Building a Safe Space for LGBT Youth at School
How Teachers Can Combat Homophobia in the Classroom
May 12, 2009
These tips for educators are designed primarily for high school teachers, as many teenagers are coming out for the first time and experience harmful bullying at this age. However, these principles can also be applied in an age-appropriate fashion to elementary and middle school, and even to teaching at the university level when homophobia persists.
Make the Classroom a Safe Space
One of the best ways a teacher can make LGBT students feel welcome in the classroom is to position himself or herself as an ally. Classroom posters, for example, are available through the Safe Schools Coalition, and let students know that a teacher is accepting of all orientations and gender identities. Teachers can also show acceptance by addressing homophobia, transphobia, and directly insulting language when they occur. Insults make for great teaching moments, and shift the focus away from the target of the insult.
A teacher who encourages recognitions of all sexualities and gender identities is not only a partner to LGBT or questioning youth, but to others as well. Some students may have had no contact with a queer or trans friendly attitude, nor heard these issues discussed, so even a simple poster can raise students' awareness and make them think twice before bullying another student.
Raise Awareness of Sexuality and Gender Identity in the Curriculum
Teachers who have some control over the curriculum can incorporate queer or trans perspectives by bringing up heteronormativity or gender norms in the context of a history or literature lesson, for example, or by including information aimed at queer students in a comprehensive sex education curriculum. The organization Advocates for Youth has a number of lesson plans available that meet LGBT issues head-on. If the curriculum is set in stone and the teacher cannot change it, he or she can still consider language carefully and try to remove assumptions about a gender binary or heteronormative system through choice of words in the classroom.
Bring Up Issues of Concern to Queer Youth with the Administration
Beyond changes to the curriculum, teachers can encourage their peers to consider issues that affect LGBT students and to keep an ear out for homophobia on campus. Though it may seem in some areas or some schools that this isn't an issue, homophobia—and homosexuality—occur in all schools, so this is an issue for all educators. Much of what students learn about sexual and gender normativity comes from school, whether from the classroom or their peers.
Some examples of issues that might be addressed to the administration include proposing an anti-bullying or non-discrimination policy, asking that safe space posters be put up around the school, trying to get a guest speaker to talk to students about sexual orientation and gender identity, or trying to get a Gay Straight Alliance started if the school does not already have one. Issues surrounding homophobia and anti-LGBT violence might also be brought up at a faculty meeting, so that all teachers are on the same page and know what to look for and how to stop it.
Though progress rarely occurs overnight, a teacher who places himself or herself in the position of a strong ally is helping both LGBT and heterosexual, cisgendered youth. Students may not change homophobic or transphobic attitudes immediately, but a teacher who brings these issues to light will encourage students to question their assumptions and think about what their peers may be going through.
Source:
Advocates for Youth (www.advocatesforyouth.org)
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