Class Queers

“Class Queers” is an intimate and compelling documentary about teenagers and homophobia. It is an account of three gay and lesbian kids from Toronto who weave their way in and out of the education system as a result of the harassment they encounter. “Class Queers” begins mid-way through the school year, as the viewer is introduced to the Triangle Program, an alternative high school classroom for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans youth. Located in the basement of a church in downtown Toronto, it serves as a life raft for the kids who are lucky enough to find their way there. The film follows three of these students: Adina, 15, the daughter of a prominent Conservative Rabbi, struggles with the unwavering expectations of her family and a Jewish community that cannot understand the changes she is going through. She is a strong-willed and brilliant fifteen-year-old who has aspirations of being the first Jewish, Dyke, Prime Minister of Canada. She longs for the approval of her father but at the same time is defiant of his wishes when she shaves her head and refuses to wear dresses. Adam is a middle class seventeen-year-old who has a loving, supportive family. But this love does not save him from being constantly targeted on the streets for his effeminate nature. As early as grade four the other kids harassed Adam. After he faced years of threats and mockery from both students and teachers at his massive suburban high school, Adam finally decided to go to the Triangle Program. In many ways he is a normal teenager worried about his appearance and finding a boyfriend. Yet his biggest struggle is finding a place for himself in a world that prefers he hide who he is. Richard, 17, is the son of a single mother who is intolerant of anything GAY. She hates the “fag” school that he attends and lets him know it. They live with her homophobic boyfriend in a chaotic, filthy, one-bedroom apartment in a working class neighborhood where Richard has no privacy. While he tries to love his mother, he also struggles with the reality of his situation as she continually disappoints him. Meanwhile he is in love with his first serious boyfriend and has big plans for them to move in together. However, things are never what they seem. Eventually for Richard school takes a back seat to survival. “Class Queers” will take the viewer into the seldom seen world of queer teens, experience their triumphs, witness their disappointments and understand the day-to-day struggles that they are forced to confront. Though many people have wanted to make a documentary about the students at Triangle, this is the first production that has been granted permission to bring cameras into the classroom.