Gay / Straight Alliances in BC
GSA Bursary Fund & Scholarship
Safe and Supportive QueerYouth Events
Russell, a student at North Surrey Secondary, has made an excellent short video on homophobia for his school's anti-discrimination night. Check it out here!
Here are some graphics you can download to make stickers or print on magnetic paper to put on lockers, etc.
There are many types of support groups for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth. Most groups include transgender students, but others don't, because of feelings that gender identity is a significantly different issue than sexual orientation. Many groups meet in school settings, while others meet in outside community locations; some involve students and teachers together, while others are primarily for students. Some are referred to as Diversity Clubs or Human Rights Clubs. Some involve LGBT parents or members of PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians And Gays). Most groups happily include heterosexuals.
These guidelines are written for the groups which are organized within schools for all interested students, regardless of their sexual orientation. These are often called GAY / STRAIGHT ALLIANCES (also referred to as GSAs) The term "gay" in the title is meant to be inclusive of all lesbian, gay, bisexual (and usually transgender) students; some prefer the terms LGBT or Queer. When the term "Queer" is used, it is understood to be a positive, umbrella description, rather than a derogatory word.
GSAs provide all students with a safe place to meet, make friends, and talk about issues and feelings. GSAs can help to improve the school climate for everyone, by promoting discussion about homophobia and its effects on everyone, by educating the wider school community, and by encouraging greater understanding among students and staff alike. Gay / Straight Alliances should be primarily student-run, with one or two staff members to act mainly as facilitators or advisors. All students should be invited to attend, but with absolutely no expectation that they will reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity.
GSAs are in existence in over 700 schools in the USA, and have been operating for over 10 years. Every high school in Massachusetts has one! The experience there has been overwhelmingly positive in terms of educating students, staff and families alike about diversity issues and encouraging a greater degree of mutual understanding. They have helped to significantly reduce anti-gay violence and harassment.
Groups tend to change their agenda for each week, depending on the participants' needs. Most try to strike a balance among consciousness-raising, targeting homophobia at school, and offering personal support. Forming and sustaining such school clubs involves considerable work and diplomacy, by both students and staff. All participants must be mindful of the purposes for creating GSAs. They must not become dating clubs, cliquish chat groups, or places for speculation about the personal lives of other persons.
* Burnaby, Burnaby Central Secondary,
* Burnaby, Burnaby Mountain Secondary, Sean Thomson (sponsor teacher)
* Burnaby, Burnaby North Secondary, Debra Sutherland debrasutherland8@shaw.ca, J. Sanyshyn james.sanyshyn@sd41.bc.ca (sponsor teachers)
* Burnaby, Burnaby South Secondary, W. Steeves wendy.steeves@sd41.bc.ca, S. Finnbogason signe.finnbogason@sd41.bc.ca (sponsor teachers)
* Chilliwack, Chilliwack Secondary, Jan Gladish (sponsor teacher) jan_gladish@sd33.bc.ca
* Chilliwack, Sardis Secondary, Vic Gladish (sponsor teacher) vic_gladish@sd33.bc.ca
* Coquitlam, Centennial Secondary, Faune Johnson (sponsor teacher) fjohnson@sd43.bc.ca
* Coquitlam, Pinetree Secondary, Suzanne Hagen
* Delta, Delta Secondary, Brenda Khoo (sponsor teacher)
* Fort St. John, North Peace Secondary, Stand Up Student Group Standup NPSS website: www.npssstandup.tk
* Kamloops, Brocklehurst Secondary, Carol Gillis (sponsor teacher) brockgsa@gmail.com
* Kamloops, South Kamloops Senior Secondary skssgsa@gmail.com website: southkamgsa
* Kamloops, Valleyview Senior Secondary, B. R. Millar (sponsor teacher) bmillar@sd73.bc.ca
* Kamloops, Westsyde Senior Secondary, Philip Heal (sponsor teacher) pgheal@uniserve.com
* Kelowna, Kelowna Senior Secondary
* Kelowna, Rutland Senior Secondary, Justin (student) justin20_21_22@hotmail.com
* Ladysmith, Ladysmith Secondary, Sponsor Teachers: Michelle Steel msteel@sd68.bc.ca or Guy Tohana gtohana@sd68.bc.ca
* Langley, Brookswood Secondary
* Langley, R.E.Mountain Secondary School, Aria (student) aria_leroux@hotmail.com
* Langley, Walnut Grove Secondary
* New Westminster, New Westminster Secondary. Contact Jamie Sadler (sponsor teacher).
* Penticton, Penticton Secondary, Victoria Baschzok-Brown, Michelle Glibbery (sponsor teachers) mglibbery@summer.com
* Port Coquitlam, Riverside Secondary, Carol Sirianni (sponsor teacher) csirianni@sd43.bc.ca
* Port Moody, Port Moody Secondary, Anna Lemmo (sponsor teacher), Marco (student) pmssgsa@gmail.com
* Prince George, Lakewood Jr. Secondary, Greg Laing (sponsor teacher) glaing@sd57.bc.ca
* Prince Rupert, Queer Youth Alliance (Charles Hays Secondary and Prince Rupert Secondary), Elliot Fox-Povey (sponsor teacher) queeryouthalliance@gmail.com
* Salt Spring, Gulf Islands Secondary School
* Smithers, Smithers Secondary, Perry Rath prath@sd54.bc.ca, Nicole Davey ndavey@sd54.bc.ca (sponsor teachers)
* Surrey, North Surrey Secondary
* Vancouver, Churchill Secondary, Tim Ross (sponsor teacher).
* Vancouver, David Thompson Secondary, Maureen Rieder (sponsor teacher) ms_rieder@yahoo.ca.
CHAT (Challenging Homophobia At Thompson) web site: www.geocities.com/gsa_chat
* Vancouver, Eric Hamber Secondary, Maria-Teresa Foster buddha@shaw.ca, David Nicks nicksdavid@hotmail.com (sponsor teachers)
* Vancouver, Gladstone Secondary
* Vancouver, John Oliver Secondary, Steve Howard, Herjit Dhanoa
* Vancouver, Kitsilano Secondary, Rob Ehler and Wayne Shaddick club sponsors
* Vancouver, King George Secondary, Eric Schilperoort eschilpero@vsb.bc.ca, Steve Scrimshaw (sponsor teacher) scrim555@hotmail.com
* Vancouver, Lord Byng Secondary, Odette Kurth, Alain Raoul and Doug Matear (sponsor teachers) dmatear@vsb.bc.ca
* Vancouver, Point Grey Secondary, Jean Mikelson (Counsellor)
* Vancouver, Sir Charles Tupper Secondary, Rosemary & Russ Evans (sponsor teachers)
* Vancouver, Templeton Secondary, Jason Mark (sponsor teachers) jmark@vsb.bc.ca
* Vancouver, Vancouver Technical Secondary, John Mueller (sponsor teacher) john_mueller@hotmail.com
* Vancouver, Windermere Secondary, Melanie Nelson mtnelson@vsb.bc.ca & Judy Payne jpayne@vsb.bc.ca (sponsor teachers)
* Vernon, WL Seaton Secondary, Dawn Tucker (sponsor teacher) tuckermedia@shaw.ca
* Victoria, Belmont Secondary School, Ms. Boyte and Ms. O'Quinn (sponsor teachers), Elliott M. Brown (student contact) elliott__brown@hotmail.com
* Victoria, Esquimalt Secondary School, Kim Young (sponsor teacher)
* Victoria, Mt. Douglas Sr. Secondary
* Victoria, Oak Bay Secondary, Lisa Hebb (sponsor teacher)
* Victoria, Reynolds Secondary, Sheryl Cawson (sponsor teacher)
* Victoria, Victoria High Secondary, Norma Jee (sponsor teacher)
* Victoria, District Gay Straight Alliance Advisory Committee, Denis Harrigan (District Principal, Student Support) dharrigan@sd61.bc.ca website: District GSA AC
* West Vancouver, West Vancouver Secondary
If you have a new GSA please contact Noble Kelly (with GALE BC) at galebc@telus.net with your contact information. We would eventually like to network all GSAs in BC to share information, have conferences, etc.
| Rainbow Connections, Vancouver’s first mentoring project for queer youth, is still going strong! In partnership with Family Services of Greater Vancouver, we are proud to say that our goal to connect queer youth with queer adults in the community has been quite a success. Our offer to come and speak with members of your school’s GSA still stands. In our information sessions with students, we outline the program goals as well as discuss other options available to queer youth in BC. If your GSA is interested in having an information session, please call JP at 604-488-0247 to book. |  |
GSA Bursary & Scholarship Fund
The purpose of the fund is to help schools finance GSA events and/or establish new GSA clubs in schools across the province. Bursaries are awarded throughout the school year. Schools may apply at any time between September and May of the current school year.
We have approached queer community groups, GALE members and private
donors for contributions. In 2007-2008 we gave $3400 to GSAs and other queer
community organizations that support LGBTQ youth in schools. Schools in Ladysmith,
Fort St. John, Vancouver, Victoria and Kamloops received funds to start GSAs
in the past school year. In previous years, we've financially supported many
schools in Vernon, Penticton, Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops,
Langley and Coquitlam to start GSAs.
Our long term goal is to establish an annual fund which will help support
GSA establishment for many years. Some of our GSA sponsors are listed on our
website.
We’ve also established a Scholarship Fund for GSA members and LGBTQ youth leaders who intend to further their education. We’ll be awarding up to three scholarships in June 2009. The amount of each scholarship will depend on the number of qualified applicants. Check out the link below for applications and encourage any youth from your GSAs to apply.
CONGRATULATIONS to Lily from Vancouver and Brittney from Fort St. John who received $400 and $500 scholarships from GALE BC in July 2008 for their efforts in promoting diversity in their respective schools and their endeavors to create a more welcoming and educated school community not only for LGBTQ students, but for all students. We wish them continued success in their academic and personal pursuits.
Our successful establishment of GSAs throughout B.C. depends upon your generosity. The more we have to give the farther our reach and success within schools. Please consider asking five friends for $10 each to support the establishment of GSAs. If each GALE member mailed in a $50 cheque for our GSA bursary fund we'd be able to have an even bigger impact within the province!
GALE members and our allies may also make non tax deductible donations to either fund. 100% of monies raised go directly to schools. Make your cheques payable to GALE-BC and note that your donation is for "GSA bursaries/scholarships" on your cheque. Send your cheque directly to GALE. Our mailing address is GALE-BC P.O. Box 93678, Nelson Park P.O., Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4L7.
If you have any questions about the GSA bursary or scholarship funds, please don't hesitate to ask James Chamberlain. You can email him at jchamberlain@telus.net.
Click here to open and print bursary application-->Bursary Application
Click here to open and print scholarship application-->Scholarship Application
Safe and Supportive Queer Youth Events
Do you have a queer-youth-positive event coming up?
Submit it to us and we'll post it here!
Volunteer/ Job Opportunities/Media Opportunities:
Women Against Violence 'Zine FIREBRAND 'zine is looking for submissions (max 700 words) on the topic of violence against women. They are feminist and anti-hegemonist (this means that they are against big powerful forces that try to run things). Interested? Send email to theycalledherafirebrand@hotmail.com Or you can send snail mail to firebrand P.O. Box 1202 Guelph, ON N1H 6N6
Youthco needs volunteers! Are you between the ages of 15 and 30? Do you want to work with a committed bunch of really cool folks? Do you want to have a say in the running of a peer-driven organization dedicated to meeting the needs of HIV positive and HIV negative youth ? Do you want to learn more about sexual health, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and other issues? If yes, join YouthCo's board. For more info contact YouthCo at 688-1441 or email information@youthco.org .
*Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, 121 W. 27th St., Suite 804, New York, NY 10001, USA TEL: 212-727-0135 FAX: 212-727-0254 email: glsen@glsen.org web: www.glsen.org
*YouthQuest (John Trueman) 604-460-9115 or 1-877-944-6293 email: yqinfo@youthquest.bc.ca web: www.youthquest.bc.ca
*Gab Youth
Services (Jenn Horgos or Romi Chandra) 604-684-4901 email: thecentre@intergate.bc.caHelpline: 1-800-566-1170, from 7-10
GAB has different drop-ins for queer
youth, including Asian Gab, Grrlz Only (all female identified queer youth),
and a drop-in for all glbt youth and their allies two days a week. Get in
touch with Romi or Jenn for more info.
*PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays) : 604-684-9872 (Ext. 2060) or 604-689-3711
*Gay And Lesbian Educators of British Columbia. (GALE-BC)- 604-684-9872 (Ext. 2004) email: gale_bc@canada.com website: www.galebc.org
*The B. C. Teachers' Federation or your local teachers' union/association will provide support, legal or procedural advice.
* The American Civil Liberties Association (which has been involved in several court cases defending students who wish to start GSAs) has a very useful page: www.aclu.org/issues/gay/safe_schools.html
* Check out the GSA Network Directory which helps to empower youth activists to fight homophobia in schools. Gay-Straight Alliance Network 965 Mission Street, Suite 218 San Francisco, CA 94103 ph: (415) 442-4726 fax: (415) 442-4727 www.gsanetwork.org
Thank you to the following sponsors who have generously donated to our GSA bursary to help insure the future of GSAs in BC:
