09/01/2026
🙋🏻♀️Answering Your Questions: Clarity, Safety, and SOGI in Our Schools
A few community members have reached out recently to ask about my perspective on SOGI. While I’ve already shared my thoughts with them directly, I feel it’s important to open up that conversation here so everyone can benefit from the same clarity and transparency.
➡️ Here is a link to my latest article:
https://www.tinapatterson.ca/post/answering-your-questions-clarity-safety-and-sogi-in-our-schools
⬇️Below is a transcript:
Answering Your Questions: Clarity, Safety, and SOGI in Our Schools
A few community members have reached out recently to ask about my perspective on SOGI. While I’ve already shared my thoughts with them directly, I feel it’s important to open up that conversation here so everyone can benefit from the same clarity and transparency.
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1️⃣ Question 1: Do you support SOGI?
✅Yes, I fully support SOGI.
To know me is to know that inclusion for all people is a cornerstone of who I am and my belief system. When any individual in our school community is excluded or mistreated, it impacts us all. SOGI is one of several tools used to reduce bullying, foster safety, and ensure all students feel represented, regardless of their s*xual orientation or gender identity. This works alongside broader initiatives that protect and support students across all backgrounds—including race, intellectual ability, religion, and socioeconomic status. True inclusion is built on the principle that every individual belongs.
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2️⃣ Question 2: Are SOGI and SOGI 123 the same thing?
While closely related, SOGI and SOGI 123 are distinct from one another.
SOGI refers to the general concept of s*xual orientation and gender identity, whereas SOGI 123 is a specific set of educational resources and tools designed to support that concept in schools.
* SOGI is an acronym for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. It is a universal term, as every individual possesses both a s*xual orientation and a gender identity. Within educational and human rights frameworks, SOGI-inclusive initiatives aim to ensure that all individuals are protected from discrimination and treated with respect.
* SOGI 123 is a specific educational program and toolkit developed by the ARC Foundation in collaboration with the British Columbia Ministry of Education and various education partners. The program provides educators and schools with lesson plans, policy frameworks, and guidelines intended to assist them in establishing safe environments and implementing inclusive practices. Equipping our educators with these tools benefits everyone in our school system.
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3️⃣ Question 3: Do you think that all students should learn about SOGI?
✅ Yes, I believe all students should learn about SOGI.
In British Columbia, SOGI-inclusive education is required as part of our mandated anti-bullying policies. Because these initiatives focus on ensuring that every individual is protected from discrimination and treated with dignity, SOGI is a universal tool that builds respect and safety across our entire school community. I firmly believe that education gives students the power to transform their lives and build a better society. For me, true inclusion and equity are at the very heart of what a better society looks like, which is why understanding SOGI is essential for every student.
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4️⃣ Question 4: I don’t think that young children should learn about s*x or SOGI, do you agree?
✅ I agree that young children should not be taught mature content; however, SOGI and safety education at a young age are focused entirely on foundational blocks like safety and respect.
I believe that children should learn about these concepts in strictly age-appropriate ways. In early grades, this means teaching children how to recognize and protect themselves from potential abuse, and modeling inclusive, respectful behavior toward all families and individuals. The focus is always on kindness and personal safety, tailored specifically to their developmental stage.
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While there may be more questions regarding SOGI, these represent the inquiries I have addressed so far. It is important to remember that SOGI is a foundational concept, while SOGI 123 is simply a set of resources designed to make our existing provincial curriculum more inclusive. By preventing discrimination, promoting representation, and teaching about diversity in strictly age-appropriate ways across subjects, we move closer to our true objective. Ultimately, the goal of SOGI is to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all students, staff, and families—and that is a profound good for our entire community. 💛
🗣️ Let’s keep the conversation going. If you have further questions or would like to discuss how we can continue building a safe, inclusive school environment together, please don't hesitate to reach out.
ℹ️ Here are some resources to look into:
⚪️ https://www.sd35.bc.ca/sogi-education
⚪️https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/erase/documents/sogi-non-truths-and-truths-english.pdf
⚪️ https://www.arcfoundation.ca
Photo Credit: EtsyA few community members have reached out recently to ask about my perspective on SOGI. While I’ve already shared my thoughts with them directly, I feel it’s important to open up that conversation here so everyone can benefit from the same clarity and transparency.Question 1: Do...
