Creating inclusive schools for gender and sexually diverse students

1. Creating inclusive schools for gender and sexually diverse students fYrefly Saskatchewan Suzy Yim, MSW suzy.yim@uregina.ca

2. fYrefly Saskatchewan

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

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

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

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 14-24 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?

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

23. Terminology

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

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?

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

31. Practicing pronouns

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!

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?

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 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%

38. Internalizing homophobic/ transphobic language

39. Safety 64% 21% 74% • ____ 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

40. Safety

41. Safety

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%

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

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 EducationDeepening 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)