LGBT youth have RR addresses, too
BY Jennifer O’Connor
Illustration by Evan Munday
For more than two years in a rural Ontario community of 2,000, a group of students at Fenelon Falls Secondary School has been meeting regularly to promote awareness of queer issues through a gay-straight alliance (GSA).
Niki Madore, one of the groups founding members, says she got involved because she wanted to help a friend who had recently come out to her. And despite the stereotype of small communities being less tolerant of homosexuality (not to mention kids well-known propensity for teasing), the group has not been controversial.
Last year, a lunchtime survey found that 94 percent of students either supported or were neutral about the GSA, and the groups advocacy seems to be changing some students attitudes. Although she says harassment still happens, Madore finds shes hearing far fewer homophobic slurs in the hallways.
Its a better atmosphere, she says, adding that before, If you called somebody a faggot it didnt matter, so we just addressed that, and we had the teachers keep an eye out and actually talk to the students who were saying these things. At Fenelon Falls, the GSA meets during lunch hour, and attendance has varied from about six to 20. The group has had guest speakers, watched films and taken part in the Day of Silence, a student action to protest discrimination.
Last June, the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line (an Ontario-wide service) gave the GSA an award for Outstanding Contribution to Queer Youth Activism by a Community Group. Its particularly important that grassroots organizations be developed in rural areas, says Philip Wong, executive director of the Youth Line. We can do outreach and promotional campaigns but a sense of welcome and safety coming from your community is a powerful thing.
While Wong sees the number of GSAs exploding, he still finds that theyre mainly in urban areas.
For her part, Madore is proud to be a part of the group at Fenelon Falls, Im an activist, she says. I can say Ive actually gone out and Ive done something to help somebody.
