I'm kidding. But it was a bit of a nightmare. Let me just say this - when we started planning this, we had no idea how it would turn out. I don't think I have to explain things too much because I'm sure you have already heard about it, and if not, well - I'm going to post all the links to the various news articles and interviews about it in just a sec here.
May 17th was the International Day Against Homophobia. We decided we would host an Anti-Homophobia week at school. Monday would be educational assemblies for all grades, involving a video and then both Jo and myself talking about our experiences with homophobia, coming out, etc. Tuesday was Rainbow Day, where each grade was assigned a colour to wear to school. Wednesday was the Walk Away From Homophobia. Thursday was Free Hug and Face Painting Day. Friday was Gender Bending Day. (I will post Riley's kickass poster below)
Around the time we posted the event on Facebook, a girl named Pherris from WLSS decided to start a GSA branch at WLSS, finally.
After a presentation by Jo to the staff, we had 100% teacher support.
On Thursday May 13th, an emergency GSA meeting was called after school to discuss the fact that parents were beginning to complain and our activities were in jeopardy. On Friday May 14th, our sponsor teacher met with the administration and the school board and was informed our assemblies were to be canceled, our walk moved from class time to lunch hour, and our Gender Bending Day canceled. Any students who showed up to school wearing the opposite gender's clothing could be sent home, suspended and it could go on their permanent records. The reason we were given was the assemblies "promoted gayness" (because apparently gayness is a word) and the Gender Bending day was inappropriate. They did not want to give us class time for any of our activities.
We were livid, that day, absolutely livid. We wanted to promote education and acceptance of LGBT youth in our community - is that wrong somehow? I was so angry I didn't even know what to do with myself. Eventually I calmed down enough to call my dad, whose career surrounds public relations, so he is a pretty reliable source of advice for such a situation. He told me that I should call the local paper, so I did. Jo decided to call Global BC and CBC.
Aaaaaand that's when the media storm began.
Williams Lake Tribune article
Xtra.ca article
CBC article
The Province article
gayrights.change.org article
If you want more, go Google "Williams Lake anti-homophobia week" or "Jo Veitch" or "Lexi Saffel" and you'll come up with tons of stuff. Our phones have been ringing off the hook all week now.
The GSA as a group is extremely divided on the media attention. I would just like to say for something like the millionth time - Jo and I were not speaking on behalf of the entire GSA and everything said in those interviews reflected our own opinions. I know a lot of members think that the media attention has done more to hurt us than to help us. We did not discuss as a group whether or not we wanted to go to the media - these decisions were made by Jo and myself. Due to the opposition from the rest of the group, I have had to start declining and canceling interviews.
In my opinion, we did the right thing, because our story has now gained attention on a national level and hopefully has also inspired other GSAs across Canada to stand up for their rights. Indeed, the school district and administration went back on what they originally said about students being suspended for dressing up on Gender Bending Day, and I believe they would never have done that if the media hadn't been involved. I don't think the school district will give us as much trouble next year when we try to put on these events because they know there are individuals who will not just shut up and take what they give us - people are willing to fight them. There were both positive and, unfortunately, negative consequences to going to the media with our story, but what's done is done and we can't take it back now. I do not regret the decisions I made.
So, hopefully the stress and all the attention will die down here shortly and we can get back to normal. Because let me tell you, when you're on the phone with CBC Toronto and then the other line rings with the BC Province, you do not feel normal at all.
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