EDMONTON—High school students walked out of class and into the cold Friday morning to stand up for the rights of LGBTQ youth in light of Alberta’s recent election.

At 9:30 a.m., students streamed out of M.E. LaZerte High School in northeast Edmonton to protest prospective government policies that could remove safeguards protecting the privacy of members of gay-straight alliances (GSAs), student-run groups that foster supportive and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ youth and allies.

Part of a co-ordinated effort that included high schools across Alberta, the demonstration at M.E. LaZerte saw about 200 students gather at the steps of the school in response to the new United Conservative government.

Grade 12 student Zachery Yeung, who organized the walkout at the school, said one of the main concerns driving the protest was the safety of LGBTQ students, who could be outed to their families against their will.

“One of the biggest things I have against outing students is a lot of them already have a really bad home life,” Yeung, said, noting that some youths could face discrimination and rejection from families at home and in their communities. “It can spread like wildfire, and then it’ll hurt a lot of people because they could get physically, emotionally and mentally abused.”

Chris Nielsen, NDP MLA for Edmonton-Decore, attended the rally to support students peacefully standing up for their rights.

Read more:

Alberta students plan Friday walkout in protest of United Conservatives’ plan to repeal Bill 24

Edmonton’s LGBTQ community ‘nervous’ but not defeated after United Conservative election win

United Conservatives would hit rewind on protection of gay-straight alliances as part of education platform

“The government is sending concerning signals around GSAs,” Nielsen said. “These students need to know that their voice can be heard in the legislature.”

Currently, Bill 24 in Alberta’s School Act prevents schools from notifying parents if a student joins a GSA. However, the UCP campaigned on plans to replace the School Act with the Education Act, which would still protect students’ rights to form the clubs, but without the privacy guarantee built into Bill 24.

The hazards of outing LGBTQ youth and the importance of respecting the privacy of GSA members are something Yeung, 17, knows all too well.

“At certain times in my home life, I have been out of my comfort zone and kicked out of my house for a little bit,” he said. “But I know many others who are more in that situation now than I am.”

A study on youth homelessness in Canada in 2016 found young people between the ages of 13 and 24 made up approximately 20 per cent of the homeless population in Canada, nearly a third of whom identified as gender and sexual minorities.

According to a 2017 report by the City of Edmonton and Homeward Trust, youths belonging to gender or sexual minority groups are particularly vulnerable to housing instability due to family conflict, and are overrepresented among the homeless population due to transphobia and homophobia at home and in the service and housing systems.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Like many at the rally too young cast a ballot in the April 16 provincial election, Yeung hopes the new government takes note of the walkout, hears the cries of concern, and recognizes the power young people will have in the years ahead.

“I hope the UCP understand that we, as students, will have a voice,” Yeung added. “We’ll be voting in four years and they need to be concerned with our point of view.”

In response to the walkout, Alberta’s new Education Minister Adriana LaGrange released a statement maintaining that the government does not support mandatory parental notification or outing of any student.

“As minister, I do want to meet with passionate, young Albertans to understand their concerns and clarify any misunderstandings about our position,” LaGrange said.

Read more about: