June 15th, 2018

The following post was written by Grade 11 student, Edward Linder. It is important to us that student’s experience a safe, caring learning environment where they feel a sense of belonging. Edward explains what flying the pride flag at his school means to him.

My name is Edward Linder and I am genderfluid. I am currently enrolled in Grade 11 at Cameron Heights, and am a leader in our Gender & Sexuality Awareness Club (GSA). I was born female under the name of Jessica and had only changed names under the school board, and only under the school board (not legally), as I was entering high school, though I had been going by Edward for about half a year at that point.

The smallest things such as getting called Edward for the first time, on the first day of school by my period A teacher, as well as getting offered the option to use the male bathroom, change room, and to join a male gym class all made the awkwardness and harassment when discovering my identity all worth it. It would have been a lot easier for me to learn of my identity sooner than I did if we had clubs like this in grade 6, 7 and 8, let alone a pride flag up. The flag helps connect all of the GSAs and the LGBTQ+ students in schools that do not have GSAs so they can meet each other.

This flag raising is not a small thing. Not only does it help me, but all of those students and staff who are out, or even more if they are closeted, because it makes the school a safe place for people to come out. It makes it very clear that the schools and school board support us in our journeys, and that they are not ashamed of having students like us. Having the support of the school board behind us helps us stand up against harassment and gives us the courage to tell someone in cases of bullying or violence. This is likely unnecessary because once the flag first went up last year, the cases of threats of violence towards LGBTQ+ students at Cameron Heights has significantly dropped.

Another reason the flag raising is such a big deal is the significance of the movement behind it. It was proposed to be put up in mid June of 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando where 50 people lost their lives, including the shooter, and 53 more were injured. This was supposed to be done to honor the lives lost, but could not be done [at school] with the short notice before the end of the school year. Just like Remembrance day for those lost in War, and Violence Against Women’s day for those lost to domestic violence or sexual assault, this is done to help prevent more lives being lost due to ignorance and to promote education about LGBTQ+ rights and lives.

As a parent of a trans* student, my mother is much more comfortable with me going to school as Edward and being enthusiastically out, now that she knows that the school board supports us, and after we put the flag up and the trans policy was put into place in 2017. She is very happy that I am able to be freely out and happy, and she, as well as many other people, have definitely noticed the change for the better in my mental health since the school board has been more visual and vocal about their support of students like me.

One of the issues brought up last year, was that it was an exclusive flag that did not include the rest of the non-LGBTQ+ population and that other groups that are still struggling also need time in the spotlight to promote their issues. This is a very great argument and should be taken into consideration in the future, that for other causes such as mental health and Black History Month, there should be flags flying as well.

Overall, the best thing that this flag and flag raising does, is provides a basis for conversation, and a place for people to ask questions about the flag, and the community. The education that comes out of this clearly outweighs the outrage of those who do not agree with the way we are. Educating people about LGBTQ+ rights and identities helps people who might not understand their feelings, discover their identity.

Sincerely and Proudly,

Edward (Jessica) Evelyn Linder