The latest “Lunch and Learn” presented by Amherstburg Community Services (ACS) dealt with issues surrounding the 2SLQBTQIA+ community and obstacles people have faced.
Those who are members of the 2SLQBTQIA+ community and their allies made up a panel recently where they shared their stories, offered their services and provided insight. Panelists ranged from youth to senior and people explained their life experiences.
Nancy Campana from the Run for Rocky Legacy Project outlined what her son Rocky went through in his short life. He came out at age 17 and died at age 23 via suicide.
“Rocky was very successful in everything he did,” she explained. “He had a very bright future but he suffered with depression.”
Campana said it was a spur of the moment decision that caused Rocky to take his life and when he died, the family carried on his legacy. They presented “Run for Rocky” events and fundraised for the cause.
“I believe education creates change,” she said. “Once people are educated, they understand.”
Theresa Sims said she is two-spirited and learned that at an early age. She said she can see the spiritual as well as the physical.
“There is a community that supports each other,” she said.
It was later explained that the “2S” in 2SLQBTQIA+ stands for two-spirited.
Paulette Kupnicki and her partner Ginny Lundgren spoke of their journey through life, with Kupnicki explaining she found out something was different with her when she was in the third grade. She said she loved her family and would marry a man and had children with him.
“I closed the closet door and nailed it shut as long as I could,” she said.
Kupnicki said she still cared for her husband but got to the point she wanted to be with Lundgren. She added she never came out to her parents. People have to know how to “give space” so others can catch up on what they’ve had to go through. Lundgren added she also never came out to her parents. She said she had a friend who helped her find other gay friends but in the 1960s, it was hard as there was an attitude “all you need is a good man.”
Chase Perrin and Zoey Triolet from North Star High Schools GSA went over their experiences. Perrin’s brother came out and that helped with Chase’s own experience. High school has been hard at points but the GSA has helped.
“I don’t think I would have been able to come out if it wasn’t for my brother,” said Perrin.
Triolet added the GSA, which was the Gay-Straight Alliance, is now the Gender Sexual Alliance with Triolet stating that organization has been very helpful.
Trevor Klundert, a guidance counsellor at North Star, oversees the GSA after having done so at Riverside and General Amherst.
“I’ve been with GSA’s since the very beginning,” he said.
The group meets every Wednesday, he said.
“We are a small but proud group,” said Klundert.
Morghan Shearon, program director at The House, said she is an ally of the 2SLQBTQIA+ community thanked everyone for their stories. The House offers Embrace groups where people from within the community receive support and encouragement.
The luncheon ended with a Q&A with people in attendance with the crowd of seniors who attended being able to give their thoughts and take home literature with information they can learn from.
By Ron Giofu
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