How her son's abuse changed Catholic educator's mind about sex education

Angela Kennedy, chair of the Toronto Catholic School Board, got in touch with Out in the Open after listening to last week's episode on The Sex Talk, to explain why her thinking on the subject had changed after she learned that one of her adult sons, Brian, had been sexually abused at age 11. 

As a trustee for the Catholic board last year, she was critical of Ontario's sex-education curriculum. She called for a delay on the implementation of the plan, and released a statement last year, reading in part, "Catholic schools shouldn't be forced to teach a program that doesn't ground the expression of sexuality in love and marriage."

She no longer feels that way. "That's the Church's position, but my position has changed," she told Out in the Open host Piya Chattopadhyay.

"My position has changed because of what happened to Brian. A very sensitive and disturbing revelation to us has caused me to pause and to reflect on my own attitudes." 

Brian Kennedy, now a 30-year-old teacher at Toronto Catholic secondary school, told his story in the online article, "Tough Enough To Talk."

"I'm a living example that we need more dialogue around sexual health, not less," Brian wrote. "We need to encourage boys and girls to ask questions, or risk that they'll bury them, like I did."

He urged his mother to support the sex-ed curriculum.

"It's not easy but it's something that I have to do," Kennedy says. "It's something that I want to do. It's not easy but reading Brian's story, he's so brave and so strong and that makes me strong."

Related CBC News story: TCDSB chair embraces new sex-ed curriculum after learning son was abused as child