On Thursday, February 13th, Central High School in Burlington, Ontario will open its doors to students for the region's first ever gay pride high school dance. The event, which was organized by Central's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), is open to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, questioning and queer students, as well as their straight peers. The dance is also open to students from the Halton Catholic Board, though the event is not formally affiliated with the board. Event staffers hope to get them involved next year, though they anticipate some resistance.
Dana Chiariot, the faculty member leading the charge in this progressive event, explains, "The purpose of the dance is to create a safe, positive and inclusive space for Halton’s LGBTQ students."
The event will be free of political speeches, but youth support groups like POSSE and the Reach Out Center for Kids (ROCK) will be present to distribute informative pamphlets, buttons and stickers. The dance will be equipped with gender-neutral washrooms, a photo-booth, free swag, food and drink and music provided by DJ Lulu of Miss Mix Music.
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Gay Pride Semi-Formals
Central High School Offers Students a Gay Pride High School Dance
Trend Themes
1. Inclusive School Dances - Creating safe, positive, and inclusive high school dances is a trend that could encourage other schools and regions to develop events aimed at fostering inclusion.
2. LGBTQ Youth Support Groups - The presence of youth support groups like POSSE and the Reach Out Center for Kids (ROCK) at this dance is an example of a growing trend toward providing mental health and educational resources to LGBTQ youth across Canada.
3. Gender-neutral Facilities - Making non-gendered washrooms and facilities available at school events is an emerging trend that could lead to the creation of more welcoming and inclusive public spaces for LGBTQ individuals.
Industry Implications
1. Education - This article highlights how schools can cosponsor inclusive school dances using student-led organizations such as Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) which could give rise to new opportunities in this education sector.
2. Youth Mental Health Services - Increasing visibility of youth mental health services, through attending events such as this dance put on by POSSE and the Reach Out Center for Kids (ROCK), may provide a growing opportunity for practitioners to connect to vulnerable populations.
3. Facilities Management - The trend toward creating new, non-gendered spaces invites facilities management companies to provide innovative solutions for retrofitting older buildings, or designing new ones, to be safer and more inclusive for everyone who uses them.