Several sources told the Star that the opt-out was linked to and justified under the province’s sex-ed curriculum, which allows students in Grades 1 to 8 to take part in alternative activities.

Gila Munster at a recent Drag Queen Storytime event at the North York Central Library. Terese Pierre

Parents and staff are demanding that the Toronto District School Board stop allowing students to opt out of drag queen storytime events.

Toronto Pflag and the board’s 2SLGBTQ+ Community Advisory Committee have been advocating unsuccessfully for weeks since the issue over attendance and consent arose at a Pride celebration at Bruce Public School in early June. They say the opt-out violates the Ontario Human Rights Code and are calling for an apology for the harm caused by the decision. The board, they add, has not been particularly responsive.

But the board’s directive remains the same, for now, according to the TDSB, which said the accommodation was offered based on guidance from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Ministry spokesperson Grace Lee said “this decision was made by TDSB.”

While the ministry would not confirm how it advised the TDSB on this matter, Lee said, “we expect school boards to respect parental decisions when it comes to their children.”

Several sources told the Star that the opt-out was linked to and justified under the province’s sex-ed curriculum, which allows students in grades 1 to 8 to take part in alternative activities.

The board has vowed “to determine a path forward” by consulting with human rights specialists, staff and the community, although there is no specific timeline to do so.

That’s not good enough, say advocates, who say the issue can’t wait until fall.

“This policy is outrageous,” Toronto Pflag president Michael Ain wrote to TDSB director of education Colleen Russell-Rawlins in the wake of a storytime event at Bruce Public School, in Leslieville, where permission forms triggered a public backlash that ended with the board dropping the requirement but offering an opt-out to students.

The directive came at a time when school boards found themselves at the centre of tensions over how to mark Pride month, including debates on whether to raise the rainbow flag. Drag queen storytime, in which drag queens share books and songs with 2SLGBTQIA+ themes, became a particular flashpoint for protesters in Canada and the U.S.

“(The storytime opt-out policy) panders to the dangerous and wrong-headed belief that a drag queen reading a story hurts children,” Ain wrote in his June 15 letter. “It is dangerous as it ‘others’ 2SLGBTQ+ people, including the storyteller, and almost certainly some of the students and staff.”

Since then, the 2SLGBTQ+ Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which had already wrapped up its meetings for the academic year, has reconvened twice to discuss the issue.

“A communication providing parents the ability to opt out of drag queen storytime activities at school, while based on guidance from the Ministry of Education, rightfully raised concerns about emboldening environments and acts of hate,” said TDSB trustee Debbie King, who is the CAC co-chair.

At the emergency meetings, staff and community members, as well as administrators, voiced their concerns to some of the TDSB’s senior team, including the director, and were told, according to attendees, that a letter of apology and retraction would be forthcoming, but neither came.

In a statement provided to the Star, the board said “we have heard from the community and staff members that this approach was deeply hurtful and not respectful of the human rights of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Their concerns are being taken very seriously … We should have spent more time in consultation with the community and our students and staff prior to providing this guidance and for that we apologize.”

Board spokesperson Ryan Bird said this statement has been shared with the community, although Toronto Pflag said they received nothing but an acknowledgment of receipt of their initial letter with a promise from the director to be in touch the next week.

“We thought this was going to be dealt with before the school year was over, we really did,” said Anne Creighton, spokesperson for Toronto Pflag, a volunteer-run charitable organization that does 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy work and attended the CAC meetings.

Advocates have taken exception to the board apology being connected to the process as opposed to addressing the impact of the directive on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

“Apologies are most impactful when delivered swiftly where harm is inflicted. Folks are weary of platitudes devoid of action,” said King.

Rico Rodriguez, a gay teacher who has worked at the board for 32 years and has been involved in supporting and developing 2SLGBTQIA+ policies, workshops and events since the 1990s, said the opt-out sets back the TDSB’s efforts.

“All the work that I have done myself personally and that others did before me has been destroyed, just by that statement that you can opt out, and that’s not right.”

Drag queen storytime is about representation, not sex, said Rodriguez, who also performs as drag queen Chabuca La Grande. “Storytime has nothing to do with sex-ed.”

Drag queen storytime activities have been held in a few TDSB elementary schools and there have been performances for students in grades 7 to 12, according to Bird.

At Bruce Public School in June, a TDSB-vetted guest, drag queen Gila Münster, read three books to students: “Miss Rita, Mystery Reader,” “’Twas the Night Before Pride” and “Auntie Uncle: Drag Queen Hero”, which are about reading and self-acceptance, 2SLGBTQIA+ history, and saving a dog and the Pride parade, respectively.

“There’s nothing about this that elevates it to sex and health,” said Creighton. “If this was anybody else reading exactly the same storybook to exactly the same kids, they would not be treated the same way.”

Drag is a joyful and celebratory form of gender expression, said one TDSB staffer who attended all the CAC meetings but was fearful of using her name due to reprisals in the workplace. “Often, folks conflate gender expression with other protected grounds in the Ontario Human Rights Code like sexual orientation, but they are different. There is nothing sexual about drag. Demonstrating in a fun way that gender expression is a fundamental human right forms vital human rights education. And human rights education is not something you can opt out of — ever.”

Board spokesperson Bird said fewer than 20 Bruce students opted out of participating.

On June 30, director Russell-Rawlins posted a message on the TDSB website acknowledging the end of Pride month and the events that took place in Toronto schools. She wrote, the “TDSB has a duty to create spaces which reflect the lived experiences, histories and perspectives of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. This work is particularly important at this time given the increasing levels of homophobia, transphobia and biphobia that we are seeing in our communities and schools. Harassment, discrimination and hate have no place in TDSB.”

She also noted that senior administration will “continue the important learning that is necessary for us to be able to lead more effectively in relation to 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, families and communities.”

CAC co-chair King said that while the director’s post “was not an explicit public apology,” she believes it “points to next steps and willingness to do better.”

To the outside world, Greg is a man’s man with a house in the suburbs and a job in the province’s energy industry. Tall and outgoing with a gruff, masculine voice, to meet him one would not immediately assume he was anything other than straight.

“As far as most people know, I’m a straight dude,” said the Alberta man in his mid-40s, whose name Global News has agreed to change because he is only open about his bisexuality in one area of his life.

“I have a wife and I have a girlfriend — because most people know about her as well.”

Greg is part of Alberta’s ethically non-monogamous, polyamorous and swinging communities and helps run a private, online community of about 3,000 like-minded people in Western Canada.

But he’s also bisexual – something that even some people in the above-mentioned sex-positive communities have had trouble accepting.

He told Global News that hearing hurtful comments about bisexual men at a party, coming from a friend he had been intimately involved with, was part of his decision to come out in that community.

“To have somebody who I had been sexually attached to, to start saying, ‘Well, I would never be with a bi guy because they’re gross and they’re promiscuous’ and all of these type of things while I’m there holding my tongue. I am one of those people, and I’m not one of those things that you’re categorizing them as.

“That was the push for me to be like, ‘OK, so if this is what people think a bisexual man is, then I’m going to try to bust that stigma.’”

He credits his relationship with his wife as the biggest reason for being comfortable with his bisexuality. They’ve been friends since kindergarten and a couple since Grade 10. Now, the polyamorous couple is in a triad relationship with another woman.

Greg, a bisexual man from Alberta who came out four years ago to his ENM Lifestyle community. Global News

“I have a sensitive side, but I was worried about the fact that in our community now I was going to be viewed feminine because of changing the tag of who I am as a sexual person,” he told Global, noting that it was “quite the opposite, actually.”

“You do you and if that makes you happy, then all the power to you and I’m happy for you — just don’t tell me that what I’m doing is wrong and we’ll be good.”

Other members of the bi community also expressed worries about how they would be viewed when coming out.

Biphobia and erasure — how stereotypes are harmful

Bisexual people can be excluded or seen as invisible within 2SLGBTQQIA+ spaces and conversations — neither straight nor gay enough for either community.

Another big assumption researchers have noted: bisexual people are sometimes assumed to be straight or gay based on the gender of the person they are currently dating or married to. This is called bi-erasure.

“Unless you are literally having multiple relationships in polyamorous community, a lot of people identify or assume people’s orientations based on the relationships they currently have,” said Elizabeth Saewyc, who is head of nursing at the University of British Columbia and has researched bisexual youth for nearly three decades.

University of British Columbia School of Nursing director and bisexual researcher Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc. Global News

“Someone can be like, ‘I’m the exact same person, but depending on who I’m dating, you know, different spaces are welcome or available to me — or not.’ And that’s a stressful and difficult thing to face,” Cheryl Dobinson, a Toronto-based researcher who is also bisexual, said.

“Some people really want to know who are you more attracted to, or what percentage, and if you’re not attracted 50/50, you’re not truly bi.”

Another challenge is people who think bisexuality isn’t valid or legitimate, Dobinson explained, saying people think “it’s people who are confused and in transition and eventually will come to a realization of being either gay or straight.”

“So it’s kind of diminishing and minimizing bisexuality.”

The same goes for pansexuality, which the ability to have an attraction to people of all genders, as opposed to more than one.

Many people also contend with biphobia, both in straight and gay communities.

“You’re not accepted in either place and that sort of biphobia may also mean that people are less willing to be in relationships with you. There’s a lot of stereotypes and a lot of misunderstanding about bisexual attractions,” said Saewyc.

“Our society isn’t really good at ambiguity and wants these rigidly defined boxes to put everybody in.”

Dobinson experienced these issues herself when she came out as bisexual. She had initially come out as a lesbian when she was 21, but after a few years realized her sexuality was more nuanced.

She says while some people in her life were supportive, others in the lesbian community questioned her second coming out.

“My straight friends and folks were like, OK, once you’re queer, it doesn’t necessarily make a whole lot of difference what flavour it is.”

But she said she was questioned by one friend in particular who struggled to accept her as bi: “We had a lot of conflict and she’d, like, really challenge that this could like exist as an identity.”

Cheryl Dobinson, a Toronto-based bisexual researcher and member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. Global News

Of all the people who are part of the queer community in Canada, Dobinson said about half of them identify as bisexual. When it comes to young people, Saewyc said more queer youth identify as bisexual or pansexual than gay or lesbian.

“That’s often really surprising to folks who think that maybe bisexual is like a very tiny number or a percentage of queer population,” Dobinson said.

Everyone wants a bisexual woman — but won’t accept a bi man

There are also unique challenges between genders: Dobinson said bisexual women are sometimes fetishized, while bi men are scorned.

“There can be a very intense over-sexualization of bisexual women in particular, as kind of objects of fantasy and desire and very eroticized for sexual purposes — while at the same time not being seen as desirable as romantic or long-term partners.”

Meanwhile, Dobinson said when it comes to men, there are harmful stereotypes that bisexual men will transmit diseases between the straight and gay communities.

Avoiding being used to satisfy someone else’s sexual wish list is another minefield some bisexual people have to navigate as they seek out meaningful relationships.

Within the swinging community, single bisexual women are called “unicorns” and single bi men are referred to as a “Pegasus” because of their perceived rarity.

While there are many couples who seek to add bisexual singles to their relationships in a positive, ethical way, there are also those who go about it in a predatory manner.

“Unicorn hunting” is a term in the community for those who seek out a bi woman or man as a racy addition to their lives, sometimes in objectifying, dehumanizing ways that don’t take into consideration the single’s wishes or needs.

Another harmful stigma bi and pansexual people of all genders face: the idea they are promiscuous, untrustworthy and incapable of loyalty in relationships.

“Bisexual people and pansexual people are just as capable of having committed relationships as others are or aren’t, as the case may be,” Saewyc said.

Research shows bisexual people can and do participate in healthy, committed intimate relationships that are sometimes, but not always, monogamous.

The importance of family, friend and community support when coming out

Greg said once he came out to his lifestyle community four years ago and talked about the importance of breaking down stigmas, he was overwhelmed with support.

“It was hugely positive — like, massively positive,” Greg said. “Other men within our community reaching out and saying, ‘Wow, I’ve wanted to say that for years.’

“We’re trying to knock down some of the stereotypes or the stigmas that are attached to guys that are considered bisexual. That was the biggest part for me.

“Some of the positive messages that I received from other guys by far exceeded any fear that I had in speaking my truth.”

Kayla Christenson, 34, is pansexual and the director of communications at Pflag Canada. Supplied

Pflag Canada is a volunteer-run national organization with more than 40 chapters across Canada that provides education and resources for family and friends of queer people.

It’s a place for parents, in particular, to learn how to be the best ally for their children, said Pflag’s director of communications, Kayla Christenson, 34, who is pansexual.

Her sister is also queer and said her parents didn’t have other friends who could relate.

“As a queer person who has parents that have gone through two kids coming out, I think it’s really helpful to meet other parents who understand.”

Christenson said she knew she wasn’t straight, but didn’t have the language to articulate how she identified until she was an adult.

“I had a hard time feeling like I could find a small corner of space in the queer community to feel like, ‘Hello, I’m here and I’m queer, and like, please believe me!’”

Christenson said more representation in movies, television, music and other mass media has helped validate the existence of 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals.

Greg, Christenson, Dobinson and Saewyc all agreed, saying there are more supports now than ever before for people to come out.

Greg says everyone should live to their own comfort level and for him, that means he doesn’t feel the need to tell the entire world what happens behind closed doors with consenting adults.

For that reason, he is not open about his bisexuality with the general public.

“I’m proud to be part of the LGBTQ+ community and I’m happy to be a part of it,” Greg said.

“But for me, it doesn’t need to be shouted from the rooftops. It was just shouted from the rooftop where it mattered.”

Poor health outcomes among bisexual people show there’s room for improvement

While Greg and his wife had an overall positive coming out experience, not everyone is so lucky.

Research in Canada has shown bisexual people have worse health outcomes, in particular mental health outcomes, than people who identify as either gay or straight.

“Research from the Canadian Community Health Survey showed quite dramatically higher rates of suicidality for both bisexual men and women compared to gay men and lesbians, who had higher rates than heterosexual folks. But bisexuals by far had the highest rates,” Dobinson said.

“There’s certainly research showing higher rates of anxiety and depression, as well as higher rates of sexually transmitted infections for bisexual men and women compared to gay men and lesbians.”

While society has made strides towards inclusivity, Saewyc said young people are still facing harassment in schools across Canada — but a close support network can help.

“If you’re being bullied or rejected or experiencing violence, but you’ve got friends and supportive family or supportive schools, then this actually helps sort of buffer that.”

She added that symbols of community visibility such as rainbow sidewalks and Pride celebrations do make a difference for young people.

Better education for health-care providers is an area where improvement could be made, Dobinson said, adding her research has found consistently that bisexual people want their doctors to recognize their existence as a standalone sexual identity. She said some in health care don’t understand that biphobia in gay and lesbian communities exists.

“Referring to a queer organization, space or group, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s welcoming to bi folks,” Dobinson said.

“It’s good for them to know how inclusive these spaces are, to have training around the kinds of health disparities and barriers that bi people face.”

In the month of June, Global News is exploring deeper issues related to the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community in our series, Inside Pride, which looks at the importance of the acronym and the labels it represents.

TORONTO, June 20, 2023 /CNW/ – Beiersdorf Canada Inc., the parent company of NIVEA, announced today its Pride 2023 campaign in support of Pflag Canada and the organization’s summer leadership camp for LGBTQ2S+ youth, Camp Rainbow Phoenix.

For the second year in a row, NIVEA will donate $1 from the sale of every Pride Limited Edition NIVEA Creme tin sold in June to Pflag, up to a maximum of $15,000. Additionally, the company will match every Pflag donation contributed through Nivea.ca, up to a maximum of $15,000. NIVEA will further amplify this combined $30,000 pledge with a donation of skincare essentials, including body wash and deodorant, for every Rainbow Phoenix camper and their family.

To close out the campaign, NIVEA will join Pflag at the 2023 Toronto and Montreal Pride Parade to celebrate inclusivity, community and the beauty of just being yourself.

“As a global leader in skin care, we share the universal values of #respect and #togetherness. We believe in a culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging while embracing their authentic individuality. This partnership is well aligned with Beiersdorf’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as NIVEA’s brand values,” says Florian Wolfram, General Manager – Beiersdorf Canada. “We are proud to be teaming up with Pflag for another year to advance its cause of uplifting LGBTQ2S+ youth and creating a more informed and inclusive world.”

As the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQ2S+ rights, Pflag’s mission is to promote the equality and wellbeing of LGBTQ2S+ persons and their families. Its summer leadership camp, Camp Rainbow Phoenix, expands on this pursuit by creating a carefree and affirming environment for LGBTQ2S+ campers aged 12-17 to connect with one another and become agents of social change in their own communities.

“We’re thrilled to once again be teaming up with NIVEA in support of Camp Rainbow Phoenix and all the incredible LGBTQ2S+ youth who make it their summer home,” says Donny Potts, Vice President of Pflag Canada. “For the second year in a row, this funding will enable us to welcome 30 campers and provide them with a safe, nurturing and fun-loving experience they won’t soon forget. We couldn’t be more grateful or energized by NIVEA’s support.”

This consumer-facing Pride initiative builds off the success of the 2022 Pride Limited Edition NIVEA Creme tin launch campaign in support of Pflag. This initiative represents a seamless extension of Beiersdorf’s global diversity, equity and inclusion work and its goal of encouraging self-expression through a culture of togetherness. The “Be You @Beiersdorf” community founded on the initiative of Beiersdorf’s own employees underscores this commitment and fosters a welcoming environment for LGBTQ2S+ employees and their allies.

NIVEA is delighted about reupping with Pflag Canada for a second year and joining forces to promote a more inclusive community during Pride Month and throughout the year.

The Pride Limited Edition NIVEA Creme is available at select mass retailers and drugstores across Canada.

ABOUT BEIERSDORF AG:

Beiersdorf Canada Inc. is part of the Beiersdorf Group, a global leading provider of innovative, high-quality skin care products and has 140 years of experience in this market segment. The Hamburg-based company has over 20,000 employees worldwide and is listed on the DAX, the German benchmark equities index. Beiersdorf generated sales of €7.6 billion in fiscal year 2019. NIVEA, the world’s No. 1 skin care brand*, is the cornerstone of the company’s brand portfolio, which also includes brands such as Eucerin, Elastoplast and Coppertone in Canada.

* Source: Euromonitor International Limited; NIVEA as umbrella brand in the categories Face Care, Body Care, and Hand Care; in retail value terms, 2016.

SOURCE Nivea

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2023/20/c5792.html

TEXT | CHARLES LALANDE – PICTURES | CORY HERPERGER

First wiped out, then resilient, she decided to invest to avoid further similar drama in Saskatchewan.

READ THE FULL STORY ON RADIO CANADA

Dad mom. I love you, but …

So begins the letter Jeremy Kenzle left on his bed before leaving the family home in Regina never to return. That morning, Francine Proulx-Kenzle and her husband, Rodney, knew right away that their lives would change forever. The Regina Police Service quickly launched a search to locate their 28-year-old son.

Jeremy’s sister, Meagan Kenzle-Frohlick, then a Bachelor of Education student, was on her first day of internship at a school in Prince Albert, over 360 km from Regina.

Early in the morning, a coworker informed her that he had seen posts on Facebook from people looking for her brother Jeremy. Incredulous, Meagan called his mother, Francine, who tried to reassure her. But hours after the disappearance was reported, the young man’s vehicle was found in the parking lot of a Regina hotel, where he had taken his own life.

“When I got the call, I collapsed. My legs gave way”, recalls her sister, who then left Prince Albert to go to Regina with one of her cousins.

“It was an extreme shock for the family”, explains Francine, more than 11 years after the tragedy.

“Unfortunately, when it comes to suicide, everyone loses.”

Francine Proulx-Kenzle, mother of Jeremy

Many people actually suffered from Jeremy’s death. His mother, his father, his two brothers, his sister, his uncles, his aunts, his comrades … All these people have lost someone unanimously described as endearing, funny, empathetic, who liked to debate different subjects – a little too much sometimes, his mother will tell you – but above all, an enthusiast destined for a good career.

When Jeremy opened up to those close to him about his homosexuality, the news was well-received. But the love and acceptance of the people he loved the most in the world was not enough. He explained in his letter that he felt incapable of living in a society that did not fully accept his homosexuality.

These words, heavy with meaning, remained in the memory of those close to him and ended up awakening in his mother a strong desire to change things. Armed with her resilience, after taking the time to grieve and seek help, she became a mental health trainer and an ambassador in the fight for acceptance of the LGBTTIQQ2SA community.

READ THE FULL STORY ON RADIO CANADA

This follows a 2019 campaign promise by the Liberal government to amend the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy. The practice of conversion therapy, which has been deemed as a serious threat to the health and well-being of those affected by the Canadian Psychological Association, is a discredited practice aimed at changing one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

In March 2019, pflag Canada sent a letter to the offices of Justin Trudeau, endorsing a nationwide petition to end conversion therapy, spearheaded by It Gets Better Canada. While the federal government acknowledged the practice’s harms, it rejected the plea to end conversion therapy, stating that governing it fell to provinces and territories. In light of today’s recent developments, Omid Razavi, Director of Communication for pflag Canada, says that their organization applauds the government for introducing action to amend the Criminal Code to ban conversion therapy nationwide.

“The practice of conversion therapy can lead to serious long term harm for any individual exposed to this “pseudo-therapy, including self-hatred, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. We are hopeful that this is the first step towards definitive action from the federal government in recognizing the destructive harm of conversion therapy.”

COVID-19 has temporarily suspended all in person pflag peer-to-peer support meetings. This has created a challenge for pflag members experiencing anxiety or issues dealing with their sexual orientation/gender identity or a loved one. Fido’s support includes a donation of tablets, with six months of free data plans, to distribute amongst regional chapters throughout Canada. With this offering, monthly meetings can resume through remote meeting setups.

“COVID-19 has brought along many challenges to our already vulnerable LGBTQ2S communities,” says Bev Belanger, President of pflag Canada. “In offering their assistance during this pandemic, Fido went the extra step by asking us how COVID-19 has impacted our communities. This initiative is an example of what can happen when an organization truly listens to our needs and focuses on supporting those we pridefully service.”

In addition to assisting with remote meeting setups, Fido has created a donation drive open to the public, starting today. Fido has also announced a donation of $150,000 to help support the organization’s continued efforts to support Canadians in the LGBTQ2S community and their loved ones across Canada.

“Physical distancing doesn’t mean that help is out of reach. As a proud ally, Fido is partnering with pflag Canada to provide peer-to-peer virtual support to LGBTQ2S communities. The connections they make are especially important right now,” said Nancy Audette, Vice-President and General Manager, Fido Wireless. “This is one way we can continue our commitment to keeping communities connected to the important services they need while helping create a more inclusive and more tolerant environment for all of us.”

Donations will help pflag Canada to further its goal of opening more chapters in underserved communities throughout Canada in 2020 to provide vital support for these areas, as well as servicing current Chapter needs.

For a full list of pflag Canada cities and meeting information, visit: https://pflagcanada.ca/pflag-chapters/

Help Us Keep the Lights On! Donate Now.

—

Media inquiries/interview requests: info@pflagcanada.ca

About pflag Canada: pflag Canada is a national charitable organization founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their LGBTQ2S children. We support these families through today and give them hope for a better tomorrow. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirited (LGBTQ2S) with families, friends, and allies, pflag is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy.

About Fido:

Fido connects Canadians to the things and people they love through its coast-to-coast LTE network that keeps up with them anytime. Known for keeping things simple and affordable, Fido offers plans that come loaded with data and benefits at a great price, including Fido XTRA, 5 Extra Hours of Data at no added cost every month and Data Overage Protection. Check us out at fido.ca, facebook.com/fidomobile, and instagram.com/fidomobile

From January-March 2021, the studio is offering Rainbow Art Club for five in-person participants, and eight remote participants on a weekly basis across the Ottawa Valley.

“We are offering remote delivery during COVID-19 because not only is it safer for the community, but queer youth are spread out across our rural region and might not be able to get to Pembroke easily for an in-person class,” said Cameron Montgomery, director at Studio Dreamshare. “Getting to hang out with other queer kids, even virtually, is so important for mental health.”

Jill Holroyd, chapter leader of the Renfrew County chapter of pflag Canada, said LGBTQ2S youth in Renfrew County are isolated from their peers at the best of times, and the situation has worsened due to Covid-19.

“LGBTQ2S youth are suffering from anxiety and depression due to stigma, rejection, bullying and even violence due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity/gender expression. We often hear from parents, or the youth themselves, that they would like a place to be creative, develop their artistic skills and socialize with other LGBTQ2S youth. This will lead to improved mental health outcomes,” she said.

Studio Dreamshare is hiring local artists to deliver the classes in-person for five youth, and via Livestream to eight more, who will be sent materials packages by mail. They are encouraging queer artists especially to get in touch with the studio to facilitate a class.

This project is funded by the United Way East Ontario: Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). Due to this great generosity, Rainbow Art Club is being offered at no cost to the youth. Please contact Studio Dreamshare to register a space. All queer and questioning youth across the Ottawa Valley are invited.

613-898-8888

studiodreamshare@gmail.com.

The program takes place Friday nights 5-7 p.m. starting January 8, 2021.

Written By: Pembroke Observer and News