A university campus is a place of openness towards matters of gender and sexuality — and some students have more to learn than others.
For example, the Rideau River Residence Association hosts a yearly event with Sue Johanson, a famous sex therapist, targeted at educating first years about issues of gender and sexuality.
These events and services are necessary to make up for the gap in sex education at the elementary and secondary level.
In Canada, education is the responsibility of the state, so there is a standard set of social values which are taught to the next generation through our school system.
This can be seen in Canada’s policy of bilingualism where students are required to learn French to a certain level.
So why does the whole scenario change when it comes to gender and sexuality?
The problem that exists with the current education system is the lack of sex education beyond the basics of biological and scientific function of sex.
Last year, the Ontario government put forward a revised sex curriculum which included teaching elementary students subjects like queer theory and homosexuality. It was scrapped after backlash from parents and religious groups.
Regardless of their background, culture or sexual orientation, all future citizens need to understand our society’s diversity, and learn the importance of equality and tolerance.
If we as a society recognize through legislation that queers share the rights of heterosexuals and have the right to marry, then we must allow our schools to educate students about these issues — not wait for the university to fill in the gaps.