Abstract. This article argu the se for the e of well-chosen lerary texts as a means of addrsg ongog LGBTQ (lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, an
Contents:
Future teachers enurage tegratg LGBT texts. Early adolcence has been intified as a time of great change and transn. Visible physil chang occur at disparate rat and e many young adolcents to feel unfortable about their differenc. Young adolcents are also explorg self and social boundari. For gay and lbian youth, suici is one of * lgbt literature in the classroom *
For gay and lbian youth, suici is one of the leadg of ath the Uned Stat. Acrdg to the Gay, Lbian, and Straight Edutn Network’s (GLSEN) 2013 natnal school climate survey, 85% of the surveyed lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) youth reported verbal harassment at school, and 56% reported feelg unsafe at school. One of the thors reflected about her high school experience: I had one iend high school who me out as gay his senr year.
Lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) characters do exist children’s and young adult lerature, yet there is a lack of classroom exposure to such lerature. Edutnal anizatns have realized the need for dispellg prejudic about LGBT people by cludg such texts the classroom as well as discsns regardg LGBT them and characters the books. Yet the practice of simply cludg diverse texts whout discsg LGBT issu uld e greater margalizatn for stunts bee the silence regardg LGBT issu and characters enurag the practice of heteronormativy. This quiry examed a range of children’s and adolcent books that uld be ed classroom discsns to velop sight about LGBT them and characters orr to unrstand if the texts were saturated wh LGBT them and characters to the pot that teachers and stunts uld not avoid the LGBT factors while readg. * lgbt literature in the classroom *
‘People have been pickg on me ever sce gra school— makg fun of how I talk or walk—before I even knew what gay meant.
* lgbt literature in the classroom *
Sanchez: When I was done wh the book I had a whole new outlook on anyone who is gay … So I would like to thank you so much for wrg your books. GLSEN jt me out wh s 10th Natnal School Climate Survey measurg the experienc of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, and queer youth our natn’s schools.
“English language arts classrooms n be signifint s for batg homophobia and heterosexism schools, and readg LGBT-themed lerature is one of the bt ways to do this work.