(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

SOGI 123 has once again become an election issue for trustees at school boards across the Thompson-Okanagan, though it appears many candidates and voters are still unsure of what it is.

The anti-bigotry playbook is meant to be incorporated into a student's education, but the SOGI guidelines — sexual orientation and gender identity — is not part of B.C.'s curriculum. It offers a series of lesson plans for teachers to use at their discretion. It has a strong emphasis on making transgender students feel included, and also focuses on barriers faced by students who are queer, disabled or belong to a non-traditional family.

In the resource guide for teachers, the guidelines define three types of ways people can transition their gender – socially, medically, and surgically. But medical and surgical transitions – which require the use of hormone therapy and surgeries – are offside subjects for teachers.

READ MORE: Coquitlam teacher's licence suspended for anti-SOGI-123 comments

“When supporting a student in transition, this guide considers only social transition as other types of transition (medical, surgical) are outside of the responsibility of schools,” according to the SOGI resource guide.

Ideally, a trans student will have parents who are supportive of their transition. However, for those who approach teachers without the support of their parents, “the student’s safety is the most important priority,” teachers are advised.

Students who lack support at home should have the right to confidentiality from their school regardless of age, “although informed consent will look different depending on the age of the student,” the guide says.

However some parents aren’t comfortable with the idea of their children having confidential discussions with teachers about gender identity. Jennifer Rowse is running to serve on the board of School District 73 in Kamloops, and one-third of her platform is opposing the guidelines.

She doesn’t like how those opposed to the SOGI guide are framed as bigots.

“I have no hate in my heart for gay or trans people. I have gay family members and I love them,” Rowse said.

“What I don't approve of is the schools and teachers thinking it's okay to tell my non-verbal autistic son that he is a boy but can be a girl.”

Rowse agrees with some parts of the guides, like how every student needs to feel safe at school, and respecting a person's preferred pronouns. 

However she doesn't want her children to be taught that there are more than two genders.

A trans man "will never get a period, never carry and birth a baby, and never experience menopause. He is still just a boy in a dress. If a boy wants to wear a dress and nail polish, who cares? You be respectful and kind," Rowse said.

"I raise my children to be kind to everyone. We are allowed to all be unique and still worthy of love and kindness. There is an increase in gender dysphoria because of what's being taught to our children."

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Val Johnson is running to be a trustee at School District 23, and she has a tough time relating to people who oppose the guide.

“We’re moving past the traditional norms what for a very long time was considered two parents, two kids, a dog and a white picket fence,” she said.

“Families aren’t always like that.”

But regardless of a family’s dynamic, they all have gender neutral washrooms at home, Johnson said, so she doesn’t see why some people get upset about gender neutral washrooms at school.

“People are actively working against children who have faced so much discrimination and hate in their lives – the school should not be a place they have to worry about that.”

Moyra Baxter is an outgoing trustee at School District 23 in Kelowna who has served on the board since 1996.

Last week, along with four other trustees, she denounced anti-SOGI brochures that were distributed that accused the program of "sexually grooming children."

Baxter clarified that she didn’t have anything bad to say about those opposed to SOGI – she is only criticizing people who blatantly spread disinformation.

She trusts teachers are using SOGI resources appropriately.

Baxter reminds parents there is a way to opt their children out of the public sex ed curriculum. 

“Not one person contacted me to say they had a problem with it,” she said about sex ed.

While each participating teacher gets to choose whether the content is age-appropriate for the grades they teach, SOGI recommends specific lesson plans in three phases which start at Kindergarten, Grade 4 and Grade 8. 

Kindergarteners are at the age when they can learn about family dynamics, the brochure for parents says, like how some kids don’t have one mom while others may have multiple moms.

By Grade 4 students are ready to learn about gender identity, and how no one should feel limited by stereotypes or get teased because of them.

Grade 8 is when they can start learning about bigotry and sexual harassment.

One of the lesson plans appropriate for all grades is called “That’s So Gay” Is Not Okay. It demystifies the word gay while clarifying that it should never be used as an insult.

When it comes to washrooms “each school and district is at a different place in their journey,” SOGI says. “Most schools’ facilities were built during an era to separate men and women.”

Inclusive bathrooms are better and safer for students, the guide says, and it’s important for that to be communicated properly, “so that people are not creating their own stories about any changes.”

It encourages participating teachers to add more rainbow symbols. The rainbow lets people know “we support you and are inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities at this school,” according to the resource guide.

And if you got a rainbow at your school – you got a responsibility.

“If a school displays a rainbow flag to show that they are inclusive, but the supports aren’t there, then that can actually do more harm than good,” the guide says.

READ MORE: Kelowna school trustees lash out at 'dangerous disinformation' on sexual orientation material

Anybody who belongs to a SOGI team or committee – those in charge of implementing the inclusive policies at their school or district – is advised to “write clear statements so that staff and students understand both what their rights are, and their responsibilities, including how the actions of educators will be supported,” the resource guide says.

However, the guide warns that its own definitions involving sexual orientation and gender identity may not be completely clear yet.

“SOGI-inclusive language is evolving, so more regular reviews may be needed compared to other policies and procedures.”

– Story corrected at 8:45 a.m. on Oct. 15 to clarify Moyra Baxter’s comments that no parents have opted their children out of sex ed.

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