School principals in Ontario have called for a special celebration of sexual minorities lasting the entire month of October. .The gender identity community celebrates 'Pride Month' every June; a distinction between the two celebrations has not been made. .The Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC) posted an acknowledgment of the “diverse” community and claimed October as a month to celebrate. .“In October we celebrate (sexual minority) month, recognizing the history of the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer communities,” the council tweeted. “We encourage our schools & students to become allies & stand up against discrimination, bullying & harassment.”.The council added hashtags #acceptance, #love and #inclusivity to the post. .The celebration comes 10 days after the 1 Million March 4 Children, where tens of thousands of parents across Canada marched in protest of gender identity curriculum in schools. .According to its official website, the OPC is "committed to human rights, anti-oppression and anti-racism by fostering inclusive school environments" and "serving and advocating for its diverse membership in an informed and effective manner.".The council "regularly reviews" and "shifts policy and practice to embed principles of human rights, justice and anti-oppression into its services.".In recent years, it has created an Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory (DEI) Committee, conducted a member census, reviewed "all professional learning offerings to embed principles of equity and anti-oppression," and conducted a media campaign to "highlight" diverse identities. ."The OPC is committed to this ongoing work and will continue to be responsive to the needs of its Members and public education in Ontario," the website reads. "We recognize that these initial steps are the start of a long and continuous journey."
