"Insult directed at Gai resurfaces once more"
Struggling to thrive, LGBTQ+ committees in schools across Quebec face dwindling participation rates, with some even suspending activities altogether. "Not a single student shows up," laments a disheartened teacher who's borne witness to the growing intolerance among youth.
Lea Carrier, our go-to source on all things LGBTQ+ and diversity, reports these safe havens for queer students have become commonplace in Quebec secondary schools. Their purpose? To combat homophobic and transphobic bullying, and foster a nurturing environment rooted in inclusion.
However, these committees struggle to attract students, with club activities on hold at Nicolas-Gatineau School due to a scarcity of participants. "Students just weren’t coming," laments Andréanne Soucy, who's helming the committee for three years. In an effort to reverse this trend, she's tried every tactic under the sun - posters, booths, announcements over the intercom - to no avail. Only one student wanted to join, compared to around ten in previous years, she laments.
Her concern? That young people are shying away from these committees due to fear of stigmatization. "I hear it in the hallways," she says. "'Gay' has become an insult again."
Empty committees, empty spaces
The Press spoke to staff at five secondary schools grappling with the same challenge. At Montreal College, the LGBTQ+ committee used to gather weekly for years. However, they've had to dial back their activities as students stopped showing up, or refused to engage altogether.
"I've always had students. It's the first time there's no one," says social worker Geneviève Ross, who oversees the committee.
Like Ross, many teachers lay the blame on the rise in homophobia for this exodus.
In January, the Montreal Social Research and Intervention Group revealed a study showing an increase in young people's discomfort with sexual diversity in Quebec. It marked the first time the organization had observed a decline in students' openness on this issue.
Telling signs
"I know students who don't come to the committee because they don't want to be identified," admits Alexie Lapierre, who educates at La Cité School in Outaouais.
She notes a decline in participation after the pandemic, coinciding with a surge in homophobia. Teachers observe it in classrooms, when students refuse to accomplish an assignment because it involves a lesbian couple; in hallways, where posters promoting sexual and gender diversity are regularly vandalized.
"If I don't laminate them, students tear them down," confesses teacher Cristi Parpalita, who's also involved in the LGBTQ+ committee at La Cité School.
At Cavelier-De LaSalle School in Montreal, diversity flags have been "flushed down the toilets," says animator Virginie Lafleur Morin.
In this climate, she's not surprised that students are less keen to join her LGBTQ+ committee. "I think they’re afraid of reactions," she says.
At Mont-Bleu School, the LGBTQ+ committee barely has five or six students on a regular basis. It's a stark contrast from its early success in 2018 when it could fill two rooms. "Recruitment is really not easy," confesses Julie Tassé, a personal development and community engagement animator at Mont-Bleu School. Last year, no students participated in the usual march for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17. "In the past, students would come with their flags and march around the school," Tassé recalls. But the picture isn't all bleak - some schools still boast thriving LGBTQ+ committees. At Roberval Academy, a dozen students convene every Wednesday to organize awareness activities. Do you need a thick hide to get involved in such committees? While most peers are open-minded, not everyone tolerates differences equally. "Last year, we put up signs for the 17th of May and almost all of them were torn down the next day," says Agathe, a grade 3 student. But that doesn't stop them from showing their pride. "We want to normalize being part of the community," she says.
A growing discomfort
A study by GRIS-Montreal recently found that discomfort with sexual diversity among Quebec youth is on the rise. Based on over 35,000 questionnaires filled out by secondary school students in the province between 2017 and 2024, the study revealed more young Quebecers are uncomfortable with sexual diversity. The study, published in January, found that 25% of respondents felt uncomfortable with a gay friend's sexual orientation in 2017-2018, compared to nearly 40% in 2023-2024. Similarly, 30% of young people felt uncomfortable with two men showing affection in public in 2017-2018, compared to 42% in 2023-2024. The increase in discomfort is more pronounced among boys and religiously practicing youth, although it is observed across all groups of young people.
For many players in the school system, this study is a confirmation of what they've been observing in the field for several years. "There's something going on in schools right now," says Pascal Vaillancourt, general director of Interligne. About a decade ago, the community organization created a guide to help students set up an LGBTQ+ committee in their school. At the time, Quebec was experiencing "a wave of openness," recalls Mr. Vaillancourt.
But today, he notes a regression in the open-mindedness of young students. "We do training in the classrooms and what we see is an increase in homophobia and transphobia," he says. In this context, it's no surprise that LGBTQ+ committees are struggling to attract students, although he notes that this isn't the case in all schools.
"When people are afraid, they stop being visible," he explains. To reverse this trend, schools must create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and celebrated - free from judgment and intolerance.
- Despite the critical role LGBTQ+ committees play in fostering inclusivity and combating bullying, they are facing declining participation rates, and some have even suspended activities, such as the committee at Nicolas-Gatineau School.
- The dearth of students participating in these committees is a concern for teachers like Andréanne Soucy, who believes young people might be shying away due to fear of stigmatization.
- A study by the Montreal Social Research and Intervention Group revealed an increase in young people's discomfort with sexual diversity in Quebec, which might be a contributing factor to the decreasing participation.
- In an effort to combat this trend and create an environment where students feel safe and supported, schools must prioritize general-news coverage, self-development, and education about the importance of accepting and celebrating diversity, as reported by Lea Carrier.
