Social issues affecting inclusion and diversity have been much more discussed and publicized in recent years: today’s preteens, exposed since childhood, form a generation that is particularly sensitive and open to these issues. Very often, they are the ones who educate their parents.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
Mother of three, Larance Piché notes that her two eldest, a 10-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, have integrated the values of diversity and inclusion in a very natural way.
PHOTO SARKA VANCUROVA, THE PRESS
Larance Piché, with his children Noa and Léo
“I think we advocate these values as parents, but they are also very influenced by social networks like TikTok, by their school environment, their friends, their loved ones,” explains this 35-year-old specialized educator from Joliette.
For them, all humans can be whatever they wish to be, all choices are valid.
Larance Piché, mother of three children
This global vision of people, without prejudice or a priori, is shared by the children of Mathieu Pelletier, two preteens aged 10 and 11.
“They know a lot more about the situation of trans, non-binary, homosexual or bisexual people than my spouse and I,” says the 40-year-old project manager. It fascinates me because they haven’t reached that point in their love journey… but they are interested. »
This is sometimes reflected in anecdotal fashion, in everyday life, as Lucie Arsenault, from Amqui, testifies: “My 10-year-old daughter was shocked that in a restaurant in Rimouski, the toilet doors were identified by a silhouette with short hair to designate the men’s toilets and a silhouette with long hair for those of the women. She asked me where the trans people went. »
Another mother, Myriam Dupont, says her 12-year-old son Charles-Antoine wondered about the lack of mixed toilets at his high school in Quebec. “We had a discussion about the discomfort that people who are non-binary or ambivalent about their gender have to deal with,” she says. And he even thought about the fact that trans boys don’t have access to hygienic products in the toilets designated for boys… whereas there are some on the girls’ side! »
Charles-Antoine doesn’t feel “particularly knowledgeable” about gender identity and sexual orientation issues: he says it comes naturally to him, as it does to his friends, he says. “It’s rather the opposite that we do not understand, he drops. What’s wrong with a person being whoever they want? And why does it bother? »
At Josée Leduc, a 43-year-old mother from the South Shore of Montreal, the open-mindedness of her two teenagers has brought a lot to the family in recent years. “My daughter has been particularly familiar with these subjects since she was 11-12 years old,” she says. We listened to the series Heartstopping and Euphoria together… It brings a lot of topics for discussion at home. She knows how to defend her opinion on these subjects with conviction. »
At GRIS-Montréal, year after year, more than 30,000 young people are met and made aware of issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community through workshops held in schools. These are students in the third cycle of primary and secondary education.
According to Marie Houzeau, Executive Director, it is true that the 10-12 year old generation was exposed earlier to difference, whether cultural, bodily or sexual – and therefore, that it is particularly open.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GRIS-MONTREAL
Marie Houzeau, General Manager of GRIS-Montreal
We see that they have more knowledge, that they better understand the issues, we see a clear improvement. However, it should be emphasized that it is relative to the school environment and the family environment. It is not the same from one student to another, from one group to another, or from one school to another.
Marie Houzeau, Executive Director of GRIS-Montréal
A long way to go
But if things are going better, Marie Houzeau reiterates that there is still a long way to go to achieve “real social equity”. She cites a survey by the Research Chair in Sexual Diversity and Gender Plurality, published earlier this year, which found that 43% of young members of the LGBTQ+ community expressed feeling unhappy or depressed at school. in the year preceding the survey.
“In each class, there are young people who can be questioning, she underlines, and who take the pulse of their classmates during the workshops. They try to see who to turn to when the time comes, who will be ready to listen and support them. These are the positive leaders, who are curious and open. »
And of course, the opposite exists: young people with strong prejudices against the LGBTQ+ community. “The effect of the workshops, testimonials and information is then not sufficient to reverse the opinion that they have built”, drops Mme Houzeau.
Fortunately, for Carrie Poirier, mother of a 10-year-old trans girl, the openness and unwavering support of her child’s friends and school staff made for a smooth transition.
“She has experienced obstacles, but all in all, she has had a good career,” says the 39-year-old mother from Blainville. I think in society in general there is more and more talk about diversity and inclusion. Tweens are especially knowledgeable and open, and it was exactly at this time in her life that Beatrice was able to start being herself. »
Mme Poirier says he learned a lot through his daughter’s journey; Josée Leduc agrees. “We have a lot to learn from this generation,” she concludes. I think it’s beautiful and I take my hat off to them.