Thanks for Visiting

Dear readers,

Thank you for visiting my blog. It began as a project for one of my classes, but now I see it as an important platform for change. It is a work in progress. Please feel free to follow and make comments on this blog. Any issues, additions, or critiques are welcome. Enjoy!

Rachel

Check this out

1st national survey on homophobia/transphobia in Canadian Schools

www.climatesurvey.ca

The Kind of Hatred That is Out There

I thought for a long time whether I should include any of this in in my blog. I don't want to give it a bigger voice than it already has. I thought it was important to demonstrate to the people who may view this blog who are not part of the LGBT community the very serious, violent and scary things that this community is challenged with everyday. It is an example of a prejudice and intolerance that is, unfortunately, accepted in many ways and in many places across the world. These are a few of examples to show that even though in many ways the the dominant culture has come so far, there are still many examples of how, for some people, change is very slow.

Curriculum Ideas For High School

A more detailed list of curricula can be found at http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-teachers_highschool.html

Challenging Homophobia in Schools:
http://www.galebc.org/

The History and Nature of Homosexuality (and its "Causes") (3-5 day unit for use in Psychology or Biology courses),Email: lipkinar@hugse1.harvard.edu

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights: A Human Rights Perspective: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/hreduseries/TB3/toc.html

Looking at Gay and Lesbian Literature: assortment of study questions - including suggestions for writing -- for Language Arts classes Email: lipkinar@hugse1.harvard.edu

Open Minds to Equality: A Sourcebook of Learning Activities to Affirm Diversity and Promote Equality, eds. Nancy Schniedewind and Ellen Davidson - (1997, 387 pp.)

Our Whole Lives:
http://www.uua.org/owl/

"The Power of Words: Examining the Language of Ethnic, Gender and Sexual Orientation Bias": http://www.tolerance.org/teach/magazine/features.jsp?p=0&is=36&ar=579

Pride & Prejudice:
http://www.prideandprejudice.com.au

Sexually Stigmatized Communities: Reducing Heterosexism and Homophobia, An Awareness Training Manual - by Chuck Stewart - (1999, 424 pp.)

Safe Schools Manual: http://www.stpaul.k12.mn.us/outforequity/manual.htm

The Stonewall Riots and the History of Gays and Lesbians in the United States (8-10 day Social Studies unit), Email: lipkinar@hugse1.harvard.edu

Tackling Gay Issues in School (English), http://www.ppct.org/education/curr/tackling/tackling.htm

VIDEOS, Feature Films & On-line Webcasts

Alone, together:

http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org//movies/AloneTogether.html

For full credits see this page. To contact the filmmakers, use this form.

alone, together guide: a tool for watching and discussing the film.
http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/movies/AloneTogether_filmguide.pdf (118 KB 4 page pdf file)

alone, together curriculum: composed of different activities designed to bring issues like bullying, violence, difference and stereotypes to the forefront of the classroom.
http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/movies/AloneTogether_curriculum.pdf (1,007 KB 11 page pdf file)

ACCESSORY TO MURDER: Our Culture's Complicity in the Death of Ryan Skipper: http://www.ryanskipperdocumentary.com/

After Stonewall: From the Riots to the Millennium, the sequel to Before Stonewall: http://www.afterstonewall.com/after.html.

All God's Children:

http://www.unaff.org/1998/Fallgods.html

Assault on Gay America:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/

Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community: http://www.afterstonewall.com/before.html. .

"Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin"

http://www.newsreel.org/films/brothero.htm

Coming Out, Coming Home: Asian and Pacific Islander Family Stories:

Email: apipflag@aol.com

Dealing with Difference: Opening Dialogue about Lesbian, Gay & Straight Issues: http://www.hrmvideo.com/items.cfm?action=view&item_id=2484&type=&search_keywords=lesbian

Dealing with Difference: Opening Dialogue about Lesbian, Gay & Straight Issues: http://www.hrmvideo.com/items.cfm?action=view&item_id=2484&type=&search_keywords=Difference

Journey to a Hate Free Millennium:

http://www.newlightmedia.com/

Just Call Me Kade:
http://www.mediarights.org/film/just_call_me_kade

Lipstick:

http://www.scenariosusa.org/movies/lipstick.html

Out of the Past:

http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/educator/library/record/1645.html

A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America:

http://www.splcenter.org/

Queer Spawn:
Order a copy of the film on DVD directly from the filmmaker: annaboluda@gmail.com

"Speaking For Ourselves: Portraits of Gay and Lesbian Youth" http://speakingforourselves.com/index.htm;

SPEAK UP! Improving the Lives of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Youth: http://www.mediaed.org/videos/MediaGenderAndDiversity/SpeakUp

The Teen Files: The Truth About Hate: http://www.aimsmultimedia.com/titles/title.php3?code=2280-EN-DVD

Other feature films suggested for classroom use include:

Ma Vie En Rose
Boys Don't Cry

PSAs on prejudice that you and your students can view on-line:
http://www.civilrights.org/about/lccref/programs/psa/

Webcast on gay issues that you and your students can view on-line:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/health/webcast_1_27.html

MUSIC

Music on the Safe Schools Coalition Website
Listen to songs right here on our website that relate to the issues we offer resources on, and that are linked to specific resource pages. http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-music-onthe-SSCwebsite.html

Between the Beats:

http://www.olywa.net/tdenny/.

Identity:

http://www.riskyzone.org/

Turn It Down: A Campaign Against White Power Music --

http://turnitdown.newcomm.org

William's Song:

http://www.bonusround.com.

Will It Always Be Like This? (Gabi's Song):

http://www.bonusround.com. Order online at http://www.youth-guard.org/cd

Other popular music suggested for classroom use includes:

Garth Brooks' "We Shall Be Free"
Janis Ian's "At Seventeen"
Fred Small's "Everything Possible" and "Annie"
The Flirtations' "Something Inside So Strong"

Out Voice: "your gateway to out music": http://www.outvoice.net/

Curriculum Ideas For Middle School Teachers

A more detailed list for the following curricula can be found
http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-teachers_middleschool.html

Creating Safer Schools for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth: A Resource for Educators Concerned with Equity:

Email: publications@womanabuseprevention.com;

Dealing with Difference: Opening Dialogue about Lesbian, Gay & Straight Issues: http://www.hrmvideo.com/items.cfm?action=view&item_id=2484&type=&search_keywords=lesbian

Embracing Diversity: Educational Resources on Sexual Orientation:

middle and high school available from Powells in Portland here or from Amazon here.

Flirting or Hurting? A Teacher's Guide on Student to Student Sexual Harassment in Grades 6-12: http://www.wcwonline.org

Imagine a world that is Free from fear: A Kindergarten to Grade 8 Resource Addressing Issues Relating to Homophobia and Heterosexism:

http://shopetfo.etfo.ca/index.aspx?ItemBasisID=484

Lesson Plan: What Do 'Faggot' and 'Dyke' Mean?:

html format: http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/846.html

or in pdf format (12 pages): http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/188-1.pdf (pdf format)

Let's Get Real: Web site: http://www.groundspark.org/films/letsgetreal/

Opening the Door to Diversity: http://www.nmsa.org

"The Power of Words: Examining the Language of Ethnic, Gender and Sexual Orientation Bias": http://www.tolerance.org/teach/web/power_of_words/index.jsp

Prejudice PSA's that you and your students can view on-line:
http://www.civilrights.org/about/lccref/programs/psa/

Rainbows and Triangles: A Curriculum Document for Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism in the K-6 Classroom: Email: curriculumdocs@tdsb.on.ca;

Real People: What is Hate All About?

http://www.sunburst.com

Tackling Gay Issues in Schools: A Resource Module (A Publication of GLSEN Connecticut & Planned Parenthood of CT, ed. by Leif Mitchell; Spanish Version (Abordondo La Tematica) translated by Nila Marrone) . (English Language Version: 1999, 208 pp.; Spanish Language Version: 2000, 280 pp.)

When I Was A Boy: song from the �Honesty Room� (1993) album by Dar Williams.

Curriculum Ideas For Elementary Teachers

A more detailed list of the following curricula can be found at
http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-teachers_elementary.html

CURRICULA (about or inclusive of LGBT issues)

Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children: book (really not a curriculum, per se) for early childhood educators

Bullyproof: A Teacher's Guide on Teasing and Bullying:

http://www.wcwonline.org/title42.html

Cootie Shots: Theatrical Inoculations Against Bigotry for Children, Parents and Teachers:

http://www.tcg.org/frames/bookstore/fs_book.htm

Creating Safer Schools for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth: A Resource for Educators Concerned with Equity: by Joanne Bacon

Email: publications@womanabuseprevention.com; Telephone: 416-968-3422.

Don't Laugh at Me: Creating a Ridicule-Free Classroom:

http://www.dontlaugh.org

Early childhood educators and parents:

http://www.adl.org/education/miller/

Families All Matter Book Project Curriculum Guide: This children's literature-based elementary school bias and belonging curriculum gives teachers "a practical, educationally solid tool for countering biases that can interfere with children's success at school.

http://www.amazeworks.org

Gay Lesbian Pride Lesson Plans for use with the video "That's a Family!" : http://www.kqed.org/w/mosaic/gaylesbian/lp01.html

Gender Doesn't Limit You! http://www.tolerance.org/teach/activities/activity.jsp?ar=841&ttnewsletter=ttnewsgen-092707

Imagine a world that is Free from fear: A Kindergarten to Grade 8 Resource Addressing Issues Relating to Homophobia and Heterosexism:

http://shopetfo.etfo.ca/index.aspx?ItemBasisID=484

"Making Room in the Circle: LGBT Families in ECE" http://www.parentservices.org/content.php?url=lgbtcurriculum.html

"Preventing Prejudice: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Lesson Plan Guide for Elementary Schools":

http://www.groundspark.org/

Program Activity Guide: Helping Children Resist Bias and Hate: http://www.partnersagainsthate.org/publications/guide_summary.html

Rainbows and Triangles: A Curriculum Document for Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism in the K-6 Classroom: by Toronto District School Board

Email: curriculumdocs@tdsb.on.ca; Telephone: 416-397-2595.

The Right to be � Harassment-Free:

http://www.Hurtfreeschools.org

Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program:

http://www.cfchildren.org

VIDEOS, Feature Films & On-line Webcasts

Both My Moms' Names are Judy: Children of Lesbians and Gays Speak Out: http://www.familyequality.org/

The "Different and the Same" Video Series:

http://gpn.unl.edu

That's a Family:

http://www.groundspark.org/,

Prejudice PSA's that you and your students can view on-line:
For primary grades:

http://www.civilrights.org/about/lccref/programs/psa/

MUSIC

See Don�t Laugh at Me (above)

Prop 8 The Musical

On the same day that Americans elected their first black president, Californians stripped LGBT people of the right to legally marry. A one battle for equality was won, another was lost. Check out this video, although funny and lighthearted it also brings up some very interesting things.

Tell-three.org

Here is an article I read recently that shows how the power of a community can make a difference both positively and negatively (with the passing of Prop 8).

New Web Campaign, Tell-Three.org, Encourages People to Talk About What it Means to be LGBT (2/3/2009)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

NEW YORK – Join the Impact has partnered with other national LGBT groups to develop a web based public education campaign, www.tell-three.org, to encourage LGBT people and their supporters to have three conversations with friends and family to help build support for LGBT equality.

"The passage of Prop 8 in California has motivated LGBT people and their supporters like never before," said Amy Balliett of Join the Impact, a grass roots organization with more than 15,000 members that has helped to organize massive demonstrations throughout the U.S. since the November elections. "Now that we’ve had some time to get over our anger and sadness, we’re ready to act. And the single most important thing we can do to guarantee we don’t find ourselves on the losing side of another political campaign is to have conversations with our friends and family about what it means to be LGBT."

Other organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union; Equality California; the Equality Federation; Freedom to Marry; The National Lesbian and Gay Task Force; the National Center for Lesbian Rights; and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, will be rolling out their own versions of the campaign on their websites. The goal of the campaign is for all LGBT groups and individuals to seize upon the momentum that has been generated since the passage of Proposition 8 in November and work together to tell their stories to build support for all of the issues affecting LGBT people.

"Harvey Milk was right on the money to encourage everyone to come out to their friends and family, but we know now that coming out alone isn’t enough," said Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU LGBT Project. "To persuade others to support LGBT equality we need to have personal conversations with people that explain what its like to be LGBT. We need to talk about our relationships, the struggles we face as LGBT people, the ways our lives are the same and the ways they are different."

Visitors to www.tell-three.org can find additional information on who to talk with and how to start these important conversations. There are also resources for those who want to learn more about the issues affecting LGBT people. But, as the website notes, the most important thing is for people to have personal conversations. The website encourages LGBT people to talk about their relationships, about growing up, and about how being LGBT has made them feel different from others in some respects and the same in others. Straight allies are encouraged to talk about their relationships with LGBT people and to speak up when they hear others make homophobic or transphobic comments.

The groups are encouraging everyone – members of national and local LGBT groups, individuals and couples, supportive moms and dads, and allied friends and colleagues – to join the campaign and get people talking. The site makes it easy to spread the word to others to send an e-mail to their friends. Eventually there will also be opportunities for people to share their experiences on the site.

The campaign is also calling on bloggers and videographers to help spread the word by sharing their experiences of having these important conversations. "After Prop 8 passed, we spoke through demonstrations and we made ourselves heard. We need to take our voices beyond the streets into every home in America, and to do that we need to use every avenue available to sparking conversations," added Balliett.

A couple of funny stories from Rosie O'Donnell

Last summer I went to see a concert tour called True Colours. It is a music tour created by Cyndi Lauper to beneit the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community. The tour featured many musical and comedic acts including Rosie O'Donnell. She was one of the highlights for me as she shared many funny and honest stories about being a lesbian parent. I thought I would share a couple of her stories with you.

High Heals

Rosie was walking with her eldest daughter in the mall and the child turned to her and said "Why do I have two mommies and neither of them have high healed shoes?" Rosie response "I would think that quite often two mommies don't have many high healed shoes... But two daddies, well that might be different."

Trains

Rosie's youngest son was having a play date with a new friend from school. Her wife picked tham up from school and brought the two boys to the house. Later Rosie came home from work and walked by the room where the boys were playing with Thomas the Tank engine trains. Her son said "Hi mom." and Rosie said hello and introduced herself to the new friend. As she was walking away she heard the little boy ask " I thought the lady with the white hair was your mom?" Rosie hid outside the door listening. "Well she is too." They continued to play for a second and then the young boy stopped. "But that is impossible to have to moms." Her son replied "Gay, ever heard of it." The boy said "No" So then her son picked up two Thomas the tank engine trains and said "You see how these two trains won't stick together however you try, but if you find the right train in the pile (grabbed a train from the ground) they will fit together?" The young boy nodded. "Well those trains are gay. Undersand?" The young boy just said "cool!"

I decided to include those stories because it gives you a perspective of what a child LGBT parents might be thinking about, and also how they may be able to answer difficult questions better than adults can. Rosie's partner Kelly created a cruise ship company called R Family vacations. There is an excellent movie called All Aboard where young children talk about having LGBT parents. Check it out.

Did you know?

Even in elementary school, students say words like faggot and queer and they continue to use the word gay as an epithet ("That's so gay!")(www.bctf.ca). Many children who use these words don't even know what they mean, but they know they are hurtful. As teachers it is important that we address our own ideas about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered issues (LGBT) in order or us to begin to address the seriously bigoted and unsafe areas our schools are for LGBT youth.

Here are some real and scary statistics.

- LGBT youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide.
- 30% of teen suicides are committed by LGBT youth.
- 28% of LGBT students drop out due to harassment
- 80% of LGBT youth report severe issolation in school.
- 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians report verbal and/or physicl violence
- 26% of LGBT youth leave home.
- 20% of all persons with AIDS in the are 20-29 years old; given the long latency period between infection and the onset of the disease, many were probably infected as teenagers.
- 97% of students in high school report hearing homophobic remarks from their peers.
- 53% of students report hearing homophobic remarks from staff.
-68% of adolescent gay males use alcohol and 44% use other drugs.
- 83% of adolescent lesbians use alcohol and 56% use other drugs.
- Depression strikes homosexual youth at five times the rate of other teens.

* Two very important things to keep in mind about these statistics: 1) These are based on the students who are 'out'. 2) It is very difficult to get statistics on transgendered and Bisexual youth, perhaps indicating that they are even more issolated.

^ Statistics found at www.case.edu/provost/lgbt/safezone/stats.html