Pride month is a time for celebrating strength, resistance and identities of 2SLGBTQIA+ persons and communities. In the spirit of Pride month, our work in LINC can help to foster inclusion and belonging for everyone. Supportive communities that respect and celebrate diversity are vital for safety, life satisfaction and health outcomes for gender diverse people. Consider how you can incorporate Pride celebrations in your classroom. Informing oneself and sharing knowledge with others to identify stigmas and refute bias are important parts of creating safe inclusive spaces and joining in allyship with 2SLGBTQIA+ persons and fostering respect for diversity of our classrooms and communities.
For a full history of Pride resistance, rights, milestones and more, check out the Canadian website Queer Events for Canadian Queer History that provides a detailed history of events and activities along with LGBT2QQIAAP terms, symbols and flags
Our Federal Government encourages all Canadians to support unity for a safe future by identifying stigmas, refuting bias and acting and refute bias. Online resources are available through Unity Resources
The National LINC Curriculum Guidelines (NLCG) provides valuable information for EDII considerations within LINC classrooms on 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Gender and Sexual Orientation Unit developed by the Toronto Catholic School Board provides a teaching guide and H5P activities based on the Canadian Human Rights Act. TUTELA Resource_39922
Talking to Everyone in Canada: LGBTQ+ Fundamentals in EAL developed by Eliy Salhi through funding from BC TEAL Charitable Foundation provides lesson materials on ways of introducing and including LGBTQ+ people in the EAL classroom as part of a broader initiative to respectful communication with everyone in Canada.
Being a 2SLGBTQIA+ Ally is generated by Canada School of Public Service offers tips to contribute to building a workplace that is inclusive of everyone.
Are your looking for a guest speaker for your classroom? Consider contacting PFLAG , an organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and those who love them. PFLAG has experience speaking in LINC 4 classrooms and offers workshops which can bring lived experience of how families have supported their 2SLGBTQIA+ children that can be valuable for newcomers.
Pride safety in the LINC classroom:
- Keep learning focused on respect for all 2SLGBTQIA+ persons without personal disclosure. Clients may not openly identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and may have serious reasons for keeping this private, including safety concerns, fear of rejection, or simply not being ready to share
- Clients in LINC classes who are 2SLGBTQIA+ may have faced persecution, discrimination and/or hatred in other countries. Brining an Trauma-Informed Practice approach to LINC Instruction fosters dignity, respect and safety for everyone.
- Make Settlement and referral information available for anyone who may be seeking more support outside of the class for themselves, friends or family members. Rainbow Foundation of Hope provides LGBTQ+ information and resources for newcomers across Canada
