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On Wednesday, April 9, we are wearing pink in recognition of the International Day of Pink, a day against bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia in schools and communities.
The Day of Pink began in 2007, when two Nova Scotia high school students saw a male classmate being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. These witnesses didn’t just intervene, they mobilized. They organized the students in their school to wear pink shirts two weeks later in a stunning show of solidarity. Students, wearing a sea of pink, came together to stop homophobic and transphobic bullying in their school and inspired the world.
Across the province, more than 55,000 CUPE members – school secretaries, custodians, educational assistants and many more school support workers – play important roles in ensuring a safe school environment.
CUPE Ontario members have a proud history of standing up against discrimination. We negotiate clauses into our collective agreements that prohibit discrimination, promote employment equity and create safe, harassment-free workplaces. Our tradition of political advocacy has already helped extend many benefits and protections first realized through collective bargaining to all Ontarians.
CUPE Ontario continues to be an active supporter of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. We elected the first openly gay president of a major union in Canada. We supported member Martine Stonehouse in her historic court challenge relating to gender reassignment surgery. We publicly supported New Democratic MPP Cheri DiNovo’s groundbreaking “Toby’s Law” to protect against discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression, and NDP-sponsored bills at the provincial and federal level that further the protection of transgender rights.
But our work is not done. Bullying and discrimination remain widespread, and Conservative politicians are attacking the very institutions and mechanisms that brought about the legislative changes that Ontarians are celebrating.
This is an important year for Ontario to take a strong stand against homophobia and transphobia. In June, millions of people from around the globe will celebrate World Pride in Toronto. CUPE Ontario is preparing now, and we invite all members to join us at World Pride and at events around the province to help celebrate the gains we have made and fight for those that remain to be won.
On April 9, join us in wearing pink and recommit to end all bullying and discrimination, and to continue building strong unions who advocate for us all.
Sincerely,
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Fred Hahn, President
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Candace Rennick, Secretary-Treasurer |
