Nation In Brief

Staff Reports

Teaching Acceptance Of LGBTQ Students Needs To Be Part Of Curriculum In Canadian Schools

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA -- James McNinch, the Dean of Education at the University of Regina says that teaching acceptance of LGBTQ students needs to be part of the curriculum in Canadian schools. Dr. McNinch, who has studied how gender and sexual identity is treated in the nation's schools, stated that support programs for LGBTQ students are "hit and miss" and that is a major concern because the majority of bullying in schools is centred in homophobic attitudes.

"We have anti-bullying programs across this country, but very few of them point out that most bullying occurs around perceptions of people, or name-calling related to, someone being gay or lesbian," said McNinch.

After the recent suicide of 15-year-old Ottawa resident Jamie Hubley, which has put homophobic bullying under intense scrutiny, McNinch warns that more students are coming out at a younger age and schools need to change their attitudes and approach to same-sex issues.

"Kids are going to continue to be coming out at a younger and younger age and schools have to be prepared to support them," said McNinch, "Even the fact the school Jamie went to would only allow the group he wanted to start to be called a "rainbow club" means the word gay is like the elephant in the room."

A major change to Ontario's sex education curriculum was proposed in the summer of 2010, but Premier Dalton McGuinty backed away at the last minute after backlash from some interest groups across the province.

University of Ottawa education professor Joel Westheimer agreed with McNinch, saying many schools do not acknowledge homophobia is the backbone of a lot of bullying.

He added a lot of anti-bullying programs and promises are made on a whim after a tragic event. pointing to newly-appointed Education Minister Laurel Broten, who said Thursday she would find out if the school system could have done more to prevent Hubley's suicide.

"Right now in schools, teachers are not given the freedom to create the closer communities that prevent this kind of bullying where students know each other in deeper relationships and teachers get to know students," Westheimer said during a conversation on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning Friday  ~ CBC Reports

McNinch said he believes the solution can be gay-straight alliances within schools. But often, straight female student activists are behind them and there is not enough support from teachers and administration. As a result, they often fall apart after the student graduates. But research shows any support for adolescents who choose to come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual in high school or earlier is essential. 

"I think, in schools, what we need to do is not to be afraid to name what we know is a common occurrence — and that is: people whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual," he said. "There's this huge gap between the romance of a Glee-type program and where you're shoved up against the locker and called a 'fag.'"

Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ayanbadejo Joins Campaign To Legalize Same Sex Marriage In Maryland

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND -- The Baltimore Ravens' linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo made his video debut Friday, becoming the second in a Web campaign that seeks to build support for same-sex marriage legislation in Maryland.

In the video Ayanbadejo looks directly into the camera and says: 

"I believe we should be doing everything that we can to make Maryland families stronger which is why I support marriage for gay and lesbian couples who want to make a life time commitment to each other.

People from all walks of life including gay and lesbian couples want their children to be in stable homes and protected by the law. Join me and the majority of Marylanders who support marriage equality."

The Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition has opened up a state-wide media campaign to build support for a same-sex marriage measure being championed by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley(D), in advance of the January 2012 legislative session. The Governor appeared in the first video of what the Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition said will be a series.

Ayanbadejo, a three time Pro-Bowl player, has been outspoken in support of same sex marriage for the past few years. He made a video supporting the legislation last session, though it was not heavily promoted in the state.

A 2009 Baltimore Sun article profiled Ayanbadejo and quoted from a column the player penned in the Huffington Post that year:

"If Britney Spears can party it up in Vegas with one of her boys and go get married on a whim and annul her marriage the next day, why can't a loving same-sex couple tie the knot?" Ayanbadejo wrote. "How could our society grant more rights to a heterosexual, one-night-stand wedding in Vegas than a gay couple that has been together for 3, 5, 10 years of true love?"

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