16 MAY 2013

"Tomorrow, on the International Day Against Homophobia, 25 students from Oromocto High, St. Stephen High and Sir James Dunn Academy in St. Andrews will be traveling to Toronto to participate in OUTShine, Canada's very first National GSA Summit, representing their schools and our province over the next three days," said David Coon, Green Party Leader. "As a New Brunswicker and political leader, I am proud of these schools and all 13 high schools that have established Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs to provide a place for students to support each other while working to end homophobia, and I encourage those schools without them to get to work," said Green Party leader David Coon.

OUTShine will be a gathering of youth and educators from across Canada with a focus on promoting safer and more inclusive schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students. Students will participate in workshop and discussion groups with some of the best inclusive education facilitators from across the country. Teachers will take part in special sessions of the Toronto District School Board’s ground-breaking Positive Space Training program. 

"The efforts of our high school students and their teachers to create safer and more inclusive schools for LGBT youth should stand as an inspiration for us all to accept and respect each other," said Green Party leader David Coon. "While discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is illegal, homophobia, and the bullying and hate it can breed, is a blight on the soul of our province.   As our young people are teaching us, if we don't talk about it, if we allow homophobic behavior to go unchallenged, then we perpetuate the problem," said Coon.

Green Party Leader David Coon will speak at a rally in front of the Legislative Assembly on Friday May 17 to mark the International Day Against Homophobia.

Links: 
http://www.mygsa.org/outshine/

http://www.mygsa.ca/why-have-gsa

http://www.homophobiaday.org/