Education

• Ph.D in Education, Department of Curriculum Teaching and Learning,  Collaboratives in Sexual Diversity Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto ON. Academic focus: co-researching with members of EarlyON communities to create queer and trans cultural spaces. Expected graduation date 2021.

• Master of Education, Department of Social Justice Education, Collaborative in Sexual Diversity Studies, November 2016. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto ON.

•  Bachelor Arts with Honours, Science and Technology Studies, June 2012.  York University, Toronto, ON

 Current major projects

 Primary Consultant         January 2002 – on-going Juxtapose Consulting

Currently working on a major research project for the City of Toronto Children’s Services to create resources to support Early ON Centres being safe, celebratory and welcoming of 2SLGBTQ children and adults. Provide workshops and training on anti-oppression issues, focusing on LGBTT2IQQ organizational needs based on the Human Rights Code. Draft or review policy, documents, and information systems for inclusion of gender and sexual diversity. Clients have included: Girl Guides of Canada, Ontario Human Rights Commission, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Rainbow Health Ontario, Halton District School Board, York Region District School Board, Greater Essex District County School Board, Ottawa-Carlton District School Board, Canadian Centre For Race Relations, National Center for Transgender Equality (US), York University, York Region Public Health, Sheridan College, Guelph University, Queen’s University, CultureLink Settlement Services, Halton Child and Family Services, Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People and others.

Part-time Professor, Sheridan College                   September 2019 – on-going

Teaching in the Social Service Worker Program. Currently teaching two courses.

Previous related work

Student Equity Program Advisor   January 2013 – currently on leave Toronto District School Board, Gender-Based Violence Prevention

I provide support to staff, students and parents across the school board on topics connected to gender-based violence prevention. Knowledgeable in board and provincial policy and legislation. Co-wrote the TDSB’s Talking Relationships resource supporting teachers facilitating conversations about healthier relationships. Reviewed and updated the TDSB’s Guidelines for the Accommodation of Transgender and Gender Independent/Non-Conforming Students and Staff. Facilitate student programing, including groups. Lead consultation process when contacted to work with a school. Collect data from staff and students, interpret both local and board wide data. Develop tailored plans to address a school’s needs. Deliver staff trainings, parent sessions, student groups and workshops. Manage all social media for the office. Work closely with the Board’s Human Rights Office to resolve student complaints. Bring an intersectional approach to the work.

 Executive Director August 2012 – January 2013 Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line

Oversaw the day-to-day operations of a youth-driven service for and by LGBTQ youth. Managed the organizational budget, community relationships, staff of six and over 60 volunteers. Provided long-range planning, organizational vision and direction to the organization. Provided workshops and trainings for staff, volunteers and appropriate community partners. Represented the organization publicly and in the media. 

Gay-Straight Alliance Equity Facilitator September 2005 – June 2012 Halton District School Board

Board level resource on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, integrated into HDSB Equity and Inclusive Education team. Drafted policy to support the accommodation and inclusion of trans* and gender independent individuals in schools. Trained teachers and administrators, lead policy development, and resource generation. Chaired the Board’s Spectrum (LGBTQ) Committee. Planned and executed regional events and conferences, including launching a one day conference for trans* students. Created Positive Space Program for elementary schools, conducted focus groups and created administrative procedures. Supported student leadership and teachers addressing issues of LGBTT2IQQA inclusion. Assisted students in forming gay-straight alliances (GSAs) with event planning, organizing trainings and special events. Appropriately responded to and resolved incidents related to homophobia, transphobia and gender based discrimination.

 Rainbow Health Ontario November 2008 – August 2010 Community Outreach Team

Provided outreach for a new province-wide network promoting the need for culturally sensitive health services for LGBTT2IQQA people. Facilitated trainings and provided information for health care service providers, and developed a local network of health service providers and LGBTT2IQQA positive organizations. 

 LGBTT2IQQ Consultant March 2005 - August 2009 Office of the Ombudsperson at York University                     

Acted as a resource on LGBTT2IQQ issues to the office of the Ombudsperson. Developed a Positive Space manual for use in York’s campus-wide program. Delivered workshops and events on campus. Coordinated York University’s involvement in Toronto’s Pride celebration. Conducted investigations into complaints brought to the office and made recommendations of my findings to the ombudsperson.

 Newcomer Youth Centre Coordinator June 2002 – May 2004 CultureLink Settlement Services                            

Coordinated a busy centre for newcomer and immigrant youth. Advocated on behalf of newcomer youth. Managed a staff team of five, and an annual budget of over $400 000.  Redesigned participant and volunteer intake procedures and case management systems.  Facilitated a schedule of programs, groups and educational events. Launched, facilitated and secured funding for a weekly support group for LGBTQ Newcomer Youth. Fundraised for all centre operations and staff positions, developed budget and ensured operation within that. Facilitated joint board/youth committee.

Published Written Work

Reports/Resources

Co-author of Trans and Non-Binary Children and Youth in Ontario, A Roadmap for Improving Services. For Rainbow Health Ontario, 2018 (90 pages)

Co-author of Talking Relationships: A TDSB teacher resource on having conversations about healthy relationships with grade 7 and 8 students. 2015. (143 pages)

 Books

The Last Place You Look. skelton, j wallace. Toronto, Ontario: Flamingo Rampant. 2017 (34 pages).

 Transphobia: Deal with it and be a gender transcender. skelton, j wallace. Toronto, Ontario: Lorimer. March 1, 2016 (32 pages).

The Newspaper Pirates. skelton, j wallace. Toronto, Ontario: Flamingo Rampant. 2015 (34 pages).

 Articles

Quill and Quire. Why we need more trans and non-binary books for middle-grade readers. Oct 15, 2018 https://quillandquire.com/omni/why-we-need-more-trans-and-non-binary-books-for-middle-grade-readers/

CBC. How I Learned to Talk To My Kids About Graphic Anti-Abortion Signs. Sept. 4 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/how-i-learned-to-talk-to-my-kids-about-graphic-anti-abortion-signs

 with Adam Davis. Education Canada Magazine. Queer and Trans at School: Where do I fit in? Vol 57, Issue 2 May 29, 2017 available at: https://www.edcan.ca/articles/queer-trans-school/

CBC. Taking Your LGBT Child to Their First Pride. June 16, 2017. available at: http://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/taking-your-lgbt-child-to-their-first-pride

 TVO Current Affairs. Words matter: Respect and the language of gender identity Oct. 26, 2016. available at: https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/shared-values/words-matter-respect-and-the-language-of-gender-identity

 Academic Book Reviews

TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. “Special Issue: Trans*formational Pedagogies”. “Not Exceptional or Punished” 2.3 (Aug. 2015) p.495-499

 TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly. “Special Issue: Trans*formational Pedagogies”. “Without She or He In Pictures” 2.3 (Aug. 2015) p.500-502

Chapters

 ‘failing’ Interrogating Reproductive Loss: Feminist Writings on Abortion, Miscarriage and Stillbirth. Edited by Emily R. M. Lind and Angie Deveau, Demeter Press. Nov. 2017.

 “Baby Escape Plan Two” The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care. Edited by Zena Sharman, Arsenal Pulp Press. Vancouver, Canada. 2016

 “Trans in Class: Trans Activism in a Suburban School Board” Trans Activism in Canada: A Reader. Edited by Dan Irving and Rupert Raj, Toronto, Ontario: Canadian Scholars’ Press. 2014. (15 pages) 

 “We're Having a Stanley” Chasing Rainbows. Editors Fiona Green and May Friedman, Toronto: Demeter Press 2013. 

 “The Manly Art of Pregnancy” Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation. Editors Bear Bergman and Kate Bornstein, San Francisco: Seal Press 2010 (p. 188-194).

Policy

Guidelines for the Inclusion of Transgender Members, consultant, Girl Guides of Canada, 2015.

 TDSB Guidelines for the Accommodation of Gender Non-Conforming Students and Staff, co-author. TDSB: Published 2011, revised 2013.

Reviewer

“Children” and “Youth” chapters in Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A resource for the Transgender Community. Edited by Laura Erickson-Schroth, New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

 The Gender Spectrum: What Educators Need to Know. The Pride Education Network B.C. 2011

Awards and Honors

 2019 – Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

2018 – Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

 2017 – Lambda Literary Award Winner, the Remedy. (contributor).

 2016 - Kay Armitage Graduate Women and Gender Studies Entrance Prize for the best incoming student to the collaborative program. 

 2016 – Research Fellowship in Curriculum Teaching and Learning, OISE University of Toronto

 2016 – Ontario Librarians Association, Transphobia: Deal with it and be a gender transcender. shortlisted for the Red Maple Award for Non-Fiction.

 2013 - Toronto Arts Council Writers’ Reserve Grant to work on a book: Neither Pink nor Blue (and also both). Narrative non-fiction essays about parenting outside of gender expectations – sometimes way outside them. 

 2011 – Lambda Literary Award Winner, Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation. (contributor).

 Selected conference presentations and trainings

“Neither he, nor she, in Pictures” The Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities, Hofstra University, June 2017.

 “The Promises of Liminality: New Directions in Queer Activism” with Adam Davies, Sexuality Studies Association, Congress of the Humanities, Ryerson University, May 2017

 “The First, The Very First, The First Legally Male, Legally Married Transman to be Pregnant” Trans Temporalities Conference University of Toronto June 2016

 Keynote Ontario GSA Conference, Toronto, May 2016

 Moving Trans* History Forward, Academic Conference, University of Victoria. March 2016

 Empowered Learning Environments: Creating schools and classrooms where students of all gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations feel supported and welcome, Ministry of Education, Research into Practice Conference, May 14, 2014.

 Self Published, Unavailable and Out-of-print: Challenges in Collecting and Accessing Trans Inclusive Children’s Literature. Moving Trans* History Forward, Academic Conference, University of Victoria. March 2014

 Keynote, Halton District School Board GSA Conference. May 2013.

 Keynote, Ottawa-Carlton District School Board GSA Conference. March 2013.

 National Workshop on Gender Creative Kids, Concordia University, Montreal, Creating Gender Inclusive Classrooms. October 26, 2012.

 Elementary Teachers Federation, Fall Leadership Conference: Creating Gender Inclusive Schools. September 27, 2012.

Elementary Teachers Federation: First GSA Symposium, Building GSAs in Elementary Schools. March 14, 2012.

 York Region District School Board, Speak Out Conference:  LGBTT2IQQA Issues in Schools. October 2011.

 Philadelphia Trans Health Conference: Transmasculine Pregnancy and Parenting topics, June 2011 and June 2012.

 LGBTQ Parenting Network: Developed Curriculum and Resources for Queer and Trans Family Plannings. March 2011.

 Association of Ontario Midwives: Providing Perinatal Care for Trans Clients and Their Families. January 2011.

 LGBTQ Parenting Network: Developed Curriculum and Manual for Transmasculine People Considering Pregnancy. December 2010.

 Gender Spectrum Family Conference; Advocating for Gender-Variant Primary Children. and Making GSAs Gender Inclusive. September 2010.

 TransOhio Conference; Seahorse Papas, Bearing Fathers and Birth Dads; navigating pregnancy, conception and birth. August 2010.

 POSSE; Sex, Gender and Sexual Orientation. Three-part workshop for youth engaged in outreach to rural youth. May 2008, May 2009, May 2010.

 Unitarian Congregation of Guelph; Building a Gender Inclusive Faith Community.  May 2009, May 2010.

 Greater Essex District County School Board; lead consultant with repeated training and presentations across the year. Facilitated board learning around GSAs, participated in teacher trainings, conferences, community meetings and policy discussion/creation. September 2009 - June 2010.

 Gender Spectrum Family Conference; Advocating for Gender-Variant Primary Children. September 2009.

 Halton Multicultural Council; Supporting LGBTQ Immigrants for youth settlement workers. June 2009, May 2010.

 Ontario Human Rights Commission; Policy Seminar on Gender Identity (lead consultant). Further staff training for commissioners and policy discussions. May 2009.

 Out on Bay Street The LGBTQ Edge. Workshop for out MBA candidates on finding and winning employment. June 2009. 

 York Region Public Health; Cultural Competencies for Service Providers providing care to gender variant and trans individuals. Also created policy guide for staff reference. March 2009.

 Ontario Human Rights Commission; LGBTQ Cultural Competency Within a Human Rights Framework. On the topic of gender diversity, focusing on trans people. October 2008.

 Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission; LGBTQ Cultural Competency Within a Human Rights Framework. A day-long intensive on trans issues for entire staff. July 2008.

 York Region District School Board, Combating Homophobia in School. March 2008.

 Guelph Sexuality Conference. Co-ordinated and facilitated plenary session on trans-rights. Prepared a day-long intensive session on trans rights in an agency setting. With youth, presented workshop on Beyond Homophobia: Educating Our Educators project. June 2007.

 National 4 Health 4 Wellness Youth Conference, Health Canada, Banff Alberta. Presented on anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia work in Halton schools. February 2006.

 Queen’s University, Jewish Studies Department, presented paper on Jewish Gender Transgressors. February 2005.

 Funders Alliance, Toronto, presented on “Meeting the Needs of Newcomer Youth”. November 2003.

 Rainbow Visions: Building a Pan-Canadian Queer Agenda, Egale Canada

Montreal. Co-presented a workshop on cross-dressing and transsexuality. May 2003.

 International Lesbian and Gay Association Global Gay Summit, Oakland, CA. with international representatives, discussed queer issues from a human rights perspective. September 2001.

 Fourth World Conference on Women, NGO and Governmental Conferences, Beijing, China. Attended workshops and protests.  Networked with women from around the world on issues of sexual orientation, youth, human rights and education.  Wrote press releases, lobbied government delegations, planned lobbying strategy. August-September 1995.

j has presented extensively across the US and Canada on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. The above list is weighted toward more recent work; an exhaustive list is available if needed.