Queer Teaching

Concerned Women for America, Mission America and the Illinois Family Institute are beginning a campaign to undermine the Day of Silence, by encouraging teachers to “plan activities that involve student communications so students are not allowed to do this,” and for parents to keep their kids at home so that they won’t be indoctrinated into thinking that LGBT people are in any way acceptable. American Family Association, Citizens for Community Values, Faith 2 Action, Liberty Counsel and Save California have all signed on to the effort. In a conference call, Linda Harvey claimed that it’s “teaching your children to bow before manipulative, exploitative and deceptive accusations.”

“There are a lot of old stereotypes about engineers that can overwhelm certain people and make them feel uncomfortable about who they are because of sexual identity,” says Redel, who is also the President of the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) and the newly elected President of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU). “Each faculty has its own stereotype and people think that the engineers are a conservative all-guys club, and even though it’s becoming less and less true, the idea is still around.”

NOGLSTP Mission Statement:

We empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by providing education, advocacy, professional development, networking, and peer support.

Who are we? We are scientific and technical professionals who earn our livings in the fields of: materials science biomedical engineering geography archeology neurobiology meteorology oceanography medical technology physics electrical engineering biochemistry zoology psychobiology computer science epidemiology microbiology environmental science linguistics chemistry mechanical enginering science education sociology astronomy botany molecular biology anthropology law aerospace engineering science policy physiology ecology patent law geology health professions mathematics and more!

We are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and allies. Those of us who are able, are out and proud. We advocate equal employment opportunity, professional networking, role modeling, science education, and scientific freedom/responsibility. We practice science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with PRIDE.

This link collects a number of past GLSEN webinars on topics such as elementary school climate, the role of supportive educators in LGBT youth’s school experiences, and the experiences of queer, out youth in school.

In many countries, educators have a fair degree of privilege in comparison to the rest of society. We have job security, good pay and benefits, and can be “out” in the classroom without fear of losing our jobs. Along with these privileges also comes a responsibility to question the status quo and work to change schools and the education system at large to be inclusive of all students.

Many agreed progress has been made within teacher unions in terms of changing policies, developing Pro-D opportunities, writing lesson plans, and starting GSA clubs in schools. At the same time, we were reminded that we cannot impose our local programs on other parts of the world. There is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy for dealing with LGBT issues in schools.

As I stand dripping puddles in the classroom, I dive into attempt after attempt to restore balance and strengthen my students’ and my own physical, mental, and emotional states. To restore balance, I try to listen more than talk and to teach critical listening and performances of listening as advocacy. We hold class outside to strengthen our physical state and (re)connect with the Earth. I am reluctant to rely on critical literature and course textbooks to inspire rigor; instead, I prefer to challenge you to discover knowledge yourself by utilizing performance-based pedagogy to inspire experimentation. In other words, by exploring our emotional states through Art (e.g., performance, writing, public speaking, etc), we create a space for healing.

Publically-funded schools in North America are often scary and dangerous places for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (GBLTQ) youth, and many teens suggest that the adults charged with ensuring their safety and learning often do little to promote their acceptance and safety among their peers. Educators need preparation to become more sensitized to GBLTQ teen issues and equipped with the empathy, knowledge, and skills to support and protect these marginalized students in their care. The Faculty of Education at the University of Prince Edward Island has introduced a number of initiatives into its pre-service teacher education programs to help new teachers unpack their own beliefs, attitudes, and personal experiences with gender identity and sexual orientation and prepare them to become advocates for their GBLTQ students.