Segregation isn’t the answer
November 3, 2025 7:04 PM
In an effort to curb homophobic bullying, the Triangle Program, a high school classroom meant exclusively for LGBT students, was established in Toronto more than 15 years ago. This school creates a safe environment for LGBT students that regular schools cannot provide. The Triangle Program was originally created in 1995 and has undergone some changes to expand its student and staff numbers as well as its resources. It is now able to grant diplomas, so its students do not need to transfer back to mainstream schools for their Grade 12 year. Students in the Triangle Program receive lessons in all of the basics expected in any other high school, as well as lessons about sexuality. The students are not bullied in the halls for their sexual or gender orientation and are able to surround themselves with peers who are facing the same struggles. The concept seems like a well-intentioned idea. However, I don’t know if it will actually solve the issue at hand. The more students who enter into this program, or the more programs like this that develop, the further we will be from solving any problems. If LGBT students do not feel safe in their schools, the answer is not to have them leave. Schools should be working to create safe and inclusive environments for all students no matter their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. It is the school’s responsibility to make all students feel safe, and having those that feel unsafe leave is not a solution. I feel the need to repeat that sentence one more time to make it stick. If schools are not safe places for an LGBT student, the school needs to change. Not the student. If all of the LGBT students in the greater Toronto area went to one school, then they would be living in a bubble. High school is where teens spend the majority of their time, and living in an artificial world such as this would leave them unprepared for the harsh realities that the real world brings. If schools in certain areas do segregate based on sexual orientation, an artificial world would also be created for non-LGBT students. Segregation deprives all students of experiencing diversity and thus hopefully learning to be respectful of all different kinds of people. Also, sexual orientation segregation could facilitate homophobic thinking. Segregation tends to create an “us and them” kind of mentality, rather than an inclusive and mutually respectful environment. In addition, students may believe that there is separation because one group is superior to the other. Whether or not this is the intention, it’s possible that this is how the separation of students based on sexual orientation may be interpreted. Canada prides itself on being a cultural mosaic, but what kind of message is sent if part of our culture is separated from the rest? Homophobia is still a huge issue in our country, and it must be dealt with. Segregation of students based on their sexual orientations is not a way of correcting the problem at hand but of avoiding it. There is no doubt that the Triangle Program has helped many students in ways that most of us will never fully understand. For me, the problem does not lie with the Triangle Program at all; it’s the fact that it’s needed in the first place. Separation may seem like a solution at the present moment, but it will negatively affect how all students feel about and operate in our society in the future. Because of this, a school such as the Triangle Program may exacerbate the problem. There are many programs in schools that are devoted to creating safe spaces for LGBT students and educating all staff and students about the negative effects of homophobia. Programs such as these would be much more beneficial to our society in the long run than segregated schools ever could be. Our time, effort, and resources should be used to educate people about homosexuality, respect, and the negative consequences of homophobia. This would be a much more effective way to achieve a long-lasting, positive outcome.
