‘People get beat up just because we are gay’: hate on the rise in Quebec schools

A disturbing trend is emerging in Quebec high schools—intolerance toward queer people appears to be on the rise, according to a recent study by 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy group GRIS-Montréal.

For Alex Le Roux, a 17-year-old trans and gay student, the shift is more than just statistics — it’s a harsh reality.

“People used to say that being gay wasn’t natural,” Le Roux recalled. “There were only a few of them, but over the years, that number got bigger.”

Le Roux said the harassment has escalated since he came out four years ago.

“It started with slurs in the hallway. Then it got to the point where once I had to lock myself in the bathroom to avoid getting beat up,” they said.

His experience aligns with GRIS-Montréal’s survey of over 35,000 Quebec teens showing a rise in anti-queer attitudes. The report shows more than 40 per cent of high schoolers surveyed said they would feel uncomfortable if their best friend was gay — a significant increase from the 25 per cent recorded by the organization in 2017-18.

Discomfort is one thing, but for some like Tristan Laforest, it’s translating into real violence. “Some use gay like an insult or say f--,” he said. ”But some people also push us in the hallway.”

He believes attitudes toward 2SLGBTQ+ students have worsened across the province, including at his school in Montérégie.

“Since the pandemic, everything worsened — even the teachers allow it," Laforest told CTV News. “People get beat up just because we are gay.”

Meanwhile, he said school is supposed to be a safe space. But Gilbert Émond, an associate professor at Concordia University who studies homophobia, says the pandemic may have set back progress for school-aged youth.

“School is supposed to be the place where adolescents discover the world—where they test who they are," explained Émond.

GRIS-Montréal points to social media and the current political climate as additional factors fueling this shift. Le Roux said they see this firsthand every day on their feed.

“It’s become more socially acceptable to hate on people and be proud of it,” he said. “Social media has spread that a lot — just casual sexism or casual homophobia.”

Laforest said the issue isn’t just among students; he believes educators need to do more when it comes to teaching sexual and gender diversity.

“They don’t have the knowledge, and I think most of them are ashamed to talk about it,” he said.

Jamie Quinn, a sexuality education consultant at the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), agrees that education needs to go beyond a single class.

“It should be integrated, interwoven into all subjects,” she said, adding that small actions can also help create a more inclusive environment.

“Putting a pride flag in your classroom, something where students feel like everyone’s welcome,” said Quinn.

With more queer teens speaking out, Le Roux hopes people will look beyond just the numbers and consider how intolerance impacts teens like himself.

“There’s a general rise in hate,” he said. “It’s affecting us all, even my friends who tell me they’re sometimes scared to come to school.”