…the prevalence of anti-LGBT language and victimization, such as experiences of harassment and assault in school…school policies and practices that may contribute to negative experiences for LGBTQ students and make them feel as if they are not valued by their school communities (GLSEN, 2016, pg.1)

As educators, we need to make sure our students are learning from each other through how they communicate and treat their classmates as a partner. Although we set up the tone of how students treat each other in a respectful manner, in fact, we don’t usually recognize how students treat their peers once they stepped out the class or the school. Based on our recognition, bullying, prejudicing, harassing, even fighting usually happened around to our students. What can teachers(we) do?

In order to avoid these negatives consequences, we can influence the climate of our classes and make sure our classrooms are the places where our students feel welcome and comfortable as their homes. Particularly, students who are part of LGBTQ community have more personal experiences regarding those negative consequences in school. In order to support these students, first of all, teachers have to understand these students (I mean to respects/accepts students’ identities). We probably want to ask the questions that are personal such as: How do you feel being part of LGBTQ in the school environment?; How do you think your peers think about you as LGBTQ student?; What is your expectation in your classroom, including the teacher?; What is(are) your struggles that impact your learning, etc. According to GLSEN (2016), the survey indicated LGBTQ students feel not belonging in the school community because the isolations of teachers and peers regard their sexual orientations and identities. This is one of the reasons why students drop out the school community. Another main reason is about safety. According to GLSEN (2016), the survey showed LGBTQ students treated through verbal and physical in negative perspectives (pg. 3). For instances, verbal harassments (i.e so gay), physical assaults (i.e. punched, kicked) and the negatives of social diffusions (i.e. comments on Instagram, Facebook). Therefore, teachers and school staffs should provide an environment where LGBTQ students feel safe. Teachers might plan curricula that related to the theme of LGBTQ to make understanding to the whole class. According to GLSEN (2016), the survey summarized the involvement of the inclusive curricula/programs (i.e. Gay-Straight Alliances) increase LGBTQ students’ participation because the curricula relevant to their personalities. Moreover, for students who are not belonging to LGBTQ community, they could able to learn the history of this minority group of people, as well as to understand the feeling of how their LGBTQ peers feel in the school community. Don’t you think such inclusive curricula are meaningful?

“Providing professional development for school staff to improve rates of intervention and increase the number of supportive teachers and other staff available to students;”
(GLSEN, 2016, p. 14)

A couple weeks ago, we had to look up the terms Gender, Gender Socialization, Cisgender, Transgender, Intersexed and Gender Non-Conforming for homework. In the following class, we then watched a portion of Growing up Coy and had a really interesting conversation; however, I must admit, all the terminology, at the end of the day, is slightly overwhelming. Some of the notes I jotted down included:
– Genitalia does not equal sex.
– We can’t see gender, only gender performance/identity/expression.
– Sex refers to hormones, sexual organs, genitalia.
– Gender – our societal role.
– Male/Female are adjectives, not nouns (scientific).
– Cisgender = consistency of sex and gender.
– Queer = non-binary
– Fem = performance
– Masc = butch
– Intersexed = sex of both Continue reading I may not know what it means, but I’m on board. →

“No space is entirely ‘free’ and no space is entirely ‘safe,’ but by forging a space in which they could make their own rules, the club members managed to come closer to Evans and Boyte’s notion of free space.” (Barry, 98)

In the chapter he wrote entitled, “Sheltered ‘Children’: The Self-Creation of a Safe Space by Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Students,” Barry asserts “Gay youth need places to gather with others like themselves, places that they form and they control, places in which they can, for a moment, rest, be gay and young without having to worry about heterosexism and ageism.” (85) Although he eventually concludes that no place is 100% safe or free, he brings up delicate situations that this youth demographic go through every day. Continue reading F r e e S p a c e, a welcome paradox →