[MEDIA ADVISORY] Ontario Youth Against Gender-Based Violence – Campaign Against Sex-Ed Repeal Reenergizes on International Women’s Day

[UPDATED] March 7, 2019

TORONTO, ONTARIO: Following the Ontario court’s decision to dismiss the legal challenge regarding the government’s sex-education curriculum repeal on February 28, The 519 is organizing a public and media event to talk about the increased vulnerability of queer and trans youth to gender-based violence. Attending the event will be youth, community leaders, activists, educators, and many others.

Speakers:

• Mitzi Hunter, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Scarborough—Guildwood)
• Becky McFarlane: Senior Director Programs and Services at The 519, and co-applicant (in personal capacity) with CCLA on the legal action to fight the rollback of 2015 sex-ed curriculum
• Suze Morrison Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Toronto Centre).
• Cara Zwibel: Lawyer and Director, Fundamental Freedoms Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, and coordinator of CCLA’s work on the sex ed issue.
• Noah Sparrow, a grade-10 trans identified student and activist who has filed a human rights complaint against the Ontario government over the removal of LGBTQ content from the health curriculum.
• Roza Nozari, Anti-Violence Initiatives Coordinator at The 519,
• Farrah Khan, the manager of Consent Comes First, Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education at Ryerson University,
• and other youth activists associated with We Have Your Back campaign.

Details:

MEDIA CONTACT

Soofia Mahmood, Manager Communications, The 519
SMahmood@The519.org | +1 416-355-6790

ABOUT THE 519

Canada’s largest LGBTQ2S community centre, a registered charity and a City of Toronto agency. More information about the organization: http://www.the519.org

Information about We Have Your Back, campaign against Sex-Ed repeal: https://wehaveyourbackontario.org/