Thu 14 Apr 2011 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Seb Stewart and Q-Youther Connor putting the letters in the mail Up to 2,000 "Dear John" letters are winging their way through the postal system to the Prime Minister's office at the Beehive. A Pink Shirt Day campaign sparked at the Youth Caucus at the Outgames Human Rights Conference in Wellington has gained massive traction, as its spokesman, Olympian Blake Skjellerup, has made national media appearances and spoken in schools in Nelson, where he is a guest of queer youth support group Q-Youth. Q-Youth Executive Director Seb Stewart says 955 letters were sent off this morning to John Key from Nelson alone. "From the whole country, I'm anticipating around 1,500 to 2,000 at least," he says. "but at this moment it's hard to say." The letters contain a united call for zero tolerance of homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, along with compulsory education on sexual and gender identities. Many also contain personal accounts from people who have been the victims of bullies. Stewart will call Key early next week and ask for a meeting, which he says would likely also be attended by Skjellerup and Rainbow Youth Executive Director Tom Hamilton. "I would hope [the letters] will be impossible for the Prime Minister to ignore. The Government has ignored issues of homophobia quite successfully in the past." Stewart says it's a day of celebration in Nelson, which started with Skjellerup appearing on TV One's Breakfast programme, then the Nelson Mail photographing them sending letters to Key and then attendance at Nayland College assembly. "It's kind of like Christmas Day but better. Because to have a day that we can really celebrate and be active in our communities around homophobic bullying is, I think, a great way to have people focus on this issue. So really we have to keep going. Just do it and do it better." Queer-straight alliances are an approach Stewart strongly believes in and in Nelson they have clearly made a difference. Five out of the six schools in the city have started queer-straight alliances, the most recent being all-boys' school Nelson College. "I was talking to the Principal of Waimea College yesterday. He's been the Principal there for eight years. And he was saying in the last few years where we have been really active and promoting the Waimea alliance he's seen a real culture shift in his school, so that's great," Stewart says. "And that's the message that we're getting ... we're seeing a real change in the school cultures." Stewart wants to keep Skjellerup involved as the Olympian has proven to be a huge help in spreading the message that it doesn't only get better, but it can be better right now. "He's done six school talks here in Nelson and it's actually had a lot of impact. Obviously Blake has the national profile and celebrity, which is one thing. He can appear in papers and on television and on the radio. But it's another thing altogether to actually have him in a region going into schools, talking and meeting the students, meeting principals and being part of the active culture change from within the school environments. It would be wonderful in the future to have more of that – out celebrities who are willing to give their time to promote within the regions as part of our follow up." The hope is that more regions will get activated and motivated to the extent of Nelson and Auckland next Pink Shirt Day. "Really it's about having a consolidated and combined approach to bring that awareness," Stewart says. "It's definitely about in the schools. The more that I do my work, the more I realise that it's the schools where we can have the greatest impact." Stewart says the strength and maturity of young queer people is extraordinary. He says with space and safety they are proving ready to not just come out, but also be leaders in their communities. "That's really exciting. For people of my generation, we didn't have that opportunity. We didn't come out until we were adults." He says the ability youth today have to be proud and change the culture within their schools is both unique and awesome. Skjellerup is coping well with being a media celebrity, saying while he has been pulling long days it has been well worth it. The day he spoke to Nelson College and the all-boys school announced a queer-straight alliance is the moment which stands out to him, especially as it was his first day speaking to Nelson schools. "It's exciting and motivating to have the one thing you set out to do actually happen." The Canada-based speed skater has been involved in anti-hate campaigns overseas, but agrees it means more to do something positive in his own country. "It really means something to be at home and helping people who are exactly like me when I was at high school, who don't have the support like I do." He plans to stay onboard with the effort, even after he returns to Canada at the end of July. Skjellerup says he hopes people are wearing pink today, but points out that dealing with bullying is something a lot of kids face every single day. "We need to keep the message going – that bullying will not be tolerated."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 14th April 2011 - 12:24pm