Yes. Many Canadian provinces and territories have laws requiring schools to create safe learning environments and address bullying, including homophobic and transphobic bullying. For example:
- Nova Scotia: The Education Act says that principals and teachers must take reasonable steps to create and maintain a safe learning environment.
- Manitoba: The Public Schools Act says that schools must have policies that respect human diversity and promote and enhance a safe and inclusive learning environment.
- Quebec: The Education Act says that school boards need to have anti-bullying plans that include plans to prevent homophobic bullying and violence.
- Yukon: The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policy says that homophobic bullying will not be tolerated in schools, and that school staff must intervene in any situations where homophobic slurs are used or homophobic bullying occurs.
- Ontario: The Education Act says that the government needs to establish policies that identify and provide for appropriate consequences and responses to homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic bullying.
- British Columbia: In 2016, British Columbia required all school districts and independent schools to add specific references to sexual orientation and gender identity in their anti-bullying policies.
Some provinces do not explicitly have anti-bullying laws, however even without explicit wording, schools are still required to protect your safety. This includes protecting you from bullying on the basis of your sexual orientation and gender identity. Bullying, particularly homophobic and transphobic bullying, affects your safety because it can cause both physical and psychological harm.
