LGBT AWARENESS
By Melanie Cox
Why is it important?
Many students are discriminated for their sexual orientation. We are humans too! It is my belief (as well as countless others) that all students should be treated equally. Unfortunately life is neither fair nor equal, but knowledge can change that!
The possibility of democratic reform lies with citizens who
choose equality as the standard of social progress and the measure of their own
empowerment.
Ann Bastian et al., 1986
(Apple & Beane, 2007)
Teaching Tolerance tells us,
“The constitution guarantees religious freedom for personal
beliefs and establishes companion responsibilities. We have the right to exercise our own
religious ‘(or personal)’ beliefs in our lives (or to exercise none at all),
and we are charged with a responsibility to protect the rights of others to
hold religious ‘(or personal)’ beliefs as they choose.” (2013)
How can I help?
Awareness is key!!
The two most helpful things a teacher can do to include all students is to be knowledgeable and aware. Students need to feel safe and accepted. Signs such as the Safe Zone picture -which is located below- are a great way to subtly advertise acceptance in your classroom. It shows that your classroom is a safe place for ALL students regardless of sexual orientation.
The two most helpful things a teacher can do to include all students is to be knowledgeable and aware. Students need to feel safe and accepted. Signs such as the Safe Zone picture -which is located below- are a great way to subtly advertise acceptance in your classroom. It shows that your classroom is a safe place for ALL students regardless of sexual orientation.
Show your support
Being supportive of LGBT does NOT mean you have to be one of us to help out.
By displaying the
rainbow flower -pictured below- it shows that you are an ally. Being an ally
means that you are supportive and mindful to LGBT rights.
What does that word mean?
This is a list of definitions
to words commonly used in the LGBT community (Directly from Tolerance.org):
Biological Sex- A specific set of genetic, chemical and anatomical characteristics
that we are either born with or that develop as we mature. Types of birth/biological sex include female,
male and intersex.
Gender Identity- One’s internal, personal sense of his or her own gender. Many people believe in a more fluid gender
identity than simply “male” and “female”.
Bisexual-
Describes a person who is attracted to both men and women.
Gay or Lesbian-Describes a person whose emotional, romantic and sexual attractions are
primarily for individuals of the same sex.
Transgender- An umbrella term that
describes people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from
the sex they were assigned at birth.
LGBT- An acronym, which stands for “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender.”
Homophobia- Literally, the fear of
homosexuals and homosexuality; however, this term is generally applied to
anyone who dislikes LGBT people, who uses derogatory sexuality- or gender-based
terms, or who fell that LGBT people want “special rights” and not “equal
rights”. (Teaching Tolerance 2013)
(Killermann, 2012)
Is my school LGBT friendly?
Here is a checklist to see if your school is LGBT-friendly.
5 Does your
school have a Gay-Straight Alliance? (GSA)
These clubs are a great resource and opportunity for students and
educators alike.
5 Does your
school have a gender-neutral restroom? Some students feel uncomfortable sharing
a bathroom.
5 What is
your school’s policy on dress codes? Can
males and females dress alike? i.e. males wearing dresses/skirts, females
wearing slacks, etc.
5 What is
your school’s anti-bullying policy? Are
all students protected? Particularly LGBT students?
5 Do
students have a safe place where they can seek help if needed without
discrimination? (Teaching Tolerance 2013)
Still have questions?
Tolerance.org is an EXCELLENT webpage for students as well
as educators and anyone interested in issues such as these. This webpage also includes great ideas for
building an accepting school atmosphere in all aspects.
Resources:
·
Teaching Tolerance. (2013). Best Practices:
Creating an LGBT-inclusive School Climate. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/publication/best-practices-creating-lgbt-inclusive-school-climate
·
Apple, M. W., & Bean, J.A. (2007). “The case
for Democratic Schools”. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
·
Killermann, S. ( 2012, March) The Genderbread
Person. v.2.0. Retrieved from http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/03/the-genderbread-person-v2-0/
Sometimes
all someone needs is to start a ripple in the pond. YOU can help.
Mel,
ReplyDeleteThe relevance of LGBT rights in schools is growing rapidly. The fact that I couldn't think of any schools that would pass every mark on the checklist you provided shows the urgency of your topic. I really thought the visuals that you included in your pamphlet were very helpful and the whole layout of it is very well done. It was a good idea to put in definitions for the words you did because while most people have a general idea of the definitions for those words, sometimes these definitions we have in our minds lack in political correctness. Seeing what these words truly mean without any bias helps your readers to become more sensitive and more thoughtful about the topic they've entered into.
Melanie,
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting reading your information. Because I went to Catholic school from kindergarten all through high school, we did not have any sort of support system for the LGBT community. I had many friends who were homosexual. They were still loved and not treated any differently, but were not supported by our school system. These students were not bullied, but again, had no support group (GSA). I like how you outlined the different terms that are considered part of LGBT. Some people really are sheltered and may not know all of the different "branches" of the LGBT community. I thought that you presented this in an informative and respectful way. I also really liked the Genderbread person.
-Taylor
Mel,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great topic to pick. I think my high school was fairly LGBT friendly. I really enjoyed that you added the correct terms, because even as an adult I get confused on what are politically correct terms to use. This is very important for me to learn as a future health educator though. As a future health educator I feel like I will be on the front line with the LGBT community. It is important for me to broaden my horizons and learn how to make sure my school is LGBT friendly. I will definitely be using some of the tips that you talked about. Also, the picture that you added about the Genderbread was a great piece to pull this together.
Mel,
ReplyDeleteI really like the topic you chose. Today, LGBT tolerance is very important in our school systems. No matter what, I want all of my students to feel welcome and accepted in my classroom. I really like that you pointed out the need for gender-neutral restrooms in schools. This semester I took a women's studies class and a student who was transgender told me that she was not allowed to use the women's restroom at her school in South Carolina. I found that information very shocking and I would not want anyone to have to go through that. I plan to post a "safe zone" poster in my classroom. Thanks for choosing such an important topic, Mel.
-Katie Shepherd