WELCOME BACK FROM THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Quick Announcements:

Tues Oct 14 – Federal Election - if you are 18 and over, please vote and have your say! Or “you can never complain about anything again” (Sully)

Thanks to Jen for running our student election – the Green party and the NDP tied at our school. See, if you get out and vote, you will change the world because all the rich people with money have different interests than most of us.

This week is a 4-day week. You still need 12 signatures. (Eight for hot lunch). See you Friday

Thurs Oct 16 – period three, the Sex Nurse is coming. She will be providing free condoms and expert information on how to avoid STDs and pregnancy while still having fun!

Mon Oct 27 is a PA Day. We think it is a strange day too; however, you still need 12 signatures (i.e. you will need to come to school on Friday).

Esthetician Course – Jenny says if you are enrolled in this course, get your bottom there so that you don’t get kicked out and so that you don’t embarrass CIS!

FYI;

“Homophobia” and “heterosexism” are terms used to describe prejudice relating to sexual orientation (i.e. the pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes).

Homophobia is the irrational fear of, or hatred for, homosexuals and homosexuality.

Heterosexism is defined as a belief system that values heterosexuality as superior to and/or more natural than homosexuality, and/or the assumption that all people are heterosexual.

Quick Facts about Homophobia & Heterosexism:

Statistics prove that at least 10% of the population is homosexual but since many do not identify due to fear or other reasons, this number is estimated to be much higher.

Prospective studies indicate that many gay and lesbian youth self-identify at about age 16, and that their first awareness of homosexual attraction occurred at about age nine for males and 10 for female.

Research suggests that homophobia and heterosexism greatly contribute to higher rates of suicide, violence victimization, risky sexual behaviour, and substance abuse among gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered (GLBT) youth as compared to their heterosexual peers.

In one nationwide survey, over 83 percent of GLBT students reported verbal

harassment at school. Seventy-four percent of transgender students reported sexual harassment. Over 21 percent of all GLBT youth reported being punched, kicked, or injured with a weapon at school because of their sexual orientation

In a recent survey, 33 percent of GLBT high school students reported attempting

suicide in the previous year, compared to eight percent of their heterosexual peers; in another study, gay and bisexual males were nearly four times more likely to attempt suicide

According to a 2003 study by the Institute of Social Research at the University of

Saskatchewan, as many as 5,500 Canadians die premature deaths each year as a result of homophobia (from hate crimes, suicide, etc).