In Search of Safe Spaces

Mary-Jean Chan’s poetry collection Fléche contains commentary on 2SLGBTQIA+ safe spaces and the important distinction between safety in public and private realms. For Chan, the private domestic home is an important location of searching for personal 2SLGBTQIA+ acceptance. Yet, their implicit portrayal of these spaces reflects the role that local governments play in the overarching acceptance of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. Using my position as a student and educator in Saskatchewan, Canada, I propose a locational link between Chan’s poetic focus in the U.S., Hong Kong, and the U.K. and current provincial concerns regarding the Saskatchewan Party's implementation of Bill 137. This bill impacts 2SLGBTQIA+ and specifically gender non-conforming students in Saskatchewan elementary, middle, and high schools. Through a close reading of government policy, social responses, and Chan’s writing, I point towards the necessity of public and private safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals globally.