programmes dramatically. It’s a group that foments change, but we also have to realise that, while lots of people are in play in terms of making structural change, the risks are not equal (Reynolds, 2013). T e fact you transitioned while you were in the position of executive director, is one of the things I talk about when I teach about Peak House, both as a metaphor and as a real, practical thing. Workers are blown away to hear that, and inspired by your courage and vision. Your being out in various ways has created much more space, not just for Peak House. T e ramifi cations are bigger than we know. James: In some ways, transitioning on the job was calculated and thought through, but I knew it was something I needed to do for myself. I thought about the ramifi cations on the program, both positive and potentially negative. I did think about cultural shiſt : “What kind of diff erence is this going to make in the lives of young people and their families?” I thought about my own professional safety and the impact this may have on my career and my continued employment in the sector. My primary concern was that parents or caregivers siding with transphobia could obstruct youth who were non-binary, questioning or, trans young people, queer young people, from accessing us. One of my main concerns fi ve years ago was, “Would me being out as a trans man prevent young people f om reaching our services?” “Would there be discrimination for people sending their young people to us?” “What would those preconceived notions be? Could I be seen as a possible threat or a risk in caring for young people?” “Would there be media at ention that could be negative?” Would my board be supportive? How would


this impact funding? How would this impact me as a professional in the community? Could I be at risk of losing my job, or under scrutiny of my job? How would the staff team receive it? Would they be supportive? Yeah, there was a lot of thought that went into it and, at the same time, not a lot of decision making around it. Vikki: You’ve said you felt there was a part of the decision process that was about what you needed to do personally. James: Yeah, I was determined to transition and come out, and I was hoping I would do both while still being employed. But it was happening either way. I was quite intentional about trying to have it be the most positive outcome for myself, and for Peak. I consulted. I talked to you and others about wanting to set the program up for a success, but also create enough ‘generosity of spirit’ that folks could come alongside in good ways. I think we all


38


did a good job of moving through those spaces in beautiful and imperfect ways. Vikki: Many programmes talk about being trans-inclusive. Some places are possibly trans-tolerant now because a bunch of us have banged on the doors and dragged all kinds of stuff in through the backdoors, so people realise they have to be trans-tolerant. James: Or they have to say they’re trans inclusive. Vikki: Yeah, because that’s where we’re moving in terms of a social justice movement. But the diff erence between trans-inclusion and trans-tolerance is massive, right? And there are limitations to inclusivity: being included isn’t what trans youth want. T at’s a pret y low bar. Justice-doing isn’t about inclusion, it’s a diff erent project, right? James: Yeah, doing a workshop and changing bathroom signs doesn’t equate to an inclusive environment. It doesn’t mean they will respond to oppression, to transphobia. It doesn’t mean they will take action to make it a safer place. Some programmes saying, “We’re trans-inclusive” or “Trans people welcome,” are binary programmes. Vikki: What kinds of shiſt s, or diff erences do you think have been made for gender-diverse youth connected to you publicly taking that space and that location and shiſt ing the culture at Peak House? Because as therapeutic supervisor, I’ve witnessed deeply rooted infl uences in the way we work. James: It starts with the team, from education


and training, to signage, to visibility, to staff - hiring practices. What our program forms look like. Advocacy that we’ve had to do with the pharmacy that works with Peak, or the extended health benefi ts that our staff access. It’s not a big deal to change intake forms to be gender inclusive until you have a youth who sees it as a big deal – they notice it’s inclusive, and that makes all the diff erence. We’ve changed the groups we lead. We do something called Healthy Tuesday, which primarily focuses on health and wellbeing, but has a lot to do with sexual health and relationships. We re-wrote all of that with gender inclusive language. We’re doing sexual education in the house that’s completely gender inclusive in terms of the use of language, which is a tricky thing to undertake, but so important. T ere’s been some radical shiſt s within the program Vikki: When you say Peak House changed the forms to be gender inclusive, it was more than inclusive because it’s not a new category of trans. It’s this expansive space where everybody’s not required to get boxed. I’m thinking what kind of changes that makes


for youth and for the program in ways that aren’t actually about gender identity but about interlocking sites of oppressions. When you make things bet er for gender non-binary youth, you make more space for youth struggling with other oppressions, right? Like racism, colonisation, poverty. You tackle it on any front and, as soon as we start to shiſt , when folks who are marginalised carve out space, they make so much more liberatory space for others. Dean Spade talks about it as social justice trickling up (2011). James: I feel very intentional about being out at work. On the Peak House website, I mention I’m a trans person. And it’s not a conversation I have every day, but I use the fact that I’m in a privileged position in a way that’s useful. I have a lot of privilege. I’m white – I’m male identifi ed, I live in Canada, I came out at work, I kept my job, I was celebrated in it, I was able to create some real shiſt s within my work environment that were not only meaningful to me, but meaningful to my values and the values of Peak House. I also have points of marginalisation and oppression. It’s important for me to recognise the ways I benefi t from my privilege and try to use it in a way that’s useful. One of those ways is to be out and visible at work, which makes it easier for youth. Several young people I’ve met with at Peak House have said, “You’re the only other trans person I’ve met”. And what an honour they feel safe- enough to share that with us. T ere are not a lot of out trans people in program leadership, so I want to make sure youth have access to seeing positive role-models living positive lives. I had a meeting with a trans-identifi ed youth who said, “I came here because all my counsellors said someone in the higher-ups was Trans and I’d be safer here”. I hope we’re achieving that as an organisation. It’s the reason we take personal and professional risks when it is safe-enough to do so, to help create visibility and more inclusive spaces. Vikki: I’ve been at Peak House almost 25 years and I’ve appreciated the vision you have for the place. Where do you think things might actually go – what do you think might also be possible at Peak House? James: My hope is that, in some way, we can serve as a model to other organisations of what is possible, in terms of an all-gender program. Vikki: Yeah, remember when we started doing a co-ed young men and young women program? T at was risky. James: Yeah, then when we had openly queer youth, “Well, how are you doing that?” We’re an imperfect model, but working to show it’s possible to remove gender binaries and still


Context 155, February 2018


Beyond trans tolerance and trans inclusion: Contributing to transformative spaces in an all-genders youth, live-in, substance-misuse programme


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