Chilliwack school board trustee reflects on Transgender Awareness Week

A newly-elected local politician is calling Transgender Awareness Week an opportunity to learn and evolve.

Teri Westerby’s election as a Chilliwack school board trustee in October made him the first openly transgender man to secure a spot in public office in Canada. He says he hopes to use his platform to move the needle forward when it comes to representation.

“I think that Transgender Awareness Week brings that freedom to all Canadians so that every single one of us can come out and enjoy who we are at our fullest without having to just accept what’s handed to us, unpacking the whole concept of gender and gender roles that have been handed down to us from generations past,” he told CityNews.

 

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Transgender Awareness Week runs from Nov. 13 to Nov. 19, leading up to the internationally recognized Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.

“This whole week of learning about accepting and embracing and celebrating people for their differences is capped off with the day of knowing that we still face deadly violence every day just by being who we are,” Westerby said.

“I think it’s important to notice that even though we have gender diverse people in caucus today, we still face violence and we still have a long, long way to go.”

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Westerby’s election as school board trustee signaled a win for Chilliwack’s 2SLGBTQ+ community, who worked to unseat previous board members with transphobic views.

“Because I was able to be out and be open, that means people knew who I was and they chose me because of it. And that, I think, is a big flag for everybody that we can all be who we are and be celebrated for that, making sure that everybody’s heard and represented,” he said.

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As Westerby gets acclimated to his new job, he hopes he can serve as a role model for the next generation.

“I never expected to be a role model…but it’s something that I’m unpacking myself,” he said. “The number one thing I’m focusing on is being authentic and being true to myself.”