    Learn about sexual orientation and gender How lack of family support affects LGBTQ How lack of school support affects LGBTQ Discuss steps school staff can take to ensure safety and inclusivity of LGBTQ students and parents

Please write:

“ I am right/left handed”

And raise your pencil in the air when you’re done

Please write with your opposite hand:

“ It’s hard to pretend to be something I’m not”

And raise your pencil in the air when you’re done

 Sexual Orientation- describes a person’s innate romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to another person  “sexual preference” & “lifestyle” negatively convey choice  Words to avoid: queer, dyke, lezzie, fag, faggot, etc.  Please use significant-other or partner vs. boyfriend / girlfriend or husband / wife



Lesbian



Gay man



Bisexual



MSM



WSW



Questioning



Queer (Is it okay to use this?)

 It is derogatory to use the terms “transvestite”, “He-She”, “She-Male”, or “It”  It is derogatory to use the term “transgendered”; this is who they always were, not what “happened” to them

 Unless you are a medical professional or in an extremely close relationship with the individual, it is rude to ask: › › › what reassignment surgeries they’ve had or plan to have what genitalia they have currently about their former first name

 If you are unsure of a client’s gender, nicely and sincerely ask, “I want to make sure you are completely respected during our talk, what gender pronouns would you prefer I use?”  A transgender woman is not the same as a drag queen and vice versa

        

Pansexual Polysexual Cisgender In-the-Closet On the DL (Down Low) Coming out Homophobia Transphobia Heterosexism

Moral Belief Scenario

So do you have the right to place your beliefs on someone else’s child?

 If experiencing a high level of parental rejection, LGBT Youth are… › › 8.5 times more likely to attempt suicide 6 times more likely to report high levels of depression › 3.5 times more likely to use drugs › 3.5 times more likely to engage in unprotected sex Ryan, C., Huebner, D., Diaz, R. M., & Sanchez, J. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and latina lesbian, gay and bisexual young adults. Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 123, 346-352.

 › › › Lack of support or violence at home can lead to:  Running away Survival crimes of prostitution & dealing drugs Drug and alcohol abuse Shoplifting items of other gender

 Questioning one’s sexual orientation or gender can lead to: › › › Violence against LGBTQ people Sexual assault to “prove” they aren’t gay Sexual promiscuity (both hetero and homo)

 Lack of Support/Protection at School can lead to: › › › Truancy Fighting Carrying a weapon for protection

With their release of

The 2009 National School Climate Survey,

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, celebrated 10 years of pioneering research by biannually documenting the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students.

In 2009, GLSEN surveyed 7,261 middle and high school students on their student experiences, hostility within their school climate, and the effects on their educational outcomes and psychological well-being.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research .

Because of their perceived sexual orientation: 84.6% verbally harassed 40.1% physically harassed 18.8% physically assaulted 61.1% felt unsafe on a daily basis at school in the past year.

Because of their perceived gender expression: 63.7% verbally harassed 27.2% physically harassed 12.5% physically assaulted 39.9% felt unsafe on a daily basis at school in the past year.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research

•72.4% heard homophobic remarks, such as "faggot" or "dyke," frequently or often at school.

● 52.9% of LGBT students were harassed or threatened by their peers via electronic mediums (e.g., text messages, emails, instant messages or postings on Internet sites such as Facebook), often known as cyberbullying.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research

•29.1% of LGBT students missed a class at least once and 30.0% missed at least one day of school in the past month because of safety concerns, compared to only 8.0% and 6.7%, respectively, of a national sample of secondary school students. ● 62.4% of students who were harassed or assaulted in school did not report the incident to school staff, believing little to no action would be taken or the situation could become worse if reported.

● 33.8% of the students who did report an incident said that

school staff did nothing in response

.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research

•The reported grade point average of students who were more frequently harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender expression was almost half a grade lower than for students who were less often harassed (2.7 vs. 3.1). •Increased levels of victimization were related to increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased levels of self-esteem. Being out in school had positive and negative repercussions for LGBT students – outness was related to higher levels of victimization, but also higher levels of psychological well-being. http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research

LGBT students were more likely to report that they did NOT plan to pursue any type of post-secondary education (obtaining a high school diploma only or not finishing high school) than a national sample of students (9.9% vs. 6.6%).

●About 14% of students who experienced high levels of victimization because of their gender expression or their sexual orientation did NOT plan to continue their education, compared to about 9% of those who had experienced low levels of victimization.

http://www.glsen.org/cgi bin/iowa/all/library/record/2624.html?state=research&type=research

.

When a teacher, school staff person, or coach allows a homophobic or transphobic remark or physical harassment to go undisciplined: •Students feel that the adult deems that behavior as acceptable and phobic students will try to escalate it.

•LGBTQ students, or students with LGBTQ friends or family members see that adult as a phobic co-conspirator in the abuse.

•Besides the victim, other students in the room who are questioning or battling against their natural LGBTQ tendencies feel abused too, as do students with LGBTQ family members or close friends.

REMEMBER: Not all stereotypically masculine boys are straight – there ARE gay football heroes Not all less masculine boys are gay – there ARE straight male ballet dancers Not all stereotypically feminine girls are straight – there ARE lesbian cheerleaders Not all less feminine girls are lesbian – there ARE straight girl shot-putters

So during team practice, when adult coaches call their male players “pansies, fairies, sissies and faggots” they glorify and promote homo/transphobia harassment and add to the extreme guilt and self-loathing of any team member who happens to be gay or questioning their sexual orientation

.



Be sensitive and welcoming to LGBTQ youth & adults MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY’RE SAFE

› › Adjust your approach to include all orientations  Use the term “significant other” instead of boy/girlfriend or husband/wife If you’re unsure of gender, nicely and sincerely ask, “I don’t want this to hurt your feelings at all, and I want you to be comfortable with me, so what gender pronouns would you prefer I use?” › Discuss sexual orientation and gender identity openly and honestly

 Provide accurate LGBTQ info for all of the families  › Consistently ask LGBTQ youth or youth with LGBTQ parents about acceptance at school and advocate for them if needed Many youth are afraid to tell that they’re being bullied  › › Provide opportunities for the LGBTQ youth to socialize with other LGBTQ youth and allies Attending community-based LGBTQ youth groups Attending a Gay Straight Alliance at their school or other school near-by



Be sensitive and welcoming to LGBTQ youth & adults

-Display supportive images, brochures, and magazines



Ensure that all students are not subjected to Anti-LGBTQ Bias

- Confront all students and employees on anti LGBTQ language and educate before it occurs - Don’t assume an LGBTQ youth is a sexual predator - No stricter or double-standards on situations with LGBTQ students (i.e. PDA in the halls) -In incidents of homophobic or transphobic harassment between members, temporarily remove the perpetrators, not the LGBTQ victim

 Ummm…yes you do.

› “Gay” “Lesbian” & “Fag” are mainstays of K-5 insults (even if they’re not sure what they mean yet)  HRC’s Welcoming Schools & PFLAG’s Safe Schools programs for K-5 both work on a 3 prong approach: › › › Different kinds of families (i.e. same-sex parents) Avoiding gender stereotyping (i.e. boys with dolls) Anti-bullying and name-calling

Mallon, G.P. (2000). Social Services with transgendered youth, Binghamton, NY: Harrington Press.

Sullivan, C., Sommer, S., & Moff, J. (2001). Youth in the margins: A report on the

unmet needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents in foster

care. New York, NY: Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. Woronoff, R., Estrada, R., Sommer, S., Marzullo, M., Ryan, C., Downs, C. A.,… Karys, P. (2006). Out of the margins: A report on regional listening forums

highlighting the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and

questioning youth in care. New York, NY: Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Ryan, C., Huebner, D., Diaz, R. M., & Sanchez, J. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and latina lesbian, gay and bisexual young adults. Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 123, 346-352