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Labrador high school students walk out after transgender student denied access to female washroom

More than 75 students at Menihek High School in Labrador City walked out of class Friday after a transgender student wasn't allowed to use the school's female bathroom. (Darryl Dinn/CBC - image credit)
More than 75 students at Menihek High School in Labrador City walked out of class Friday after a transgender student wasn't allowed to use the school's female bathroom. (Darryl Dinn/CBC - image credit)
Darryl Dinn/CBC
Darryl Dinn/CBC

Students of a Labrador City high school walked out of class Friday in support of a transgender student who wasn't allowed to use the school's female washroom.

More than 75 students at Menihek High School rallied in support of the student, who was told by school staff and principal Steve Murphy on Friday they were allowed to use only the school's gender-neutral bathrooms.

The student didn't take part in the protest on Friday afternoon, but other members of the school's LGBTQ community say the issue has been a problem for years.

"I've been fighting for this for five years," said Pez Jacobs, a Grade 12 student at the school. "It makes me very happy to know that people are doing this, because I shouldn't have to fight for my basic human rights to even use the washroom or be in the school.… I shouldn't have to worry about my safety."

The school's gender-neutral bathrooms are in the building's junior wing. For seniors, that means a walk across the building and the risk of being late for class.

Max Murray, a Grade 10 student who identifies as non-binary, says there shouldn't have to be a decision between being comfortable in school and making it to class on time.

"I'm made to go use the washroom in a bathroom that I don't feel comfortable in, that doesn't match with who I am. And now people who are able to access their bathroom, trans women and trans men, are getting kicked out," Max said.

"That's not fair, and I don't want to stand for that."

The school closed for the day as a result of the protest.

Student Bee Faulkner said the back-and-forth between teachers and students, along with the potential threat of suspension for taking part in the protest, has created feelings of hostility and affected students' perceptions of the school as a safe space the LGBTQ community.

"You shouldn't have to come to school wondering whether or not you are going to be attacked by staff and teachers for using your own bathroom. If I'm allowed in there, so is every other trans girl. If I'm not uncomfortable with it, why are the teachers uncomfortable with it?" said Faulkner.

"This is not a fight against cisgender or transgender or students against teachers. This is a fight for human rights."

Pat Moran, a member of Labrador City's Pride committee in Labrador City, said he was surprised to hear of the problem.

"We have a number of Menihek staff who actually sit and volunteer on our board," Moran said. "Very, very supportive and hard working folks who definitely have supported everything we've been doing in the community."

In a video sent to CBC News by a student, Murphy told students that rules for bathrooms were clarified by the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District on Friday, saying they should use the washroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

"No one raised it as an issue until 9 this morning. You have to say something for us to know that we can do something about it," Murphy told the students in the video.

"Tell everyone I'm looking into the issue. OK, maybe I should have done that, that's fine. But I didn't think to do that before."

The district contacted CBC News on Friday to say they would be handling questions related to the protest but did not respond to interview requests Monday. CBC News has also asked Murphy for comment.

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