By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer
The topic of queerphobia has been increasingly present in the media lately, mainly due to increased drag bans and anti-trans laws occurring in the US. Unfortunately, our neighbours to the south are not the only culprits of increasing queerphobic propaganda, such as stripping away gender affirming care for trans minors. In British Columbia, an anti-queer agenda has risen dramatically, causing concern for the lives and well-being of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals residing in the province.
On March 25, 2023, an incident sparked outcry from the queer community and allies. A protest took place in Surrey challenging the sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) curriculum taught in BC school districts. The SOGI curriculum teaches about different sexual and gender identities and educates students to create inclusive and safe spaces, such as gay-straight alliance clubs in schools.
The queer community has been attacked relentlessly for years. Yet, in 2023, it’s staggering how queer folks still have to fight for narrow-minded individuals and politicians to see their identities as valid. As with any social issue, the people most impacted by discriminatory rhetoric are those already experiencing heightened marginalization — in this case trans and racialized queer folks. In a world where progress and new ways of thinking have been celebrated and introduced into schools, workplaces and communities, the resistance to accept this change is consistently based on far-cry claims of LGBTQIA2S+ people grooming children. The same people making these claims ignore religious organizations or groups like the Boy Scouts of America involved in scandals of leaders grooming young children, when these are the exact ideals they argue against.
Schools have added curricula like SOGI to better educate the young people of today and show them that the feelings they may experience at a young age are valid. SOGI not only helps questioning individuals find a term for what they identify as, but helps build better-educated and accepting members of society who will soon pass the torch on to the next generation. This curriculum is educating allies of the LGBTQIA2S+ community on how to support their fellow queer peers and create a safer and more inclusive environment by teaching them about pronoun usage, different types of gender and sexual orientations, and having conversations about diversity. SOGI being attacked because of the education it provides to young minds not only damages the mental health of queer and questioning individuals but also spreads misinformation like the grooming rhetoric into the consciences of young people that may affect how they treat members of the community.
It’s unfortunate to see how, once again, positive change is being pushed back and rejected due to religious right-winged political opinions and a general lack of education regarding these topics. I applaud the teachers discussing these subjects in class and moving forward with the SOGI curriculum to educate and provide awareness around a community of people who are increasingly attacked based on their identity. Parents who are raising their kids to be anti-queer are failing their children by not being open-minded or accepting, and creating a toxic environment for schools and society in general. Allies need to ensure they are being educated properly on these topics, and that means listening to their queer friends and peers to further understand how to support them and raise awareness regarding LGBTQ2S+ stories and calls for action. Queerness is never going to cease to exist, so you might as well jump on board and begin to accept that our communities are evolving for the better. As Sasha Colby, winner of RuPaul Drag Race Season 15, stated in her historic winning speech: “We’re not going anywhere.”
