Strides made but Int’l Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia stresses need for more progress

As we mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, advocates and Queer youth say much progress has been made — but a long road ahead remains.

May 17 is a day to commemorate the World Health Organization’s 1990 decision to remove the classification of homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

“Hesitant” and “unsure” is how Brandon Yan, executive director of Out on Screen/Out in Schools, describes the attitudes around queer issues at schools in 2015 — when he started with his film screening program.

“We would be talking about – don’t say that word! Use this word! Don’t bully! Be nice to people!” he told CityNews.

Now, nearly a decade later, he says there that has been change for the better with the guidance of young queer high school students.

“I think what’s possible now is we’re at a time, especially with Out in Schools, that we can have conversations and we can show films about queer joy, versus back in the day, when I was going through school, it was always about – ‘oh, you’re gay? Here’s a bunch of terrible things that will happen to you.’”

While attitudes and resources for queer youth have improved since the 1990s, many people say they still have fears for their personal safety.

“Being queer in high school isn’t too much of an issue most of the time,” explained Emma Merideth-Black, a high school student in Vancouver who says she’s lucky to have many queer classmates.

However, it’s after the bell rings that her concerns rise.

“Outside of school I do get a fair amount of harassment,” she told CityNews. “I remember not too long ago we went on a road trip … We stopped in Chilliwack and my mom made it very clear that I wasn’t allowed out of the car. Because she was worried that someone was going to hurt me. People have hurt her. It’s just still scary out in the world there.”

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Michelle Fortin, the chair of the Vancouver Pride Society, says trans people continue to be murdered at high rates around the world and in North America.

“So what that says to me is there’s still a lot of fear, and fear is generally based in a lack of education and knowledge,” Fortin explained.

Merideth-Black is hopeful more people will take the time to educate themselves and for more change to follow.

“The best thing for the average person watching is to just learn. You don’t have to go super deep, but just learn a bit,” she said.