2SLGBTQIA+ Identities Month

Kyle Weitz came to Greenwood on behalf of the Get REAL movement to talk to us about the history of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through a workshop for Grades 9-12. The Get REAL movement started as a small student project at Western University in 2011. Kyle spoke about some of the astonishing events that have happened to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Canada in the past, such as the many bathhouse raids including Operation Soap. All of these raids took place around 1976, when police began to crack down on gay bars as Canada was to host the Olympics and Montreal’s mayor, Jean Drapeau, attempted to “clean up” the city in preparation for the games. During a time where these gay bars and bath houses were the only places that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community could meet others from their community, the Mayor’s decree effectively shut down the safe spaces where the community could express themselves.

A law known as Bill C-150 was introduced in 1967 and was eventually passed in 1969. This legislation made leaps and bounds for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as it finally decriminilized same-sex sexual activity. On February 23, 1993, two judges decided that that the term “family status” was broad enough to include same-sex couples living together in a long-term relashionship. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until 12 years later on July 20, 2005, that same-sex marrige was legalized. 

The 2SLGBTQIA+ community has had to fight tooth and nail for the most basic of human rights. As the school year continues, it is incredibly important that we continue to educate ourselves and others on the importance of knowing the history of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and the discrimination they have faced. We do this so that today we can celebrate our diverse identities within the Greenwood community and so that our fellow students, peers, and staff feel confident in their identities and safe and accepted at Greenwood. 

Looking forward to the future, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee has planned to continue to integrate 2SLGBTQIA+ stories into our future lessons. In addition, they have also planned two Adviser lessons for Grades 7 and 8. These lessons for younger students are crucial, as these students are the generation that will help carry these values with them through their lives and help set this as the standard for the future Greenwood students.