“Love Has No Gender”: A Powerful Mural Project at Alexander Galt Regional High School
ArtistsInspire is proud to support projects that represent and celebrate the diversity of Quebec’s students and artists. One recent project at Alexander Galt Regional High School, led by teaching artist Heather Hardie, beautifully demonstrates this impact. Through a student-led mural initiative with the school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), the school now has a beautiful new mural with the message “Love Has No Gender”, allowing students to feel proud and accepted at the school.
Artist Heather Hardie expresses what this project meant to her, and to the students involved:
“When I was approached about this project, I was thrilled at the prospect of working with a GSA, particularly in a regional high school, since I primarily work within Montreal. Growing up, my own high school in rural Nova Scotia did not have such a club, nor any kind of queer visibility for that matter, and it’s something that could have empowered me and helped me to feel less alone during my teenage years. Having queer adult role models and representation, or even just more positive, proactive allyship would have changed so much for me. For those reasons, I was more than willing to drive the two hours there and back to be a part of this initiative!
This mural project was entirely student-led. Students worked in small groups to brainstorm ideas and content, then unanimously agreed on the message ‘Love Has No Gender’. They liked that this statement addresses both romantic attraction but also gender identity. The butterfly represents growth, change, and the idea of coming out of one’s cocoon to become something beautiful.
Throughout the process, the students were candid about their experiences with friendship, dating, family relationships, fears, hopes and dreams. It was really meaningful for me to witness that mutual support in a place that isn’t always welcoming to folks who are ‘different’. It was also really special to see the pride the students took in creating a message that was loud, proud, and visible for all.”
Laura Pleavin, a teacher at Alexander Galt Regional High School, expresses why the project was important for the school, and how it impacted students:
“Murals have a history of being used effectively as a tool to disseminate religious, political and/or social ideas. Murals are often described as a non-threatening form of creative activism; they are accessible and visible to large and diverse groups of people. The members of Galt’s GSA want to challenge the status quo at their school, and foster a more positive school climate. The presence of a professional artist, with experience in the conceptualization and creation of a mural, will help the classes to collaborate effectively, and communicate a powerful message to the school community. The shared creative process will also help to create stronger bonds between the students, and the adults that support them.
My students were thrilled to be able to bring their artistic vision to life. Heather was able to facilitate a collaborative experience for the students. She helped them to merge their ideas and find consensus for what ended up being a very meaningful art piece. Many of the students described the process of communicating through art, empowering. The students that participated often feel marginal in the school, and this experience made them feel seen. They loved the idea that they would be, in their words, ‘leaving a legacy at their high school’.”
This project is a testament to how art can bring together students and foster a sense of belonging at school. Thank you to Heather Hardie, Laura Pleavin and all the students at Alexander Galt Regional High School’s GSA for coming together to collaborate on this beautiful project!
