An OSSTF webinar on July 12 is showing parents and educators alike how to advocate for transgender and transitioning students in Ontario schools.
The secondary school teachers’ union is hosting the discussion that is aimed toward parents, community groups, educators and education workers, but anyone is welcome to attend.
“The more people that are aware of the supports that are needed, the more it normalizes the conversation,” said OSSTF president Karen Littlewood. “We all provide support from our different roles but sometimes it's great if it’s a team approach.”
Littlewood is a special education teacher from Barrie who began her career in York Region, teaching at R.L Graham P.S. in Keswick and then Highview P.S. in Aurora.
She was also on the founding board of Barrie Pride.
“I love supporting the community and while I don’t identify as part of the community, if I can provide support and open doors, I think that’s really important. For me I do a lot of listening and a lot of learning but I also like to be able to reach out and connect others and I really think that’s what this webinar is,” she said.
In the discussion, she will be asking participants about their own experiences within the public school system from junior kindergarten all the way to post-secondary.
The conversation will also include what participants think school boards could do to support students who identify on the gender spectrum.
For parents, the discussion will cover how to talk to children about understanding the gender spectrum and respecting all students.
“We have to look at the school systems in general and ensuring that the people who are working in the system have the knowledge and the vocabulary and are open to maybe seeing things differently than they had thought in the past in order to protect and support the students,” Littlewood said.
Participants include Julie Hamara from The 519, Suzanne Sherkin, author of When Gender is in Question: A Guide to Understanding, Natasha Arcentales and her nine-year-old child, Allpa, who identifies as non-binary, and Jordan Applebaum from Egale.
The free webinar is being held over zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 12. Attendees will receive the joining information when they register online.
Littlewood said OSSTF is taking advantage of technology available to share information and connect people.
“We’re expanding what we’re doing as a union. What the pandemic has taught us is we are able to connect with people on a wider scale, say across the province or even outside the province, and I think we’re taking some of the advocacy that we’re doing and trying to connect people together,” she said. “A union isn't just about pickets and strikes, a union is about supporting people and not necessarily just their workers but supporting whole communities.”
