How did the Calgary GSA Network get started?
The beginnings of the GSA network really began more than a
year ago. While teaching comprehensive sexual health education programming in Calgary schools,
which includes our “Diversity and Respecting Everyone” (DARE) anti-homophobia
and anti-sexism workshop, myself and our other educators would often encounter caring and compassionate teachers who recognized the trials and
tribulations of being an LGBTQ youth in Calgary schools. We found that the teachers who were
inviting us into their CALM classes were usually also supportive allies to LGBTQ students and often the sponsor teachers for the
few GSAs that existed at the time.
 |
| Button making with GSAs in Calgary schools |
One such person was Omnia Anderson, a counselor at Bowness
High School. Omnia approached me noting the struggles she faced maintaining
membership and engagement with her GSA group at Bowness. Even though I knew
very little of GSAs myself, I went back to the office and hunted down as many
resources as I could find. I
later visited Omnia to share these materials and resources. Whenever I
encountered other GSA sponsor teachers I brought what resources I could. Soon
enough I began getting requests from other teachers for these materials.
I also traveled to Edmonton for a few days to learn about
the Edmonton GSA Roundtable Meetings as well as Camp FYrefly at the U of A’s
Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services (iSMSS). I was fortunate
enough to attend a roundtable meeting where the Edmonton GSA Network met with
the then Minister of Education, Thomas Lukazuk, now Deputy Premier of Alberta.
With some guidance from Dr. Kris Wells at the iSMSS, our team worked together to organize our first GSA
Roundtable meeting in March of 2012. This meeting was very well attended by educators
and support staff as well as supportive community members. The enthusiasm for
continuing these meetings was incredible and encouraged us to continue hosting
more meetings.
How has the Calgary GSA Network grown since that first meeting?
The word has spread like wildfire.
A preliminary survey of the city revealed only 4 or 5
schools had GSAs at the time, but as the talk on the street of the roundtable meetings
grew, more and more schools came out to participate in the conversation about
creating safe and supportive environments within Calgary schools. At the
beginning of the summer in 2012, we had people from as many as 17 schools attend the roundtable
meetings.
To date, over 25 schools (with and without GSAs) and more
than 30 supportive community organizations have been involved! Even schools
outside of Calgary, including Cochrane, Airdrie and Okotoks, have also came out
to attend these meetings.
Anyone and everyone has come out to the meetings to
participate in this ever-growing network. The meetings are attended and
appreciated by many, including students, teachers, counselors, psychologists,
youth support workers, representatives from the Calgary Board of Education, the
Alberta Teachers Association, and many many community organizations (like
CCASA, Families Matter, and the Calgary Police Service), parents and even
grandparents attend!
What topics are discussed and shared at the meetings?
The meetings have always been centred around creating and sustaining safe and supportive environments in school communities for LGBTQ people and their allies. We also always try to have FUN!
The meetings have often taken on different topics of
discussion or themes like:
- learning about GSAs and social justice
- homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language and bullying
- LGBTQ allies and their importance
- safety and inclusion
- family and what family means to the LGBTQ community
- community support and resources
- networking with others and community building
 |
| GSA Network in the 2012 Calgary Pride parade |
In addition to our regular meetings, we have had some occasions to celebrate and have fun together as the network grows. For example, last summer we had an incredibly fun BBQ Social in Riley Park. Also, members of the Calgary GSA Network were excited to walk proudly in the Calgary PRIDE parade with their allies in the Alberta Teachers’ Association. A social committee that was formed from the Roundtable meetings organized and hosted their very own Halloween Movie night and donated the proceeds to the Network. And members of Calgary GSAs and the Network, in particular the Forest Lawn GSA, attended the first Annual GSA Conference in Edmonton in November.
This conversation and the interest in networking, building
community and advancing the movement to create safe, inclusive and supportive
environments in school communities in and around Calgary is still growing.
What do you hope for the
next year for the Calgary GSA Network?
Our hope is for this
conversation to continue! We hope to further support and connect the GSAs of
Calgary and Area with each other and the community that is there to support and
celebrate them. We hope to find new and creative ways to engage the youth and
their supportive teachers as well as their greater community in making all
communities, especially schools, safe and supportive for typically
marginalized LGBTQ youth.
If you are interested in
learning more about the Calgary GSA Network and Roundtable meetings please feel
free to look us up on the facebook at the “Calgary GSA Network” or email Nick
Moore (nmoore@calgarysexualhealth.ca) to be added to our mailing list.
