludes anyone else. We forbid any kind of club that doesn’t include
all.” However, most students are either gay or straight, meaning most students would be able to
join these clubs. GSAs encourage respect and promote understanding.
“We just don’t see the need to have them. Then do we have a club for fat kids and skinny kids?
For smarty kids?,” Ms. Engel says. However, unlike discrimination against "smarty kids,"
discrimination against LGBT youth leads to relatively and terrifyingly high bullying and suicide
rates.
Since it’s kickoff in early December, the petition has gathered hundreds of signatures and lots of
media attention. The goal of the petition is in favour of Bill 202, and for Bill 10 to be discarded.
A survey and study was conducted last year by researchers at the University of British
Colombia, and the results weren’t surprising.
In schools with gay-straight alliances implemented three or more years ago:
The odds of homophobic discrimination and suicidal thoughts were reduced by more than half
among lesbian, gay, and bisexual boys and girls compared to schools with no GSA.
AND
Heterosexual boys were half as likely to attempt suicide as those in schools without GSAs.
In schools where anti-homophobic policies have been in place for more than three years:
The odds of suicidal thoughts and attempts for gay and bisexual boys were more than 70 per
cent lower. Suicide attempts among lesbian and bisexual girls were two-thirds lower.
Heterosexual boys had 27 per cent lower odds of suicidal thoughts than heterosexual boys in
schools without such policies.
From this study, Albertans can conclude that Gay- Straight Alliances in our schools would be
beneficial- not to an exclusive group of students, but to gay students, straight students, and
others. Anybody can join a GSA. They are not exclusive, and they do not only serve LGBTQ
students. They provide a foundation of understanding and acceptance for all students and all
sexualities in schools. A straight student like myself would benefit from a GSA because I would
be able to learn about how to better support and stand up for my LGBTQ friends. Maybe over
the years, I would come back to St. Joseph and as I would walk down the halls, I’d no longer
hear things like “that’s so gay.”
However, GSAs have to be obtained in the right fashion. Bill 10 proposes that students can
have a GSA club, but off property. The denial of a GSA on school property further alienates
LGBTQ youth, and can make those participating in a GSA club believe that their school is not
supportive, or even is ashamed to have their club held on school property. This is not right.
I go to a Catholic school. We have an All Inclusive School Act, stating that activities and studies
must provide a holistic environment for students.
A Catholic school provides a holistic environment in that it regularly has religious celebrations
and assemblies. Our school, St. Joseph, is constantly organizing service trips to exemplify the
values Jesus has set out for us. We have a chapel, mass every Wednesday at lunch, a religion
floor with bibles, teachers, and resources… And of course, every student takes religion class.
Would having a GSA be so tarnishing to our school that it would no longer be considered
“holistic?” Jesus has said, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another." I believe that GSAs are one of the best ways to act on this teaching, especially in an
age of discrimination against LGBTQ youth. While maintaining a holistic environment, Catholic
schools should also encourage public values, as they are publicly funded. If the majority of
Albertans want GSAs in all schools, the Catholic school board should take that into serious
consideration.
One of my friends, who has been openly gay for four years, goes to mass twice a week- once at
school and once on Sundays. He is a leader on our school’s SALT group, a Christian club run
by one of our religion teachers. He told me, “Jesus Christ never mentions homosexuality ever.
As a matter of fact, He says the greatest commandments are to love your neighbour, which is
the exact purpose of a GSA- to foster a community of welcoming and love to those who need it.
My faith has never been compromised by my sexuality and rather both have grown side by
side.”
The Catholic school system is great. I have been a part of it throughout my education. I have
had amazing experiences with it, and have met incredible teachers, administration, and friends.
I have talked to Debbie Engel. I know that both she and the Catholic School Board are
understanding. I just believe they are misguided on the issue. Edmonton Catholic School trustee
Patricia Grell even has said that after investigation she “learned that they are not sex groups or
dating clubs but ‘identity clubs’ for students who identify as LGBTQ and their straight friends.”
Not to mention the recent survey conducted through Leger research, which concluded that 52%
of Albertan Catholics were in favour of GSAs in our schools. 30% didn’t mind. Only 18% were
opposed.
Let’s end the negative connotations Catholics have with the LGBTQ community. Let’s prove
how open- minded and respectful Catholics and Christians really are.
I was told, for perspective, that our school can’t just have a “black club” and let white people join
as well. However, we do have many cultural clubs at our school. We are very proud of our FNMI
education program. And, if students really wanted it, what is stopping us from having an African
Canadian culture club? How different is it from our girls- only division of our school? Our English
Language Learner’s classes? Our sports teams- where if you are not good enough, you don’t
play? From a GSA?
In the short term, I hope my petition contributes to Bill 10 being discarded. I believe it is
discriminatory and not needed in our schools. I want to see Bill 202 put into legislation. In 2015,
MLAs shouldn’t even have to propose things as basic and necessary as this.
A long term hope I have is for Albertan schools to be a safe and inclusive environment for youth.
I hope that years from now, children will look back and think about how discrimination like this
ever occurred. I hope that they can’t imagine that, had they lived in this time, they would hear
stories of their peers committing suicide after facing prejudice for something as common as
being gay. I hope they look back at discrimination against LGBTQ youth as we today look back
at a time of oppression against women… at a time where if you were black, you couldn’t vote.
I hope stories like this are never written again, but constantly heard, and reminding us of a time
of inequality for LGBTQ people:
Having read ECSD's position about GSAs, I was puzzled. GSAs are to promote a safe and
positive environment for all, they are to raise awareness about issues often brushed aside, and
to give people access to information and resources they may not have previously been aware
of. All are welcome to join GSAs, they are not clubs exclusive to members of LGBTQ. While
everyone is welcome to join, at no point is anyone forced participate. My school healthily
promotes women's rights all the time, why are LGBTQ rights any different?
Albertan schools need Gay-Straight Alliances for students everywhere. Please help us.