GLBT: Should Gay, Lesbian,
Transgendered and Bisexual studies be incorporated into the
curriculum?
Fostering an Inclusive and Accepting Environment to Promote Healthy School Relationship and Prevent Future Social Issues
· Negative perceptions developed at a young age can initiate and add to the high risk of GLBT youths’ physical and psychosocial dysfunction in later years.
· The Safe Schools Action Team released a report in 2008 on gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behaviour in schools which highlights the importance of the school environment on the success of it’s students.
· As evidenced in the report, students are more motivated to do well and achieve their full potential in a school environment where they feel safe and supported.
· However, the following statistics listed in the First National Climate Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in Canadian schools report demonstrate that there is a high percentage GLBT students, who do not feel safe or included in their school
community:
o 70% of all participating students reported hearing expressions such as “that’s so gay” every day in school and 48% reported hearing words such as “faggot”, “lezbo” and “dyke” every day at school, in addition, 10% of GLBT students reported hearing homophobic comments from teachers weekly.
o 74% of transgendered and 55% of sexual minority students reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression and 37% of youth with GLBT parents reported being verbally harassed about the sexual orientation of their parents
o More than 1 in 5 GLBT students reported being physically harassed or assaulted due to their sexual orientation
o 64% of GLBT students and 61% of students with GLBT parents feel unsafe at school
· The harassment and feelings of rejection often lead to high rates of alcoholism, HIV/AIDS infection, homelessness, sexual promiscuity, decrease in self esteem, feelings of isolation, and thoughts of suicide (Harbeck 1997).
· By bringing GLBT issues into our educational systems we can help build more accepting school environments where students feel safe and are treated equally.
· A classroom that ignores differences teaches implicit morals through avoiding controversy which reinforces dominant and narrow viewpoints.
· Through educating students on the culture and rights of the GLBT community we can help foster a better understanding which leads to greater acceptance.
· “In schools that have made efforts to introduce LGBTQ-inclusive policies, and even some LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, the climate is significantly more positive for sexual and gender minority students” (Egale Canada, 2011).
Developing Healthy Self Concepts
· Currently our schools tend to promote conventional gender roles, this usually presumes that heterosexuality and heterosexual relationships are the norm. This causes extreme discomfort for students who do not feel that they fit into their roles
· In Ottawa alone, a high percentage of the GLBT community feel uncomfortable coming out to particular people: (stat from Lauren’s part)
o Children’s teachers (73 per cent)
o Own teachers (69 per cent)
o Members of their place of worship (55 per cent)
o Co-workers (53 per cent)
o Friendly acquaintances (49 per cent)
o Boss/supervisor (47 per cent)
· Incorporating GLBT issues into the curriculum would help minimize the feelings of difference, shame and guilt felt by potentially homosexual students. By being educated on the topic themselves and knowing that those around them also have received a non-biased education, it would allow them to feel more comfortable and accept their feelings as a normal human experience. This could help dispel stereotypes and allow GLBT students to feel more comfortable with accepting and sharing who they are.
The Power of Elementary Students to Understand
· In a study on the use of homophobic language in schools the Stonewall Education Champions found that 3/4 primary school teachers report hearing homophobic phrases used regularly. If children are able to use stepping out of gender norms as a way to offend their peers, they must have an understanding of the consequences of not adhering to gender norms.
· These gender norms are created and enforced from a young age through television, movies, advertisement and other forms of media as well as through peer and adult interactions.
· The report indicates that by elementary school, peer enforcement of narrow gender roles through homophobic harassment and name-calling has become common.
· Clearly children can recognize and understand GLBT issues and are capable of understanding difference. Even at the elementary level, they are mature enough to handle issues of difference in sexual orientation at a young age.
· Due to young children’s sophisticated ability to form schemes about gender norms and understand that inequality exists, elementary school is a good time to implement this education to change this thinking early.
· If children are exposed to GLBT issues in school and are able to learn about these topics, they can learn to dispel stereotypes and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze what they see and hear around them at school, at home, and in the
media.
· Given that homophobia and gender-based violence are learned behaviours, implementing GLBT issues into the elementary curriculum would be the most effective time to prevent these behaviour from being learned and engrained in the students.
· Negative perceptions developed at a young age can initiate and add to the high risk of GLBT youths’ physical and psychosocial dysfunction in later years.
· The Safe Schools Action Team released a report in 2008 on gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behaviour in schools which highlights the importance of the school environment on the success of it’s students.
· As evidenced in the report, students are more motivated to do well and achieve their full potential in a school environment where they feel safe and supported.
· However, the following statistics listed in the First National Climate Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in Canadian schools report demonstrate that there is a high percentage GLBT students, who do not feel safe or included in their school
community:
o 70% of all participating students reported hearing expressions such as “that’s so gay” every day in school and 48% reported hearing words such as “faggot”, “lezbo” and “dyke” every day at school, in addition, 10% of GLBT students reported hearing homophobic comments from teachers weekly.
o 74% of transgendered and 55% of sexual minority students reported being verbally harassed about their gender expression and 37% of youth with GLBT parents reported being verbally harassed about the sexual orientation of their parents
o More than 1 in 5 GLBT students reported being physically harassed or assaulted due to their sexual orientation
o 64% of GLBT students and 61% of students with GLBT parents feel unsafe at school
· The harassment and feelings of rejection often lead to high rates of alcoholism, HIV/AIDS infection, homelessness, sexual promiscuity, decrease in self esteem, feelings of isolation, and thoughts of suicide (Harbeck 1997).
· By bringing GLBT issues into our educational systems we can help build more accepting school environments where students feel safe and are treated equally.
· A classroom that ignores differences teaches implicit morals through avoiding controversy which reinforces dominant and narrow viewpoints.
· Through educating students on the culture and rights of the GLBT community we can help foster a better understanding which leads to greater acceptance.
· “In schools that have made efforts to introduce LGBTQ-inclusive policies, and even some LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, the climate is significantly more positive for sexual and gender minority students” (Egale Canada, 2011).
Developing Healthy Self Concepts
· Currently our schools tend to promote conventional gender roles, this usually presumes that heterosexuality and heterosexual relationships are the norm. This causes extreme discomfort for students who do not feel that they fit into their roles
· In Ottawa alone, a high percentage of the GLBT community feel uncomfortable coming out to particular people: (stat from Lauren’s part)
o Children’s teachers (73 per cent)
o Own teachers (69 per cent)
o Members of their place of worship (55 per cent)
o Co-workers (53 per cent)
o Friendly acquaintances (49 per cent)
o Boss/supervisor (47 per cent)
· Incorporating GLBT issues into the curriculum would help minimize the feelings of difference, shame and guilt felt by potentially homosexual students. By being educated on the topic themselves and knowing that those around them also have received a non-biased education, it would allow them to feel more comfortable and accept their feelings as a normal human experience. This could help dispel stereotypes and allow GLBT students to feel more comfortable with accepting and sharing who they are.
The Power of Elementary Students to Understand
· In a study on the use of homophobic language in schools the Stonewall Education Champions found that 3/4 primary school teachers report hearing homophobic phrases used regularly. If children are able to use stepping out of gender norms as a way to offend their peers, they must have an understanding of the consequences of not adhering to gender norms.
· These gender norms are created and enforced from a young age through television, movies, advertisement and other forms of media as well as through peer and adult interactions.
· The report indicates that by elementary school, peer enforcement of narrow gender roles through homophobic harassment and name-calling has become common.
· Clearly children can recognize and understand GLBT issues and are capable of understanding difference. Even at the elementary level, they are mature enough to handle issues of difference in sexual orientation at a young age.
· Due to young children’s sophisticated ability to form schemes about gender norms and understand that inequality exists, elementary school is a good time to implement this education to change this thinking early.
· If children are exposed to GLBT issues in school and are able to learn about these topics, they can learn to dispel stereotypes and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze what they see and hear around them at school, at home, and in the
media.
· Given that homophobia and gender-based violence are learned behaviours, implementing GLBT issues into the elementary curriculum would be the most effective time to prevent these behaviour from being learned and engrained in the students.