Event Description

The Canadian Centre for Gender & Sexual Diversity, in partnership with the Newfoundland & Labrador English School District, will provide three FREE TO BE ME Conferences for local Junior and Senior High School students (grades 7-12) in the Fall of 2019 in the Central, Western, and Avalon Regions.

We understand the importance of providing knowledge, tools and skills for youth to navigate through their secondary school experiences. Having access to workshops that provide education on inclusivity can help students normalize their feelings, identities and relationships. We will cover topics such as 2SLGBTQ+ Terminology, Transgender Inclusivity,  Healthy Relationships and Consent, GSA Leadership, and other various topics that cover the intersection of identities in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

These events will also include workshops specifically for educators, helping them to continue providing an inclusive learning environment for all students.

If you have any questions please contact Amanda Myerson, by email at [email protected].


***Note for educators who are chaperoning students:

Schedule

8:30 9:30 Registration

9:30 10:45 Welcome & Keynote

10:45 10:55 Break/Travel Time

10:55 12:10 Student and Educator Workshop Session 1

12:10 12:55 Lunch

12:55 2:10  Student and Educator Workshop Session 2

2:10 2:20 Break/Travel Time Before End

2:20 2:50 Closing Circles

2:50-3:00 Closing Remarks

3:00 End

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Event Accessibility Information:

Physical Space: The District Conference Centre is accessible from the East side (the first one when you enter the parking lot).  There is an elevator in the main conference room to reach the second floor.  There is an accessible all-gender washroom on the second floor, and two all-gender washrooms on the bottom floor. 

If anyone requires an FM system or other sound amplification, we can provide that as well - This is available in the main conference rooms and can be set up breakout rooms if needed.

Emotional- CCGSD staff are not trained to provide emotional or active listening support during programming and encourage students to seek support from adult allies from their school communities. There will be a dedicated quiet room supervised by NLESD staff that students can visit if they need any extra support.



Participant Information

Workshop Selection


  • This workshop will take a cross-disciplinary approach to the
    incorporation of queer inclusion in education. This programming will shares resources and strategies related to innovative ways of incorporating queer theory in the day-to-day lives of students, not just in the humanities. Examples of activities, resource materials, and other tools for secondary teachers will be provided to aid educators in learning to unpack their preconceived notions of queer identities and their place in the classroom.

  • A talking circle is a versatile restorative practice that can be used proactively, to develop relationships and build community. Talking circles give people an opportunity to speak and listen to one another in an atmosphere of safety, belonging and equality.

    This session will give teachers an opportunity to voice concerns in their schools and to highlight and share their positive experiences.

  • Using drama and fine arts activities to build connections and how to deal with others who are not as supportive. Come and participate in these activities to build authentic connections with other students attending the conference and learn how to bring them back to your school community.

  • This interactive workshop discusses healthy relationships, defines consent, develops an understanding of effective communication, and helps students resolve conflict.

  • With a comprehensive, and ever-growing list of gender and sexual identities, the participants will be invited to engage in a discussion about: race, sex, gender, orientation, class, ability, ect. The group will discuss how we each hold a multitude of identities, and what it looks like when those intersect. We will also touch on labels and the many limitations and benefits that are associated with the use of labels in our society. Participants will be encouraged to abandon assumptions about gender and sexuality, and to learn, share and embrace their own identities, regardless of what they may be now or in the future.

  • In this workshop, you'll learn about how drag as evolved as an art form through the years. What does it take to make a drag performer? Who gets to do drag? What does doing drag even mean? Explore these questions in a hands-on workshop with St. John's own glitterati drag king, Doctor Androbox.

  • A talking circle is a versatile restorative practice that can be used proactively, to develop relationships and build community. Talking circles give people an opportunity to speak and listen to one another in an atmosphere of safety, belonging and equality.

    This session will give students the opportunity to voice what they need in the school environment in a non-judgemental setting.

  • a fascinating and interactive presentation on queer history throughout the 20th century. The presentation explore queer people through history, the history behind the stigmatization of same-sex relationships, queer people during World War 2, the Aids Epidemic of the 1980s and the fight for equality in Canada.

  • Sometimes you have to speak up for yourself. When you're a member of the 2SLGBT+ community... well, you might have to speak up for yourself a lot. Sarah-Beth Cormier, queer teacher, leads a discussion on self-advocacy and the strategies you can use to maximize effectiveness while minimizing discomfort. Come ask questions, practice techniques, find support, and have fun!

  • A facilitated discussion of gender identity, language used by trans and gender diverse folks, and resources available for young people.

  • This workshop explores what it means to be 2 Spirit, and the impacts colonization has on 2SLGBTQ+ Indigenous people, their communities, and support systems. We will then hold a talking circle to explore how we might decolonize support systems, what they see indigenizing as, and what sort of supports should be provided.

  • This interactive workshop will take you behind the scenes of all the things you need to know in order to put on a successful event with your GSA. There will be a focus on how to plan events from start to finish and incorporate days of significance to advocate for LGBTQ2+ issues in your school (e.g: Day of Pink, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Queering Black History, Pride Month etc.)

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