Teaching Gay and Lesbian Issues in the Classroom
Teaching Gay and Lesbian Issues in the Classroom
A Lesson Plan by Freeman Wicklund
Purpose: To help create a healthy, respectful classroom environment; prevent bullying and name-calling; teach the concept of stereotypes to students, and develop critical thinking skills in students.
Grades: 9 – 12 and college.
Time: 45 to 60 min.
Materials: It’s Elementary: Talking about gay issues in school (optional) – a video available for purchase at www.womedia.org.
Relevant Classes: Social studies, current events, or any classroom where gay slurs and bullying are present.
Download this lesson as a Word document.
Intro and ground rules
• In today’s class we are going to have a discussion about the treatment of gay and lesbian people. For some people, discussing this issue that may create strong feelings and opinions. It is OK to have strong feelings and opinions. People may also disagree about how they view this issue. It is also OK to disagree, but it is important that we treat each other respectfully. What does it mean to treat each other respectfully? (seek to understand and appreciate all opinions and individuals, no name calling, let everyone have a say, etc.)
• Are stereotypes respectful? Before we answer that, what is a stereotype? (Applying a single attribute [trait, or quality] to an entire population of people) How does it harm people? (Stereotypes are inaccurate. Not everyone will have that attribute. Often, they are negative and based on prejudices.) So are stereotypes respectful?
• It is very important that you understand that this presentation is not about sex or sexuality, but about how we should treat people who are gay and lesbian.
• During this discussion we will say some bad words; words that we generally do not allow in school. This includes insult words such as “fag,” “dyke,” and “queer.” We will allow you to use these words when they are appropriate to the discussion, although we will still prohibit you from using these words in an insulting way to define gay people. Do you understand this?
Discussion Questions
• What does it mean when someone defines themselves as a gay or lesbian person? (It means that emotionally and sexually, they are attracted to members of their own gender.)
• Should we teach about gay rights and the treatment of gay students in the classroom? And why? (Below are some facts to bring up as well as some possible responses to people who have concerns about gay people.)
Positive reasons for teaching LGBT issues in the classroom:
• To prevent bullying, and the targeting of youth who do not conform to gender stereotypes or have or are perceived to have different sexual orientations. The majority of gay and lesbian hate crimes are perpetrated by youth.
• Some teachers and faculty are gay and they need to be treated respectfully. An estimated 6-11% of the students will be gay and they need to be treated respectfully. (Source: Respect for All project)
• To prevent youth suicide; 30% of completed youth suicides are by gay and lesbian people. These suicides are an unfortunate side-effect of living in a prejudiced and discriminatory society. An estimated 27% of gay youth are turned out by their parents; making them a large part of the homeless youth population.
• It provides an opportunity for students to learn how to respect each other despite disagreements.
• Students will have to relate to gay people, and they need to do so respectfully.
• To teach students about the concept of “stereotypes” and the problems associated with them.
• To provide accurate information on the subject to the students.
• To clarify appropriate and inappropriate behavior at school.
Possible responses to those who have concerns about LGBT people:
• Is being gay a choice? How can we figure this out? (Listening to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, thinking about our own sexual orientation: did we choose it or was it just there?, the American Psychological Association says that being gay is not a changeable trait.)
• If one’s sexual orientation is not a choice, what does that mean about how gay people should be treated?
• If it is a choice, does that justify treating gay people badly? What harm does a gay person do? (Note stereotypes. If they argue gays are perverts (or pedophiles, etc.), respond, “Can heterosexual people be perverts? Is it being a homosexual that is the problem, or being a pervert” (pedophile, etc.)?)
• Does your religion oppose being gay or gay acts? How does a person disagree with someone while being respectful? Is name-calling respectful? Is labeling others negatively with stereotypes respectful? What else does your religion say is wrong? How should people who do wrong be treated? How does your religion say people should be treated? (Lovingly? Respectfully?)
• Can hateful speech and attitudes toward a populations lead to violence against them?
• What age group should we start this discussion? (Before discussing the answer to this question, show the 9 min. segment from the video It’s Elementary where P.S. 37 in New York City has a class of 4th graders discuss gay and lesbian issues.)
• What did you think of the video? Did it surprise you? Did any of it change your thinking? What age group should we start this discussion about how we should treat gay and lesbian people?
• How would you teach this issue?
• What concerns might come up when teaching this subject? How could these concerns be addressed? (See possible ways below)
• What are ways that you interact with friends of the same sex? Is that OK? (This is an important question because after you teach about gay issues, some students will be afraid to have close same-sex relations for fear of being targeted as gay. Asking this question will help you validate healthy same-sex intimacy like hugging, wrestling, giving high fives, etc.)
Concluding Questions
• What did you learn from this discussion? What are and are not appropriate behaviors in school as relates to the treatment of gay and lesbian people?
Additional Information
Handling Concerns about teaching Gay Issues in the classroom
• Get approval from administration: explain the need for doing this lesson as a bullying-prevention program. Students cannot effectively learn in a hostile environment. The presentation will promote respect and tolerance for all people and religious beliefs.
• Send a note home to parents explaining the rationale behind the presentation an inviting them to come to the class to observe. (Stress observe, you don’t want them to necessarily participate as this is an activity for the students, not parents.)
• Get support from other teachers and faculty and student groups for the program.
Other Classroom Programs on this Issue
• For high schools, invite a couple of LGBT people in to speak about their experiences and field questions from your students. Let the speakers and students know that gay sex is an off-limit topic, but questions about dating, etc. are fine.
• The booklet Preventing Prejudice: Lesbian/gay/transgender lesson plan guide for elementary schools contains a variety of wonderful lesson plans and is available for purchase at www.womedia.org.
How can educators help incorporate teaching tolerance for gay and lesbians in their classrooms on a daily basis? (All grades)
• Say the words “gay,” “lesbian,” and “bisexual” in an appropriate manner and context. This helps show that these words are not “bad” words, but rather words that are descriptive of some of the people in the community.
• Clarify to students that using gay slurs (fag, dyke, queer, or using “gay” as in insult) are unacceptable. Use situations where students use these words as teachable moments.
• Draw on current events. Bring in an article about gay issues to read and discuss with students. Let them know that different ideas exist about the issue and that both people and opinions need to be respected.
• Acknowledge the LGBT people the children already know: musicians, politicians, historical figures, etc.
• Be conscious of the sexual orientation of characters in your classroom literature. Have some books or assignments include same sex couples.
Thanks!
Thanks goes to The Respect for All Project and Women’s Educational Media for creating and distributing the video It’s Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School. I also thank the Lesbian and Gay Parents Association and the Buena Vista Lesbian and Gay Parents Group who created Preventing Prejudice: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Lesson Plan Guide for Elementary Schools. This lesson plan was created based on these materials. Both of these materials are available for purchase at www.womedia.org.