N.B. advocates say 2SLGBTQ+ youth reporting 'dehumanizing' treatment

Groups representing 2SLGBTQ+ New Brunswickers are joining a national movement that calls for an end to government policies that organizers consider harmful.

The Rainbow Week of Action begins May 11 across the country. Amanda Lightbody, founder and president of the Rainbow Crosswalk group, a non-profit Pride organization in the Woodstock region, says "it couldn't have come at a better time."

"We've had a lot of policy changes on many levels in New Brunswick that affect our community and we always have to advocate, we always have to continue to advocate for our rights ... We intend to make sure they stay."

That's also why Imprint Youth Association decided to get involved in the Week of Action in New Brunswick, chair Nicki Lyons-MacFarlane said.

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"It's a really unfortunate time. Our kids that are speaking up about this, it's brave of them to speak up, it's brave of them to be out, it's brave of them to be their authentic selves, but they're being faced a lot of road blocks, a lot of barriers."

Lyons-MacFarlane, who works with young people in Fredericton, says the week comes as they increasingly hear from 2SLGBTQ+ students about bullying and hate at school.

"They are at this sort of juncture of trying to get through the school day, trying to do the best they can," they said.

"I've heard terms like, other kids are dehumanizing them by like, throwing lunch at them in the line of the cafeteria ... when March break happens, they are relieved to get away from school for a week because it's a break from the harassment."

Opponents of the review of education Policy 713 demonstrated outside the New Brunswick legislature last year. (Radio-Canada)

Lyons-MacFarlane and Lightbody noted recent events, such as the provincial government's changes to Policy 713, which sets requirements for creating a safe school environment for students, as having an affect on young people.

Education Minister Bill Hogan released an update to the policy in June 2023 that requires parental consent before school staff can use a child's chosen name and pronoun, if they're under 16 — a decision that's been contested by the province's child and youth advocate, school districts, school psychologists, teachers and others.

More recently, Woodstock's mayor and council voted to stop allowing Pride banners on municipal lampposts that had been put up annually under the previous council.

Mayor Trina Jones said the new policy, which will only allow tourism and heritage-related banners, was not meant to target any group.

However, the events have made Rowan Little, who works at a private school, fearful about what might happen when they start a new role in the public system next year.

"I'm scared. I'm scared of how parents are going to react to me just being an openly queer teacher," they said.

"Queer students exist, point blank, they do. And the government is not showing support for them ... I'm happy to be there as a person of support for them, but I'm just as scared as they are."

Private school educator Rowan Little believes Rainbow Week of Action is an important chance for the 2SLBTQ+ community to be heard. (Zoom)

The New Brunswick Health Council's latest student wellness survey, administered in November 2023, saw responses from 80 per cent of students across the province — 914 of those students self-identified as non-binary and 6,397 as 2SLGBTQ+.

The survey reported a slight decrease in self-reported bullying among non-binary students in Grades 6 to 12, but these students were still significantly more likely to be bullied than their peers.

On average, 48.2 per cent of students reported being bullied over the past two months, while 70.9 per cent of non-binary students reported the same.

Lightbody acknowledged not everyone will feel comfortable participating, so she hopes to see allies join the May events as well.

"I want [2SLGBTQ+ people] to know they are seen, and there are more people that support them and love them than they can possibly imagine ... it's okay not to speak up. We've got you, we have your back."