| There is a lot more to coming out than watching re-runs of Will & Grace. You’re young, you’re questioning your sexuality, or maybe not, but still want to know more than, "OK, I’m gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans-identified, what now?" There are some answers for queer youth in Calgary at ACT OUT!, the first leadership conference of its kind running June 9 to 11.
Open to people ages 16 to 29, Act Out! is a three-day symposium to educate queer youth in Alberta so "the next generation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people are confident and empowered to become leaders who will educate for change."
Organized in conjunction with the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Association (GLSCA), Act Out!’s goals are to educate, support and mentor queer and questioning youth in a safe, positive space. It is a conference meant to encourage self-esteem for young adults who are just coming out, or who want to help others through a series of peer-led workshops and networking. The program includes building community to overcome the marked sense of isolation that many young people face when dealing with their emerging sexuality. The conference also features a series of workshops designed to foster critical consciousness, which focuses on understanding the impact of homophobia, heterosexism and transphobia, and safety and wellness, to encourage a positive sense of self worth and mentor a new generation of leaders to advocate for social justice.
Edward Lee, president of the GLSCA and an organizer of Act Out!, is one of the founders of the conference. "A few years ago," says Lee, "I had gone to Camp FYrefly in Edmonton, which was one of the first, if not the only, such conference for queer youth in Western Canada." "It was such an amazing experience for everyone involved.
"At the end, I thought, ‘Wow, if this could happen in Edmonton, it could happen in Calgary.’ We started organizing a year ago, with the help of a group of volunteers in the community, and putting together the principles and goals we wanted to accomplish together with this conference, and it grew from there."
Angela Marra, a sexuality educator from the Calgary Birth Control Association’s Sexuality and Reproductive Wellness Centre and one of the workshop leaders, wants the conference to be about building a safe space for exploring ideas and education.
"There is a lack of space for queer youth to get together in Calgary," she says. "There has been a sense of separation that has evolved, and we want to help people reconnect with all aspects of the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered) community, both young and old, in a meaningful way.
"Act Out! is a way of reducing that sense of marginalization We want to build a network amongst gay, lesbian, bi and trans youth to reach out and become the next generation of leaders in the community."
The response from the community toward Act Out! has been very positive. Rachael Dornian, a participant with Inside Out, a youth social group, and an organizer for Act Out!, says she was very impressed with the sponsorship and support they have received. "We now have enough to run Act Out!, but we still need $2,000 more to reach our budget," she adds. "The more we can raise the more people we can reach."
Part of the initiative of Act Out! is to encourage young people in the Calgary school systems to participate, as well as reaching out to queer youth in rural areas who would not otherwise have access to attend. "We have had a lot of difficulty in reaching out to the high schools," says Dornian. "So much depends on our poster campaign and word-of-mouth. There have been very few friendly schools to help us connect to the students." As for getting participants from towns such as Lethbridge or Red Deer, the organizers admit it has been a challenge – for the most part they have relied on word-of-mouth and the Internet.
To help pay for the conference, there is a $50 fee per person, which includes accommodation for two nights, the workshops and travel within Calgary. In order to encourage more queer youth to attend, Act Out! will subsidize the entry fee for those who request it. The conference itself will be at the University of Calgary.
As well as the workshops, the conference offers the participants experience in team building, networking opportunities, education in social action planning and, of course, the big wrap dance. Previously known as PRANCE, a queer youth dance formerly held at the Knox United Church, the conference will be hosting the Homo Hop as well as an art and performance showcase for both the public and conference participants at Art Central. The Queer Art and Performance Showcase is an all-ages event running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring spoken word artists, drag king and queen performances and more. The Homo Hop will begin after the showcase, for ages 25 and under.
For more information, e-mail actoutreg@stage-left.org or phone (403) 831-0455. |
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