HomeMy WebLinkAboutAlberta’s UCP shouldn’t bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay-straight alliances OPINION - Toronto Star - 05/08/2018 - Toronto Star - 05/08/20185/9/2018 Alberta's UCP shouldn't bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay -straight alliances I The Star
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Alberta's
• shouldn't bow to
socially conservative pressure on
school gay -straight alliances
"It gets better" only when eo e of all orientations and identities embrace inclusivity,
and forcingschools to notify parents when their children join a GSA isn't the way to do
that, Emma Teitel writes.
https://www.thestar.com/opin ion/star-columnists/20l 8/O5/O8/al bertas-ucp-shouldnt-bow-to-social ly-conservative-pressu re -on -school -gay -straight -all iances. html
5/9/2018 Alberta's UCP shouldn't bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay -straight alliances I The Star
Iffm-
13My conservative
voices in his camp because they are numerous and eager to cash in on the
leader's pledge to prioritize grassroots issues. (JEFF MCINTOSH / THE
CANADIAN PRESS)
By EMMA TEITEL National Columnist
Tues., May 8, 2018
Keep the nuts at bay. This was Prime Minister Stephen Harper's unofficial policy when it
came tote more passionate socially conservative voices in his party. is also the reason
your centrist friend voted for him.
"He's good for the economy," this friend — who I'll call Jim — probably told you while
barbecuing steaks in his backyard. "Harper's not going to let the yahoos in the party get
https://www.thestar.com/opin ion/star-columnists/20l 8/O5/O8/al bertas-ucp-shouldnt-bow-to-social ly-conservative-pressu re -on -school -gay -straight -all iances. html
5/9/2018 Alberta's UCP shouldn't bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay -straight alliances I The Star
their way." Whether we like to admit it or not, Centrist Jim was right.
Despite consistent efforts on the far left to characterize Stephen Harper as Satan on
Earth, the former PM did not make a habit of amplifying the extremists in his camp. Th,-;
question is will Jim be right about Jason Kenney?
MTT
Alberta's United Conservatives vote in favour of telling parents if their child joins a gay -
straight alliance
Jason Kenney declares war on 'green left', takes aim at David Suzuki foundation
'Grassroots guarantee' website down as UCP leader overrides party's resolution
I'm not so sure. Kenney, a Harper protege and leader of Alberta's United Conservative
Party, may find it more difficult to suppress the socially conservative voices in his camp
because they are numerous and eager to cash in on the leader's pledge to prioritize
grassroots issues.
Case in point: the UCP attracted controversy this weekend after more than half r.
delegates at the party's convention voted to adopt a policy that would require schools to
inform parents when their kids are involved in any activity associated with religion or
sexuality, including a gay -straight alliance. A GSA is an after-school peer group for
LGBTQ kids and their allies. Such a policy would effectivelythese kids to their
guardians.
This issue isn't new territory for Kenney. Last year the leader told a newspaper editorial
board that unless they are abusive, parents have a right to know what their kids are
involved in at school. But with the 2019 election around the corner, and the knowledge
that GSAs are not top of mind for the average voter, Kenney appears to be ignoring the
wishes of his socially conservative delegates. On Sunday he told the media: "Let me be
absolutely stone-cold clear: a United Conservative government will not be changing law
or policy to require notification of parents when kids join GSAs. We will not do that. You
can take that to the bank."
I intend to. And I sincerely hope that Kenney doesn't cave to pressure from the so -con
elements in his party because what many casual observers of this controversy may not
realize is that GSAs are not a niche issue. They're not niche because contrary to media
portrayal, GSAs do not serve only a minority of LGBTQ students. I've worked with GSA
kids at schools in Ontario and I think it's important to point out that these clubs are
comprised of a lot of straight, gender -conforming kids too. This is because LGBTQ
https://www.thestar.com/opin ion/star-columnists/20l 8/O5/O8/al bertas-ucp-shouldnt-bow-to-social ly-conservative-pressu re -on -school -gay -straight -all iances. html
5/9/2018 Alberta's UCP shouldn't bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay -straight alliances I The Star
students bring their straight friends — a.k.a. their allies — to meetings. And these
straight friends are often just as involved in the group's activities — fundraising, pizza
eating etc. — as their LGBTQ peers. Sometimest ere are more straight kids in these
clubs than gay ones.
in other words, the chilling effect the UCP's desired policy would have on Alberta's
schools would be far reaching. Such a policy wouldn't just out gay and transgender kids
to potentially abusive or otherwise intolerant parents. It would out their allies too. It
wouldn't simply keep gay kids in the closet. It would keep supportive straight kids in the
closet; kids who don't want to have to explain to mom and dad why they are hanging
around "the �4ay club" all the time. This would be devasta•ting for a school's culture,
because "it gets better" only when people of all orientations and identities embrace
inclusivity.
The good news for Alberta's LGBTQ students and their allies is that their province is far
more conducive to embracing inclusivity than stereotype suggests. A recent CBC News
V�oll indicates that thouOLA!heart n-"- -P
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quite progressive on social issues. They are rational, compassionate, and they do not
appear to care who you take to the prom. Jason Kenney, then, is in a pickle of his own
brining. He's made a lot of social conservatives excited about a grassroots revival. But in
order to win power he will, like his mentor before him, have to keep the nuts at bay.
Research shows most Albertans are allergic to them.
.1 Mor M I MW
Noliffl'o,
I'M
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5/9/2018 Alberta's UCP shouldn't bow to socially conservative pressure on school gay -straight alliances I The Star
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