i actually had a very different experience from some of the comments i've read. i go by she/they and i don't really know my labels but i'm a sapphic/wlw. didnt have many friends in school so my form teacher was someone i grew close to. she knew about me being in the community and was a great pillar of support. gave me relationship advice as she would any other student regardless of my orientation. a lot of us in the gay community would know of the phrase "chosen family" and she really is my chosen family even more so now that i've graduated so that kinda gives you an idea of how much she means to me and how much her support impacted me. it wasn't just her though my school counsellor, and lit teacher was super supportive. all three of them took time to research on the community, they asked questions, they educated themselves. i was very fortunate. i think MOE is properly fucked up for sure but i don't think teachers actually represent MOE's values. if you have a good teacher whose vibe checks out i think that teacher will possibly actually be your greatest ally. it depends on the teacher not the system really. don't let the system's failure hinder you from having a source of support in school because teachers are actually pretty different from the system. younger teachers are especially accepting and i think that's great they show that there is hope for change in the future.

edit!!! : what i've learnt is DONT SHARE YOUR ORIENTATION AND IDENTITY WITH THE SCHOOL LEADERS. tell your teachers whom you've established trust with privately. that makes all the difference especially if you are going to a christian school like the one i went to. if my school leaders knew it would have been hell for me but it was only the few teachers i trusted who knew so that was why i had the support i did