Out on Screen: Anti-bullying program needs help fending off its own bullies

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      An organization devoted to countering bullying is being bullied itself. Of course, they’re standing their ground. But they need your help.

      Out on Screen is a Vancouver-based organization which runs the annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival, one of Vancouver’s largest and longest-running film festivals. It also operates Out in Schools, a program which screens LGBT films in high schools for discussion about bullying, homophobia, and stereotypes.

      Unfortunately, Out on Screen has had to endure numerous attempts to block its efforts.

      The BC Film Classification Board attempted to block a 2002 screening of Little Sister’s vs. Big Brother, a documentary about Little Sister’s Bookstore’s battles with Canada Customs. The film was eventually shown at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

      Then in 2006, REAL Women of Canada launched a campaign to block funding for Out on Screen. The Department of Canadian Heritage, however, continued to fund Out on Screen.

      This year, an anti-bullying and anti-homophobia booklet published in 2006 by Out in Schools, came under fire. School board trustees Ken Denike and Sophia Woo criticized it for including web links to a gay men’s health website that contained material they deemed unsuitable for teenagers. The links were removed. (Denike and Woo discussed their side of the issue in a video against same-sex marriage in America.)

      Due to the strain that such attacks put on their resources, Out on Screen has created a financial reserve called We Won’t Be Bullied to help them deal with these situations.

      This fund is kept separate from their general operating account and is devoted exclusively to handling crises.

      Donors have already contributed $3,525 to launch the fund in November. However, they are in need of raising $8,000 by December 31 in order to avoid a deficit. Any shortfall will result in cutbacks to the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and Out in Schools programs.

      To make a donation, visit this webpage on the Out on Screen website.

      If you need to be convinced further about the value that Out in Schools provides, it was recently named one of the top 10 organizations in Canada to address environmental or social issues.

      Tides Canada chose Out in Schools as one of their Top 10 of 2011, alongside organizations like Climate Smart, Farm Start, Facing History and Ourselves, and Shorefast Foundation.

      Out in Schools launched in 2004 and has made presentations to over 30,000 students in 21 British Columbian school districts.

      Here’s a video highlighting the ten organizations chosen for Tides Canada’s top 10 of 2011.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

      Comments