Sex Workers are NOT role models
An email to some BOE members and Candace Reim and the leaders of the GSA club at North, Gold & McGuire from Oct 2022
The first (but not only) time one of our schools has highlighted SEX WORKERS.
I see from the school announcements that the school is celebrating LGBTQIA History Month. I saw a photo of the bulletin board prepared by the GSA. It is making the rounds on social media. The featured “historical figure,” Ceyenne Doroshow, a person formerly incarcerated for prostitution, is a horrific choice of role model. Is this the high aspiration we hold for our children? From her bio (access here: https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/team/ceyenne-doroshow/ )
Ceyenne Doroshow (pronounced Kai-Ann) is a compassionate powerhouse performer, activist, organizer, community-based researcher and public figure in the trans and sex worker rights’ movements. She works to provide holistic care to LGBTQ sex workers. As an international public speaker, her presentations include Creating Change, SisterSong, Harm Reduction Coalition and the International AIDS Conferences. She was a featured emcee for Toronto Pride and MOMA/PS1’s Sex Workers’ Festival of Resistance, lifting her voice as a trans woman of color.
In attempting to find out a bit more about this club's activities, I clicked on the "get form" for both the GSA club and the National Spirit Day, but apparently you need to have some kind of special access. Why is this?
I view this hyper-focus on sexuality to be not only well outside the purview of the high school's mandated responsibility to educate, but also so narrowly focused that it must be considered a promotion of these various forms of sexuality. With a full year's worth of celebrations and pride touted, and with the conspicuous absence of a flag and celebration for Straight love and cisgendered people, it definitely comes across as pushing and giving greater approbation to these other forms of love, sexuality, and gender identity. Because something is the majority is no reason not to include it. Why should the "support" be so skewed in favor of LGBTQIA people? What if someone is “just“ straight and cisgendered without feeling a particular need to be supportive, since no one is particularly supporting them and everyone is supporting the LGBTQIA movement?
What about a "D" for detransitioners? Are they important and valuable? What about polyamory, man-boy love, bestiality or minor attracted persons? Does the school value them or feel the need to celebrate their sexual proclivities? Why or why not? How do you make these choices? If a parent wanted to opt their child out of sexual teaching, as is their right, how would you accommodate that request with the plethora of celebratory days and the ubiquitous signage and flags promoting sexuality in various forms?
Also, has the GSA begun taking attendance at all its meetings and are parents allowed to know if their child has attended? Would not knowing how many students (and which students) are in attendance at a school event be required for safety in the event of a fire or other emergency? What would be the reasoning for not taking attendance if it is not taken?
I look forward to your replies. You appear to be strong advocates and proud of your stances in these matters, but perhaps some of you are unaware of these goings-on. If I find you are indeed proud of this, then I am eager to share your activities with the parents and community members that I can reach so that they can also be aware of all that you are doing for our children.
It is terribly difficult to trust these days. I think I know why.