Personal Inquiry – SDG #5: Gender Equality
A main theme I kept coming across in my inquiry is the lack of support and treatment of trans and gender diverse youth. Not only has Saskatchewan enacted new laws within schools to ‘make’ teachers out these students, a similar policy around gender has been passed in February 2024 in Alberta that may endanger LGBTQIA2S+ youth. An unexpected connection that I made during the inquiry process is how passionate I am about this topic due to the fact I didn’t have any supports or safe places or community members to connect with as I went through my youth. I found out years later that there was a queer youth group in my community but it was not advertised or posted in schools to give youth the opportunity to connect with others in the community. I am going to make sure I do the research into what programs are offered to be able to support all my future students. I am not only going to make sure I know the LGBTQIA2S+ resources for students, I am also going to look into other programs or supports I can bring into the classroom that align with SDG #5. This inquiry allowed me to look at my beliefs and how my teaching practices align with this particular SDG but also how teaching through the SDGs helps to build my own global citizenship but that of my students as well. Going forward in my teaching career I am always going to have the SDGs in the back of my mind as I plan what to teach.
Four new Ideas
Peer Mentorship Programs: Establish mentorship programs where LGBTQIA2S+ youth can connect with older mentors from the community who can provide guidance, support, and role modelling. These programs can help reduce feelings of isolation and empower youth to thrive. This could be within the school as an after school program.
Legal Advocacy and Rights Awareness: Develop initiatives to educate LGBTQIA2S+ youth about their legal rights and provide support in cases of discrimination or harassment. This could be an initiative that happens twice a week were one day is focused on LGBTQIA2S+ youth and the other is open to all youth since I think it is important for all youth to know their rights.
LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Centres: Establish dedicated centres in key locations across British Columbia that provide a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Integration of prominent queer spaces where relationships and support can be built is needed. These could be groups that meet at community centres so youth across the community can meet and build relationships.
Mental Health and Wellness: Invest in mental health programs specifically tailored to the needs of LGBTQIA2S+ youth, including access to affirming therapists, support groups, and resources for coping with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and trauma. Creating these programs to be easily accessed and not where youth have to jump through multiple hoops to get this care.
Three New Concepts
Global Initiatives: I’d like to explore what global initiatives are out there to support LGBTQIA2S+ youth in helping their education, and mental health resources to support youth to be able to navigate adolescence.
Education: I’m interested to see what further changes the education system is going to make to help support these youth. Particularly around sexual health education, and use of names and pronouns.
Policies: With the current legislation in Saskatchewan around gender diverse youth, I am curious to see the trickle effect it could have in other provinces. This could include policy changes to school districts, and gender policies.
Two New Inquiry Questions
How do educational institutions and curricula contribute to either promoting or hindering gender equality and inclusion for LGBTQIA2S+ youth, and what reforms can be made to foster a more supportive environment?
How can allyship and solidarity among diverse groups, including LGBTQIA2S+ youth and their allies, be leveraged to advance gender equality and social justice initiatives on a broader scale?
One Ten-Word Summary
Supporting LGBTQIA2S+ youth rewrites injustices of gender inequality and poverty.
Professional Articles
Professional Article relating to SDG #5: Gender Equality
Works Cited
Altobelli, Rachel, and Lambert, Nancy Jo. āLGBTQ-Inclusive Collections.ā Knowledge quest 50.4 (2022): 22ā29. Print.
Wilson-Daily, Ann E., Harris, Richard, Sebares-Valle, Gemma, and Sabido-Codina, Judit. āRevisiting Past Experiences of LGBTQ+-Identifying Students: An Analysis Framed by the UNās Sustainable Development Goals.ā Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland) 14.23 (2022): 16213-. Web.