‘Something beautiful’ heals gay-bashing bruises

Jade Mackin remembers the days when groups of kids at her former Catholic high school waited to beat her up after class. Her “sin”? She was the only openly gay student.

School officials refused to do anything, she said, because the attacks occurred off school grounds. One of her teachers was particularly unsympathetic.

“She confronted me about being gay. She said it was not right and it was a sickness and I should get help,” the Grade 11 student recalled. “When I went to the principal, he ended up backing her up, so I ended up leaving.”

Ms. Mackin, 17, now attends Hill Park Secondary School, one of only three city public high schools with positive-space groups for students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.

She said she was shocked by the embracing attitudes toward her sexuality when she arrived at her new school.