KSA Queer Representative Resigns

Ryot “R” Jey steps down to improve his mental health

The Kwantlen Student Association Queer Students Representative has resigned from his position in order to focus on self-care, adding another title to the list of unfilled seats for KSA Council. Now former Queer Rep Ryot “R” Jey filled the position for eight months from April to November this year. He also became a director of anti-oppression with the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group last fall, but dropped that title in August for similar reasons.

“Because I was so focused on other things going on in my personal life, it was sort of hard to focus on the things that I needed to do as queer rep,” says Jey.

Struggle in his personal life led Jey to his decision to resign, and he plans to spend more time focusing on his own health. Until he’s in “a better position to take on that lead,” he says that he doesn’t intend on returning to the KSA anytime soon.

As written on the KSA’s website, “the Queer Students Constituency Representative is responsible for communicating the views and concerns of self-identified queer students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, to Council (the KSA’s board of directors). This representative ensures that the unique perspectives of queer students are considered in Council’s decision-making process.”

One of Jey’s main focuses in this role was creating safe spaces for trans people at KPU by celebrating pre-established events like the Transgender Day of Remembrance or creating events of his own for KPU students to partake in.

When Jey first ran for the KSA’s queer rep, he did so out of the belief that “it’s important that Kwantlen has someone who understands intersectionality and oppression of many marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community.” Even before he won, Jey was heavily involved with Pride Kwantlen and voluntarily stepped in to host meetings after the then-representative stepped down.

The queer students rep who preceded Jey also resigned, as did Kayla England the year before, though she now holds the position of mature students rep. Why it has been so difficult to steadily keep queer representatives within the KSA is up for speculation. It could be the added stress of being publicly queer and criticized, having to host meetings, or simply feeling under qualified for the job.

For Jey, the pressure to hide his true state of mind at work is part of what drove him to resign.

“In a way, there’s expectation to put on this role that you’re not struggling. I felt that, in a way, I was expected to [act like] what was going on in my personal life wasn’t impacting my professional life,” says Jey. “I’m not saying the KSA is shaming people for mental health struggles, but I think there’s an expectation that you don’t show it or anything. You just do your job.”

Jey advises the next person who becomes the queer students constituency representative to “remember to focus on your mental health and your own well-being before you take on anything too big. Remember to focus on what’s going on around you—your job as well.”