Description
The backlash against hard-won queer and trans rights, in particular as they relate to children and youth, has negative impacts that we will need to address. Canada and Ontario have legal protections for gender and sexuality, which extend to people of all ages. Government leaders and anti-trans organizers have suggested that schools remove sexual orientation and gender identity from health curriculums, deny affirming pronouns to youth, and withdraw Ontario’s protection of bathroom access based on lived identity. Research suggests dire impacts when parents and schools refuse to protect gender identity and gender expression.
Sensational media coverage has been pitting parental rights against the rights of queer or trans youth, with devastating individual and community consequences. It’s important to address this issue as young people and adults may face increased trauma, anxiety, depression, suicide, and related effects based on the events and news occurring. Research shows that children and youth need adult support, affirmation, and coaching. The erosion of adult-youth relationships has the potential to cause significant negative health and social impacts.
Caring adults and organizations can help restore acceptance and affirmation in families, schools, and communities to promote mental health and equip community members with skills to engage and value diversity. This webinar will provide a brief insight into five strategies for 2SLGBTQI affirmation of children and youth.
Learning Outcomes
- Match words to definitions for five respectful words associated with marginalized gender identities and sexual orientations.
- Learn about affirmation research and Ontario’s human rights framework relative to gender and sexual diversity.
- Recognize a rationale for the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in health curriculums, using affirming pronouns with youth, and protecting youth bathroom access based on lived identity.
- Identify five strategies for improving the safety, health, and mental health of queer and trans children and youth.
Who Should Attend
“Affirmation Under Attack: How Can We Support Queer and Trans Youth” is recommended for any care providers, caring adult community members, practitioners working with youth, teachers, school mental health and social work teams, leaders of rainbow committees in organizations, and managers with influence over workplace culture, policies, and programs.
Course Dates & Format
Request access to this free 1-hour webinar.
Instructor: Rogue Witterick
Rogue’s passion is sparking transformative conversations about empowerment and agency. An anti-oppression facilitator and activist, violence prevention consultant, youth advocate, and writer, they have designed and facilitated programs and learning systems for organizations such as The 519, YMCA, SafeGuards Training, and the Canadian Red Cross. Rogue is a queer parent with a disability who also speaks and educates about discrimination stress. In 2011, Rogue’s family was the subject of international media attention when they offered their youngest freedom from sex assignment. At the moment, they’re teaching literacy, numeracy, digital skills, and ESL to women and people with marginalized genders, youth, and people experiencing poverty and housing insecurity. They live in Tkaronto with their partner, three teens, and a dog.
Training Fee
There is no fee for this information session.
