V. THE FOUR STREAMS

A. Safety and the Prevention of Violence Towards Queer Youth in Employment and Income

The approximately ten people who attended the employment stream were a mix of youth and adults, Aboriginal people, people of colour and white, trans, bisexuals, lesbians and gay men. They approached safety and the prevention of violence from the perspective of what exposed queer youth to violence as it relates to employment.

In the words of one participant, "Employment is a human rights issue!"

This stream addressed a range of topics that prepare queer youth to deal with and then remove heterosexism from the workplace. Queers need to fit into the job market, as well as remain independent, while finding good paying work and careers. Queers are a valuable addition to the job market mix, and need to learn how to express that fact.

The Employment and Income stream explored how self-esteem issues are related to our working life, and how work is an integral part of community building. As well, disparities in income were explored as an issue that separates gay men and lesbians from each other.

During the discussion, participants in the stream discussed the concept of youth, noting that it is an arbitrary definition, which does not think about the true relationship of the person to society. They questioned the arbitrary drawing of the line that defines youth and young adult and the accompanying right to make decisions about their lives.

As well, queer youth's access to traditional employment is affected by their youth, sexual orientation, race, class, ethnicity, origin, and ability as well as by their general inexperience in traditional job sectors. The social context that surrounds queer youth is generally not taken into account and the systemic changes that are necessary seem to be very slow to address queer youth issues.

The stream participants discussed what constitutes employment and decided that traditional employment includes:

  • Waged work;
  • Employment contracts;
  • Volunteer work;
  • Honouraria;
  • Domestic services;
  • Homemakers, and;
  • Human Resources Development Canada projects.

They noted that because access to traditional employment is restricted for many queer youth, this workshop would primarily discuss areas of non-traditional employment as well as barriers to traditional employment.

1. Employment and Income Issues:

a. Housing

New landlords get to know your previous residence and source of income, which opens the door to discrimination. Landlords may not want you if you are on welfare, which affects a queer youth's future and keeps her/him stuck in welfare neighbourhoods.

A person's source of income can affect how people perceive their effectiveness or value in society and a source of income, which is not valued often, leads to discrimination and this in turn increases vulnerability to violence. The geographical location of your residence raises the level of exposure to violence, which affects both the youth and society's future. This is also affected by sex, skin colour, age, race, place of origin, sexual orientation and gender identity.

This discrimination and exposure to violence has much greater ramifications than what one may see at first glance. Youth are subjected to the societal stigma of being from a welfare neighbourhood. Stigma, as well as other barriers such as poverty and lack of access to services, ensures that queer youth remain in these neighbourhoods, making it almost impossible to get out and get ahead.

The Residential Tenancy Act does not restrict landlords from finding out the source of income or where a queer youth's previous residence was located. Although we do have a BC Human Rights Code, which provides protection in the areas of employment, housing and public services on the basis of sex, age, race, place of origin, and sexual orientation, it does not provide protection from discrimination on the basis of geographical location of residence or source of income. This lack of protection allows for discrimination on the part of landlords and a resulting increase in queer youth's exposure to violence. (See Appendix Five for a summary of the BC Human Rights Code as it pertains to employment.)

In addition to problems created through societal stigma, youth are exposed to older criminal networks in welfare neighbourhoods, increasing their likelihood to resort to crime and/or of being victims of crime. This presents costs in hospital bills and youth detention centres and in escalating crime rates, including youth gangs as youth resort to this form of protection.

Not only does this present a current financial burden on society as youth are forced to "make do" in sub-standard housing and "welfare neighbourhoods", but it also presents a future burden on society in terms of the lost potential of valuable minds; a lost potential which affects society's future.

Participants strongly recommended that this report and the accompanying recommendations should first be distributed to the queer community leaders such as The Centre, December 9 Coalition, GALE, Gay and Lesbian Business Association (GLBA), GAB, and YouthQuest!. Next, the Residential Tenancy Branch of BC should receive a copy as well as the participants in the conference.

Participants also strongly recommended that these additional government agencies and persons should be aware of this report and these issues:

  • Ministry of Social Development & Economic Security;
  • Ministry of Attorney General;
  • Ministry of Women's Equality;
  • Ministry of Children and Families;
  • Solicitor General Canada;
  • BC Human Rights Commission;
  • BC Justice Institute;
  • Ombudsman;
  • UBCM and Social Planning Departments throughout BC;
  • BC Business Council;
  • Office of the BC Child and Youth Advocate;
  • Office of the BC Mental Health Advocate;
  • GVRD Social Issues Committee;
  • Human Resources Development Canada;
  • Residential Tenancy Branch* (particularly this agency), and;
  • Mayors of cities throughout BC.

b. Non-traditional sources of income

Non-traditional sources of employment creating safety issues for youth may include:

  • Squeegy kids;
  • Under-the-table work;
  • Sex trade/survival sex;
  • Drug trade/sales;
  • Panhandling;
  • Busking, and;
  • Street vending.

Non-traditional employment leads youth to be in unsafe spaces, spaces that increase the risk of physical and psychological harm to self. In addition, non-traditional employment is seen in a negative light by the general society and this increases the likelihood queer youth will be exposed to violence. Participants felt queer youth were doubly exposed in employment; "How you get your money affects your risk of being exposed to violence."

As well, queer youth are subject to the same relative powerlessness that most youth in society feel and to the same discrimination and oppression that people from marginalized cultures face in Canada's mainstream society. They often have very limited choices. Non-traditional employment allows youth more choices but it also exposes them to the increased risk of violence. In addition, youth in schools are being required in Grade 11 to complete 30 hours of work practicum through the Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) curriculum. This practicum has the potential to expose queer youth to violence, as many work environments are potentially homophobic.

In order to create safe space for youth, participants thought that youth needed:

c. Opportunities to leave unsafe spaces

One key tool to assist queer youth in leaving unsafe spaces identified by participants in this stream was information about rights on the job. Most queer youth are unaware of their rights and in particular, their rights under the Employment Standards Act to refuse to work in an unsafe environment. (e.g., a queer youth working a midnight shift at Subway.)

This information needs to be distributed to queer youth in creative ways that youth understand and which is relevant to their lives. This information needs not only to include information about actual legal rights but also about avenues to get help. For example, youth could call the Workers' Compensation Board, the Workers' Advisor Office, the BC Human Rights Commission, Labour Canada, or the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Queer youth need to know they could also call the union, or tell their employer they know they have a right not to work in an unsafe environment.

The labour movement (e.g., the BC Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress, different unions such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Public Service Alliance of Canada, and the Canadian Auto Workers and Union PRIDE) needs to be given workshops and education on queer youth issues with respect to violence and safety issues.

In addition, local queer organizations need also to be aware of the BC Human Rights Code (see Appendix Five) and the answers to such questions as, "What are workers' rights on the job?", "Which organizations can provide assistance?" and "How can they be contacted?" BC Queer Community Centres need to know what their rights and responsibilities are in relationship to protecting themselves and their workers on the job.

d. Training - from practical experience and with a queer perspective

Queer youth need 'job training' that meets queer youths' needs. This job training means: recognizing distinctive aspects of queer youth regarding their lack of self esteem and levels of discrimination; recognizing queer youth's higher risk of exposure to violence; and, training services that are available for those not in the system such as Welfare, and HRDC.

Queer community services need to be aware of and to distribute information on specialized training services. Queer youth need to be fully informed, they need to know what exactly they are getting themselves into should they choose job training. They need to be made aware of their employment rights with regards to what is reasonable accommodation and how they might access this measure. They also need to know what might constitute a legitimate criterion to restrict hiring.

e. Surviving while working through education

Queer youth need understanding and support from the community in general and the queer community in particular. They need understanding of the complex issues that surround violence/safety and queer youth access to employment. They need to understand the difficult struggle it is to make changes especially while maintaining an individuality that has been and continues to be a major source of pride and self esteem.

A. Employment and Income Stream Recommendations

To the Queer Community Leaders and Government: LISTEN UP

a. Getting the Information Out There

  • That the BC provincial government, in coordination with the Workers' Compensation Board and queer youth leadership:
    • Fund a queer youth organization(s) to create a workshop on queer youth safety issues;
    • Fund the creation of an information kit, accessible to queer youth, that contains information about rights on the job, avenues to find assistance and information on specialized services providing training for queer youth and which contains practical tips, options and suggestions; The kit should be in the form of a small handbook with accompanying pamphlets, which could easily be distributed at dances/socials, conferences and youth centres, and in a format, which can be easily updated every two years; The kit should be re-distributed every two years, and;
    • It is vital that queer youth lead this work.

b. Working Against Queer Youth Marginalization Through Real Input

  • That queer community leaders, especially those in the Gay & Lesbian Business Association, and Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments take more responsibility for not marginalizing queer youth by:
    • Examining and updating their concepts of what is meant by legitimate economic contributions;
    • Providing opportunities for queer youth in employment, housing, and resources through adult and youth action;
    • Becoming aware that marginalizing youth contributes to youth's vulnerability to violence "Kids panhandling is a symptom of the problem and driving them away does not solve the problems;"
    • Learning how to assist queer youth who have employment violence issues by listening to queer youth input;
    • Taking responsibility for all members of the community despite apparent differences from the 'mainstream queer community';
    • Encouraging queer youth to do their Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) hours in the areas of human rights, social justice and queer issues.

c. Program/Policy Design Under a Queer Youth Lens

  • That both the government and the queer community organizations/leaders design their programs and policies/rules using a queer youth lens within a diversity context that takes into account social context such as disability, gender identity, class, poverty, religion, sexual orientation, gender, race and ethnic origin.
  • That provincial, and municipal governments, and the Workers' Compensation Board, in consultation with queer community leaders, develop real accountability and evaluation methods that are designed to assess the progress of these recommendations.
  • That the Office of the Child Youth Advocate be instructed on queer youth employment violence and queer youth issues in general.

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