There are several reasons that teachers should consider including LGBTQ inclusive topics and discussions into their everyday instruction. Just to name a few:
There are two proposed methods for incorporating LGBTQ identities into the classroom environment, and mixed opinions regarding both. In their essay, Analyzing Talk in a Long-Term Literature Discussion Group: Ways of Operating Within LGBT-Inclusive and Queer Discourses, authors Mollie Blackburn and Caroline Clark propose both inclusive curriculum, and “queering” the approach to curriculum (223). Both of these methods have a variety of pros and cons, and for that reason they should be used in conjunction.
A more inclusive curriculum would require the introduction of new material displaying diverse identities. This could be very useful for teachers having difficulty finding relevant non-fiction texts (which are now stressed by the common core state standards) because there is a lot going on with LGBTQ activism in the news, as well as a wide variety of personal narratives and memoirs available.
However, an inclusive curriculum runs the risk of reinforcing heteronormativity, which is the belief that heterosexuality is normal, and all other sexualities are therefore “abnormal or inferior.” Heteronormativity coexists with homophobia in ways that are not as obvious, but equally damaging (Blackburn and Smith 625). Depending on the way that an inclusive curriculum is presented, it could be very othering, especially if the educator is not knowledgeable when it comes to LGBTQ identities.
A high school senior from North Carolina argues that if we educated teachers on different identities, they’d be able to teach more inclusive lessons. For her, this would be beneficial in a number of ways, including the fact that more inclusive lessons might help questioning students to navigate better their identities, or simply dispel the notion that biological sex is synonymous with gender expression and identity, which is often wrongly reinforced in certain contexts, such as biology classes. She stated that a more inclusive curriculum would “normalize different identities, instead of leaving straight cis students to see other identities as “weird” or wrong.” This idea is very important, and one of the driving forces for an inclusive curriculum.
Another student, a sophomore (who uses gender neutral pronouns) attending a high school in the Midwest agrees that it would be positive for teachers to be more aware of the diverse variety of identities that exist. They argue that, “Teachers are meant to help students through their childhood and adolescent years; knowing that there are more options than cisgender and heterosexual might aid them in understanding and helping students.” They also brought up the idea that while educating teachers might lead to a positive change, it also runs the risk of leading to further mistreatment of those with already marginalized identities from teachers that are not accepting.
The other approach to including LGBTQ identities in the classroom is called “queering.” This approach is useful for several reasons, including that it allows students to interrogate structures such as homophobia and heteronormativity, evaluate how they are affected by them, and be critical of them. This approach can be used on a more intersectional level to evaluate systems of privilege and disadvantage. Further than just homophobia, and heteronormativity, students will be able to think critically about “notions of family” and how attraction works (Blackburn and Smith 625). The queering approach does not present specific LGBTQ identities, as the inclusive approach does, which can often reinforce existing ideas and stereotypes about the LGBTQ community, and in turn simplify complex identities. This approach may be favored by teachers that are hesitant to incorporate new texts and materials, because they can continue to use the materials that they are used to, they just need to reframe discussions and assignments.
- It is perfectly legal in 29 states to fire someone for their sexuality. It is legal in 34 to fire someone for their gender identity/expression.
- The Hate Crimes Prevention Act was only enacted in 2009, 11 years after the murder of Matthew Shepard.
- According to the CDC, LGBTQ teens are twice more likely than their heterosexual/cisgender peers to attempt suicide. Additionally, according to the Task Force, 41% of transgender individuals attempt suicide.
- Ignoring students’ differences perpetuates ignorance.
- LGBTQ individuals are already underrepresented in many aspects of their lives, the classroom should not be one of them.
There are two proposed methods for incorporating LGBTQ identities into the classroom environment, and mixed opinions regarding both. In their essay, Analyzing Talk in a Long-Term Literature Discussion Group: Ways of Operating Within LGBT-Inclusive and Queer Discourses, authors Mollie Blackburn and Caroline Clark propose both inclusive curriculum, and “queering” the approach to curriculum (223). Both of these methods have a variety of pros and cons, and for that reason they should be used in conjunction.
A more inclusive curriculum would require the introduction of new material displaying diverse identities. This could be very useful for teachers having difficulty finding relevant non-fiction texts (which are now stressed by the common core state standards) because there is a lot going on with LGBTQ activism in the news, as well as a wide variety of personal narratives and memoirs available.
However, an inclusive curriculum runs the risk of reinforcing heteronormativity, which is the belief that heterosexuality is normal, and all other sexualities are therefore “abnormal or inferior.” Heteronormativity coexists with homophobia in ways that are not as obvious, but equally damaging (Blackburn and Smith 625). Depending on the way that an inclusive curriculum is presented, it could be very othering, especially if the educator is not knowledgeable when it comes to LGBTQ identities.
A high school senior from North Carolina argues that if we educated teachers on different identities, they’d be able to teach more inclusive lessons. For her, this would be beneficial in a number of ways, including the fact that more inclusive lessons might help questioning students to navigate better their identities, or simply dispel the notion that biological sex is synonymous with gender expression and identity, which is often wrongly reinforced in certain contexts, such as biology classes. She stated that a more inclusive curriculum would “normalize different identities, instead of leaving straight cis students to see other identities as “weird” or wrong.” This idea is very important, and one of the driving forces for an inclusive curriculum.
Another student, a sophomore (who uses gender neutral pronouns) attending a high school in the Midwest agrees that it would be positive for teachers to be more aware of the diverse variety of identities that exist. They argue that, “Teachers are meant to help students through their childhood and adolescent years; knowing that there are more options than cisgender and heterosexual might aid them in understanding and helping students.” They also brought up the idea that while educating teachers might lead to a positive change, it also runs the risk of leading to further mistreatment of those with already marginalized identities from teachers that are not accepting.
The other approach to including LGBTQ identities in the classroom is called “queering.” This approach is useful for several reasons, including that it allows students to interrogate structures such as homophobia and heteronormativity, evaluate how they are affected by them, and be critical of them. This approach can be used on a more intersectional level to evaluate systems of privilege and disadvantage. Further than just homophobia, and heteronormativity, students will be able to think critically about “notions of family” and how attraction works (Blackburn and Smith 625). The queering approach does not present specific LGBTQ identities, as the inclusive approach does, which can often reinforce existing ideas and stereotypes about the LGBTQ community, and in turn simplify complex identities. This approach may be favored by teachers that are hesitant to incorporate new texts and materials, because they can continue to use the materials that they are used to, they just need to reframe discussions and assignments.
Some might ask why this shift is necessary now, and to them I would say, “well, for starters, it’s 2014” or maybe, “there’s no time like the present…” or perhaps, “because we’ve been drastically under serving our LGBTQ students for years, they’re literally dying and nobody is doing anything but tell them “Oh, it gets better, hang in there!” It is the job of teachers not only to educate students, but to look out for their best interest, and in many cases we don’t even have the proper policies to protect them.” I’d stick with any of those responses, I think it’s an issue of knowing your audience.
According to GLSEN’s 2011 climate survey, 80% of transgender students do not feel safe at school and nearly 59% reported that they were harassed (XIX). Nearly 64% of students reported feeling unsafe because of their sexuality (XIV). Many students also reported that they did not report incidents to school staff because they knew nothing would be done to help them, only 10% of students reported that their schools had policies specifically regarding LGBTQ safety (XIX). I interviewed two teachers, both consider themselves advocates for LGBTQ students, in preparation for this blog, Mr. DelCasale, a music teacher for both middle school and high school, and Ms. Castro, a third grade classroom teacher, both in Peekskill, New York. When I asked if specific policies, or training existed regarding the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ students, Mr. DelCasale was unaware if anything existed. Ms. Castro informed me that new teachers receive the new statewide Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) training which deals with the prevention and intervention in situations involving bullying and harassment. This is a seven hour class that only teachers with newer certifications are required to take, meaning that teachers that have been in the classroom for years are unaffected by it.
Another issue is that many students begin navigating their multiple identities once they reach middle school, and most districts, if they provide any, do not provide resources to students in grade levels below high school. Mr. DelCasale informed me that Peekskill’s high school has a GSA club, but the middle school does not. Additionally, the high school has a designated safe space area in the cafeteria for students. Middle school students do not have access to either of these, when it is crucial to provide a support system for them. Middle school students are also less likely to advocate for themselves and demand that they receive resources out of fear of further ostracism.
According to GLSEN’s 2011 climate survey, 80% of transgender students do not feel safe at school and nearly 59% reported that they were harassed (XIX). Nearly 64% of students reported feeling unsafe because of their sexuality (XIV). Many students also reported that they did not report incidents to school staff because they knew nothing would be done to help them, only 10% of students reported that their schools had policies specifically regarding LGBTQ safety (XIX). I interviewed two teachers, both consider themselves advocates for LGBTQ students, in preparation for this blog, Mr. DelCasale, a music teacher for both middle school and high school, and Ms. Castro, a third grade classroom teacher, both in Peekskill, New York. When I asked if specific policies, or training existed regarding the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ students, Mr. DelCasale was unaware if anything existed. Ms. Castro informed me that new teachers receive the new statewide Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) training which deals with the prevention and intervention in situations involving bullying and harassment. This is a seven hour class that only teachers with newer certifications are required to take, meaning that teachers that have been in the classroom for years are unaffected by it.
Another issue is that many students begin navigating their multiple identities once they reach middle school, and most districts, if they provide any, do not provide resources to students in grade levels below high school. Mr. DelCasale informed me that Peekskill’s high school has a GSA club, but the middle school does not. Additionally, the high school has a designated safe space area in the cafeteria for students. Middle school students do not have access to either of these, when it is crucial to provide a support system for them. Middle school students are also less likely to advocate for themselves and demand that they receive resources out of fear of further ostracism.
Adequate resources should be available to students of all grade levels. They should be able to walk into their school’s library and find books and accurate information where they see their lives and identities reflected. Many times on school’s networks, any website with LGBT themes is blacklisted. These need to be filtered and sorted more carefully so that they are not all just grouped together and blocked. According to GLSEN’s 2011 climate survey, 17.7% of students in inclusive environments missed school because of the way they were treated by peers and faculty, compared to the nearly 35% that missed days of school in schools with no inclusive curriculum. Additionally, students with access to inclusive environments reported that they had a “greater sense of connectedness” within their school community (XVI).
Teachers and students alike should know whether or not there are policies to protect LBGTQ students in their districts. If there are not, teachers and students need to advocate for these policies. Staff should be trained in both sensitivity and intervention, and students should be fully aware of what resources are available for them. Through a change in policies, attitudes, and curriculum, we could make schools a much safer, desirable environment for a lot of students, something that some of them might not have access to otherwise.
Teachers and students alike should know whether or not there are policies to protect LBGTQ students in their districts. If there are not, teachers and students need to advocate for these policies. Staff should be trained in both sensitivity and intervention, and students should be fully aware of what resources are available for them. Through a change in policies, attitudes, and curriculum, we could make schools a much safer, desirable environment for a lot of students, something that some of them might not have access to otherwise.
Works Cited
Blackburn, Mollie V., and Caroline T. Clark. "Analyzing Talk in a Long-Term Literature
Discussion Group: Ways of Operating Within LGBT-Inclusive and Queer Discourses."
JSTOR. N.p., 2011. Web.
Blackburn, Mollie V., and Jill M. Smith. "Moving Beyond the Inclusion of LGBT-Themed
Literature in English Language Arts Classrooms: Interrogating Heteronormativity and
Exploring Intersectionality."Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 53.8 (2010): 625-34.
JSTOR. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
Grant, Jaime M., Lisa A. Mottet, Justin Tanis, Jack Harrison, Jody L. Herman,
and Mara Keisling. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender
Discrimination Survey. Washington: National Center for Transgender Equality
and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2011.
Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Bartkiewicz, M. J., Boesen, M. J., & Palmer, N. A. (2012). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.
"Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, 25 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.
Discussion Group: Ways of Operating Within LGBT-Inclusive and Queer Discourses."
JSTOR. N.p., 2011. Web.
Blackburn, Mollie V., and Jill M. Smith. "Moving Beyond the Inclusion of LGBT-Themed
Literature in English Language Arts Classrooms: Interrogating Heteronormativity and
Exploring Intersectionality."Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 53.8 (2010): 625-34.
JSTOR. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.
Grant, Jaime M., Lisa A. Mottet, Justin Tanis, Jack Harrison, Jody L. Herman,
and Mara Keisling. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender
Discrimination Survey. Washington: National Center for Transgender Equality
and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2011.
Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Bartkiewicz, M. J., Boesen, M. J., & Palmer, N. A. (2012). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.
"Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, 25 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.