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Get REAL takes message of acceptance to OT by Dominik Kurek Oakville Beaver Staff 5 | Thursday, March 21, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The members of the non-profit volunteer movement Get REAL wish they had someone to educate them about homophobia when they were younger. But, just because they didn't have it, doesn't mean younger generations shouldn't. Now, the group, which is mainly comprised of recent graduates or current students at the University of Western Ontario in London, is bringing its message to Oakville Trafalgar High School. The advocacy group will speak to students about eliminating homophobia in school at two assembly presentations Friday, March 22. "A program like this would have made it a lot better for the people around us because we were pretty homophobic in Grade 7, Grade 8. I really believe this program would have hit home more with me than what we were hearing at the time, which was kind of adult-based, authoritybased messages," said Get REAL co-founder and director Chris Studer. The Toronto resident graduated from Western this past year. "For our gay team members, a program like this would have meant a lot, even in realizing there were other people out there who are dealing with the same things when they were going through (in) Grade 7, Grade 8." Part of the appeal is that we are just students. We're doing it for free. We are here because we do want to talk to people. I think people feel pretty open in terms of speaking to us. Some of the kids that we speak to, it makes such a difference for them. Get REAL co-founder Chris Studer Get REAL targets audiences in middle schools and high schools. The message the group presents is not intended to be disciplinary, but instead focuses on getting students to unlearn homophobic language, learn about coming out and to embrace differences. "It's very casual. It's very anecdotal," Studer said of the group's presentations. Get REAL received national media attention a year ago after its video called A Message to My Grade 7 Self went viral. The video is an honest portrayal of students, both straight and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender), who look back on their Grade 7 experiences and reflect on what they would change if they went back to that time in their lives. The school presentations show the 12-minute video and then live presenters speak about such things as coming out and acceptance. The presentations are interactive and students are encouraged to ask questions. "Part of the appeal is that we are just students. We're doing it for free. We are here because we do want to talk to people. I think people feel pretty open in terms of speaking to us," said Studer. Some students, Studer said, won't speak up at the assembly, but they might come to the group after the presentation or communicate with the group through social media afterwards. "Some of the kids that we speak to, it makes such a difference for them," Studer said. "We really believe in going to those schools and speaking to those students and showing them role models and showing them a united front of gay and straight students. We hope ev- eryone in the audience can relate to some of what we're speaking to." Get REAL was introduced to OTHS after the school's social worker Carolann Malenfant and guidance counsellor Kathy Raleigh saw its presentation in Aurora earlier in the year. They introduced the group to OTHS, which then invited Get REAL to do a presentation. "This would be a helpful presentation for every high school," said Malenfant, "because we deal so much with kids who are trying to find a place to belong. Kids who are LGBT, we struggle to find appropriate resources and understanding for them." She noted statistics show LGBT teens have been shown to be at greater risk of suicide and homelessness. "We're trying to increase awareness and understanding and acceptance." 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