A Brockville student is promoting a message of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Kai Flicker is a grade 11 student at Brockville Collegiate Institute, who’s committed to ensuring members of the community feel supported, as well as making schools and communities safe spaces for everyone.
Flicker spoke with the Upper Canada District School Board about how the school communities can continue its work to stand up to bullying and work toward equity and acceptance.
They feel ignoring the struggle faced by queer people is only contributing to that same struggle.
“I feel like we’re still fighting for the bare minimum with empathy,” Flicker said. “I have experienced a lot of bigotry in middle school and early high school, and that was really tough, especially speaking out about it before I was out to my community and my family.”
Flicker says their message is not about understanding the trans or binary experience, but allowing the queer community to have a space.
They say that queer people of colour have some of the highest suicide rates, and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed.
“Whenever someone like us brings up these kinds of topics, or confronts somebody over their bigotry, we run the risk of getting hurt or harassed,” Flicker said. “I think people need to stop looking at us right away to comment on the bigotry in public or in the classroom every time it happens.”
“Nobody is asking you to understand the trans or binary experience, but to allow us to have a space,” Kai said, adding that queer people of colour have some of the highest suicide rates and it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. “To ignore that unique struggle is to contribute to it.”
Flicker adds that in spaces where queer people don’t make up half of the student body, it’s up to the educators to bring these topics to the table.
They say they hope those in a position of privilege will do more to support the queer community going forward, even if it means getting uncomfortable.
“Having queer friendly teachers can really feel so rare, even for people who’ve had positive experiences with their identity,” Flicker said. “One of my teachers asked me if I prefer to be called ‘Kai’, instead of my birth name. It really caught me off guard because I never expect anyone to be that considerate.”
The UCDSB is using Flicker’s message to remind students, parents, guardians and community members that should you or someone you know be in crisis or simply need to talk, Kids Help Phone is available.
You can watch Flicker’s video message below: