6 reasons why “don’t say gay” bills are wrong.
Contents:
COMG OUT AS GAY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Three strategi elementary school teachers n e to foster a sense of cln for lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, and queer stunts. * gay elementary students *
But we n also dismantle ways of thkg that rerce the genr dichotomy and heteronormativy, and we mt create safe spac for children to explore their inti and empathize wh those who are different om 2017, the CDC timated that 8 percent of high school stunts intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, or queer (LGBTQ).
Kev Jenngs, founr of the Gay, Lbian, and Straight Edutn Network, timat that one 10 tors the Uned Stat intifi as LGBTQ. In 1996, the film “It's Elementary: Talkg About Gay Issu School” was released, showg teachers krgarten through fifth gra leadg thoughtful and rigoro lsons about gay and lbian people and fai. In light of recent data showg ntued hostily schools towards LGBTQ youth (GLSEN 2017 NSCS), and suicis by young children for beg gay, this ntu to feel like urgent and important work.
AM I GAY? QUIZ FOR ELEMENTARY STUNTS, GIRLS AND BOYS
* gay elementary students *
The appendic clu specific law and policy rmatn for Canadian tors as well as rourc for GSAs (Genr and Sexualy Allianc/Gay-Straight Allianc) and other school-wi programmg ias. Florida recently (March 28, 2022) passed the famo “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibs stctn about gay, lbian, bisexual, transgenr, and queer (GLBTQ) people until the fourth gra and other stat are followg su.
A Mnota school district rpond to allegatns Friday that had asked stunts to role-play gay and transgenr sex scenars before classmat as part of s sex tn curriculum. * gay elementary students *
Here are six reasons why “don’t say gay” bills are wrong and why we need LGBTQ-clive tn at all gra levels. This n also protect them om later engagg dangero behavrs that rult om homophobia cludg dg and alhol abe, skippg school, and self-harm. Bullyg and name-llg are often based harmful anti-gay stereotyp.
Some of the most mon sults elementary school are “gay, ” “lbo, ” and “fag. It wasn’t a lone cint for Biggs, who me out as gay to his Tennsee high school when he was a hman. “I didn’t really do the bt school bee of , ” rells Biggs, now 23, who says homophobic slurs, ath threats, and shov were monplace.
“Most of the tors wanted to help, but did not know how or were limed what they uld do, ” says Biggs, referrg to Tennsee’s lack of legislatn preventg the bullyg of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, and queer or qutng (LGBTQ) stunts. And while 83 percent of tors felt that they should provi a safe environment for their LGBTQ stunts—by displayg visible symbols of support or disciplg stunts for g homophobic language, for example—only half had taken actn to do so, acrdg to the Gay, Lbian and Straight Edutn Network (GLSEN), an anizatn that helps K–12 schools create safe environments for LGBTQ stunts.