Michaelson, "Inclusion and Social Justice for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Members of the Learning Community in Queensland State Schools."
Extended Comments
I really liked how Michaelson starts off with how schools are supposed to be this safe and secure learning environment where teachers are supposed to implement inclusive practices and social children for GLBT. I also enjoyed how he defined homophobia and what it leads to and creates. He also lists the keywords which are related to homophobia. After reading this article I never realized how many teachers don't confront the problem when a problem arises. It didn't shock me by how often children use slander in reference to something being weird, not actually gay. Like I said in class, children don't know the meaning of "gay" they learned the saying from immature, older kids, and media. They are saying it with empty meaning. It makes me sad and angry that these children have grown accustomed to using this word when something is off, weird, or not normal.
I'm going to be using my blog as extended comments to Nate's blog. Nate provides great examples of children using their words to mean harm on GLBT children. Nate said it best when he stated, "If they use the word “gay” is used synonymously with “bad” as in “that is gay” meaning “that is bad” then it automatically makes a derogatory statement on someone’s sexual preference. The children don't know the actual meaning but they have learned that it's the new word to use meaning as weird. I agree when Nate states, "Homosexuals should have every right that heterosexuals do. A person should be judged on the content of their character and not on their sexual preferences." GLBT's are just as much human as heterosexuals. Everybody should be experiencing equality in today's society. It makes me sick that this "homophobia" has created even more bullying and violence. Nate had a great statement when he said, "Kids will be kids, and it seems that what people fear the most are what they do not understand. We need to educate the teenagers and let them understand that you can be homosexual and be a great person to, you don’t need to be afraid or lash out against them." It only takes one kid to act out ignorant towards GLBT and eventually he or she have twenty or so followers. This hatred gets spread so easily and quickly, we need to start educating not only the children, but who they are imitating, the teenagers.
We need to put an end to this "homophobia" and start educating as soon as possible. Education is the key to rid of this evil. I hate to see all of this hatred happening where our future educators are learning in an uneasy, violent environment.
Some questions and comments I would like to bring up are what is your stand on this issue? What preparations and suggestions would you give yourself, peers, and/or a first year teacher? I never realized how some mathematical questions assumed heterosexuality relationships. I never realized that we as educators need to make questions into neutral-gender names. How do we teach GLBT?
Homophobia in U.K.
We teach them with respect, and have patience and kind words to be said. Nice blog Ariel, you really make us feel what you mean when you write. This topic infuriates me, as things do that hit home to me. Certain individuals, groups and communities with their small minds and big mouths say the most hurtful things becasue they are uneducated, unaware or to impulsive to understand the magnitude of their words upon someone else. I truly believe if we had classes like this one and some other subjects growing up in school diversity and so many mechanisms it encompasses would be natural and accepted more. Maybe I am wishful thinking, but if you grow up a certain way you don't ask you just live the life you are used to and what is normal to you. Imagine if we did that with each and every student from elementary school on in America?
ReplyDeleteAriel, about the questions you want to bring up in class, I agree with you so much on this topic. It hurts me so much when I here children using "gay" synonymous with stupid or dumb. And I agree with you when you say we need to start educating as soon as possible and I also think teachers need to stop letting children use these terms, teachers and parents are letting children think this language is okay when its not.
Deletefirst off, good post, second off, i feel you 100% when youre talking about never seeing the heterosexuality patterns in the math problems. That took me back as well and really made me think. It's true what michaelson states and ive never thought anything of it until now, just like you.
ReplyDeleteAriel in all your posts your always right on point and I always like to see and hear your perspective on all these topics. A lot of this does make you think about it from a different perspective, I know for me, I did a total 180 in my line of thinking as to how young children should be taught about this subject. Wanting to be a math teacher, the math problems thing struck me, I don't know if without it being blatently being pointed out to me as it was in the reading that if I'd of ever have picked up on the large number of examples of heterosexuality Stereotypes and patterns displayed in them. Its something that i certainly think I'll be far more concious of now.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing when you talked about "homophobia." We really do just need to educate people on what is really going on in this world. I think one of the biggest problems is that the people who are bullying GLBT people are unaware of the real damage they are causing. Maybe by enlightening them, we can get rid of these problems.
ReplyDeletethanks for referencing my blog. With education on these topics to children maybe one day we can make people more understanding and less hurtful. I think its something that should be talked about in schools.
ReplyDelete