How\u2019d you like to hear that every day? How about when you were a kid?<\/p><\/div>\n
\nNow imagine it on a daily basis. It\u2019s a lot for sure, but for Petro Chionis it was as much a part of his daily school routine as recess. <\/p>\n
Chionis spoke about his experiences at an event organized by Students First, a group of candidates in the upcoming school board elections in Laval. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s horrible to be hated for being who you are\u201d the 18-year-old told more than 130 people at Ch\u00e2teau Royal earlier this month, at an event to support the team led by commissioner and candidate for chair Steve Bletas. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as I can remember I loved to sing and dance,\u201d said the student at Dawson College\u2019s professional theatre program. \u201cSince I was two years old I wanted to be on stage and make people happy and smile.\u201d <\/p>\n
As a young boy, he created his own routines and dreamt of becoming a world-class pop star like Michael Jackson. But the taunting and cruelty put an end to it. \u201cWhen you are seven years old, just the word \u2018stupid\u2019 is bad enough, so you hear that and you don\u2019t know what to think.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI stopped doing what I loved, thinking it would stop,\u201d he said, \u201cbut it never stopped. I was called out in class, on the bus, outside, was pushed on the ground and hit and kicked. I left elementary school scared of the world…\u201d <\/p>\n
Hoping that high school to afford him a new lease on life, Chionis was mistaken as taunts and slurs continued. \u201cI was excited to start a new beginning, but the bullying and bullies followed me like a shadow, I couldn\u2019t make friends the regular way, by just saying \u2018Hi I’m Petro\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
He recalled that when he finally did seek assistance from school staff the reaction and intervention was swift and effective. \u201cThere\u2019s a misconception that we can just pass a law and everything will be fine, but that\u2019s not the way to do it; we have to go straight to the target, and that\u2019s what I loved about my high school, the staff stepped in and would take care of it as fast as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s precisely the point,\u201d said Bletas, who promised if elected to institute strong and effective anti-bullying measures from prevention and swift intervention programs to increased collaboration with community partners like T\u00e9l\u00e9-Jeunes. <\/p>\n
Chionis\u2019 big turnaround came at a Lady Gaga concert, where he felt empowered by the artist\u2019s words about equality, confidence and pride. \u201cI started to really believe in myself, smile, and appreciate my time here on earth.\u201d Feeling inspired, he took a chance and entered\u2014and won\u2014a radio contest, which had him dancing on stage with Britney Spears. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have the right to be happy and be who we really are,\u201d said Chionis. \u201cThis is who I am. If anyone stands in your spotlight,\u201d he told the rapt adult audience, \u201ctell them to step aside.\u201d
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\u201cBe who you are\u201d By Joel Ceausuwww.thesuburban.com \u201cHey Fag!\u201d How\u2019d you like to hear that every day? How about when you were a kid? Now imagine it on a daily basis. It\u2019s a lot for sure, but for Petro Chionis it was as much a part of his daily school routine as recess. Chionis spoke<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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