I studied at Saint-Maxime secondary school, in Laval, from 2000 to 2005, and I confirm that contempt for Quebec culture was very present and in the majority, even at that time. Ethnic Quebecers were marginalized there. Having adopted coping behaviors and protective mechanisms, I immersed myself in other cultures until they became an integral part of my identity as a young woman.
I thought all my life that I had to repress my Quebec identity, my culture, my values and my roots because they were shameful. How many times have I been told “You are cool ! You’re not a real white woman! “, and I, naive and in search of social acceptance, perceived this comment as a compliment.
But this adaptation proved to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I was complimented for not being a “real” white woman, and on the other, I was accused of being a ” wannabe » (of wanting to belong to a community other than my own) or a “PAN” (an acronym used in place of a degrading expression describing white girls who have relationships with black boys). Many of my friends and I grew up in an environment where our identity was constantly challenged and criticized, which greatly contributed to fueling self-esteem issues and identity disorders that continued into adulthood.
In the corridors, we saw Moroccan, Algerian and Haitian flags being waved with pride. But we would never have seen a Quebec flag in circulation, because we would have risked humiliation and public insults.
Despite my troubling experiences, I still made connections and created friendships. My friends were able to come to my house and meet my parents, who always welcomed them with openness and generosity. Despite this, these friends, who were mostly born here, still believed that considering oneself as Quebecois was a shame.
What I personally learned from my adolescence is that the Quebec people are perceived as a sub-people, a residue of the colonizers, who have no values, no manners, no culture, no education. , no strength, no power… A shameful and disturbing people who can be trampled on without restraint.
And I am convinced that this phenomenon has nothing to do with our level of openness, but that it comes from an intergenerational feeling of resentment towards the West, on the one hand, and from a deep contempt for disbelieving peoples, on the other.