Homophobia and Transphobia in Canadian Schools

by Andrew Kress, OUTWORDS Magazine, Winnipeg MB

DR. CATHERINE TAYLOR IS THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR BEHIND A NATIONAL SURVEY ON HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA IN CANADIAN SCHOOLS. SO FAR, THE SURVEY HAS BEEN PROVING WHAT MOST OF US ALREADY KNOW:

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE NOT A SAFE PLACE FOR QUEER STUDENTS.

The figures are shocking. The average kid in Canada's public schools hears the words "gay" and "fag" used as synonyms for "stupid" and the like 25 to 75 times a day. This is according to early results from a national survey done by Egale. Even a significant number of queer kids (19%) who filled out the survey said they use the homophobic terms - "to stay under the radar."

Why, in this day and age when overt homophobia is grounds for discipline in so many workplaces, is it tolerated in our public schools? The answer, according to University of Winnipeg professor Catherine Taylor, is that homophobia "is manufactured. It is the last socially acceptable form of prejudice."

By "manufactured," Taylor means many of our major institutions continue to create and sustain homophobia, despite giving lip service to diversity. "[These institutions] make homosexuality the last thing anyone would want to be associated with," she says.

Taylor is a professor of rhetoric, writing, communications and education at the University of Winnipeg. Her interest in homophobia led her to become the principal investigator of Egale Canada's national survey on homophobia and transphobia in Canadian schools Launched in December 2007, the study has revealed that the vast majority of queer-identified and questioning students do not feel safe at school.

The Vancouver School Division agreed to pilot the Egale survey, which has now been completed by more than 1,450 students across the country. So far, the Toronto School Board has agreed to release the survey results, and so has the Ottawa Catholic School Board, which Taylor considers a huge victory.

The most prominent form of homophobia is verbal harassment; particularly the use of the words "gay" and "fag" in everyday conversations. The survey suggests that more than 50% of the participants also have been verbally harassed because of their sexuality.

Overall, 47.5% of the LGBTQ participants said they feel that they are not fully accepted at school. Other statistics show that 49% of queer participants have had rumours spread about them and 41% have been sexually harassed while in their learning environments. The survey suggests that these students are less likely to report harassment.

As for the heterosexual participants, only 19% reported that it is hard for them to feel accepted at school. Perhaps because they aren't the victims of it, 60% of heterosexual respondents said they believe homophobia is addressed effectively whereas only 33% of the LGBTQ participants feel the same way.

Taylor refers to schools as "the land that time forgot." Al-though queer people have almost full legal equality in society and the corporate world, schools are left largely untouched. For this reason, Egale Canada created the survey and is working on the Safe School Campaign. This Campaign encourages educational institutions to adopt specific anti-homophobia guidelines.

While working on the survey, Taylor became a target of overt homophobia. A right-wing group denounced the survey and encouraged others to contact her, calling her "vile" and claiming that she was "helping to destroy Canadian society." The phone calls and messages have since stopped.

Despite the bad news in the schools, Taylor is optimistic that homophobia can be beaten. Kids are starting to do things to stop homophobia and more schools are adopting Gay-Straight Alliance programs, she points out. Taylor also notes that homophobia is strongest in conservative faith and isolated pockets. "[Our] biggest problem is not die-hard homophobes," she says, "but most nice people who underestimate how big a problem it is since they are not as exposed to it as kids are."

Phase 1 of the survey is open till the end of August and is available at http://climatesurvey.ca/. Phase 2 begins in September with the entire survey coming to end in June 2009. A report of the survey will be produced and sent to every school board providing educators with information on making policy decisions and anti-homophobia teachings. For any additional questions about the survey, you can contact Dr. Taylor through e-mail at c.taylor@uwinnipeg.ca or by phone at 786-9893.