BC Teachers’ Federation Promotes “Day of Pink”

The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), established in 1917, is the union of professionals representing 41,000 public school teachers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. All public school teachers belong to the BCTF and their local teachers’ association.

They are promoting the “Day of Pink” which is on February 27, 2013 in British Columbia, and April 10 is the International Day of Pink. It is a day where communities across the province, across the country and across the world can unite to celebrate diversity and raise awareness to stop bullying in all its forms, including homophobic and transphobic bullying.

The International Day of Pink got its start in Nova Scotia when two straight high school students saw a gay student wearing a pink shirt being bullied. The two students intervened, but wanted to do more to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying. They decided to purchase pink shirts, and a few days later got everyone at school to stand in solidarity by showing up in pink. The result was that an entire school came together to stop homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Some of their in-school lesson plans include the following:

For Kindergarten and Grade One: Work with your Teacher-Librarian to collect a variety of pictures and picture books about all kinds of families. Have these displayed within your room or easily accessible for students to look at during your “book time”. Begin by asking students “Who’s in a family?” Record their ideas on chart paper along with key words and picture symbols (i.e. people’s heads) so that non-readers can tell who is who. Be careful not to draw girls and boys in gender stereotypical ways (i.e. stick figures with skirts or pants) or using gendered colours (i.e. pink and blue). Gently debunk the myth that all families must have a Mom and a Dad.

Harvey Milk (on the right).

Secondary Classes: Read and discuss the book, The Harvey Milk Story. Harvey Milk was elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1977 and  became the first openly homosexual elected official in California.  Milk made national news — he was an openly gay elected official at a time when  homosexuality was not part of the public debate.  The “Mayor of Castro” was a  champion of urban neighborhoods and grassroots activism, but he’s most famous  for his role as a symbol for gay and lesbian rights.

Homosexual characters in Brokeback Mountain.

Grades 8 – 12: View Brokeback Mountain or clips of the video with your class. Film synopsis: A raw, powerful story of two young men, a Wyoming ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 sheepherding in the harsh, high grasslands of contemporary Wyoming, and form an unorthodox yet life-long, yet sometimes tumultuous bond.

For curriculum in Biology 12 (and may be adapted for Science 9): The goal of this lesson is to provide students with an understanding of gender diversity from a genetic and hormonal perspective. Many people believe there are two clear-cut categories for gender: male and female. Others believe it’s a fluid line between two end points. Still others believe there are many gender categories. What do you think?

Why I’m all against bullying, why does the school district feel the need to make a special day to introduce LGHTB issues into the classroom? Can you imagine the school district introducing a lesson plan to celebrate National Aboriginal Day of Prayer?

h/t LifeSite News

DCG