Tanaka1

MarisaTanaka
Period3
15March2016

LGBTQ+Community

SECTIONONE:Background

Imaginebeingdiscriminatedbecauseofhowonesappearance?Thisconceptisnotlost
ontheknowledgeofpeoplewhoidentifyasanothersexualitydifferentfromthenormal
heterosexualitythatissoheavilyencouragedintodaysworld.Forpeoplewhoidentifyaspartof
thelgbtq+community,livinganormallifeisdifficultandconstantharassmentcanbe
detrimentaltotheirlives,bothinandoutofschool.Lgbt(morerecentlyincludesq+,which
standsforqueerandothers)standsforlesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,queerandothers.
Whileitmayseemtohaveonlyrecentlybecomewidelyrecognized,ithasexistedfartherbackin
culturesthanweassumed.AccordingtoBonnieJ.Morris,aprofessor,authorandadvocatefor
womenoffersherknowledgeonthehistoryofthecommunity.Morrisstates,Mosthistorians
agreethatthereisevidenceofhomosexualactivityandsamesexlove,whethersuch
relationshipswereacceptedorpersecuted,ineverydocumentedculture(Morris).Withthis,itis
supportedthatthepresenceofthelgbtq+hasbeenaroundsincethebeginningofdocumented
time.Beforelgbtq+becameawidelyknowngroup,therewasbacklashagainstthosewho
identifiedwithanyofthese.Noweventoday,seeingtheseindividualscomeoutandaccepttheir
sexualitiesandidentitiesisamazing,butwiththatalsocomesalotofhomophobicand
transphobicreactions.Hencetheneedfornewsolutionstoabolishtheadversitythatmanyface,
especiallylgbtq+youthinschool.Youtharemoreinfluencedbyhowtheyareperceivedandthe

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experiencesthatmaketheirteenyears.Ifthoseyearsarefullofridiculeandharassment,how
willtheirfuturesturnout?

SECTIONTWO:CurrentSituation
Manypeopleassumethatduetothemoreopenacceptanceofhomosexuality,among
otherthings,thattheyfacelittletonohardship.However,deeplyfixedhomophobicand
transphobicthoughtsandactions,combinedwithalackofcompetentlegalprotectionagainst
discriminationofsexualorientationandgenderidentity,exposemanylesbian,gay,bisexual,
transgender,queerandother(lgbtq+)peopleofallagesandregionsoftheworldtoviolationof
theirhumanrights(Combating2015).Mostrecently,therehavebeenattemptstodissuadethis
typeofaggressiveness,adoptinglawstopreventtheharassmentofallpeopleinthecommunity.
Forinstance,inaworkplace,thereissupposedtobenodiscriminationbasedonsexual
orientationorgenderidentificationyetinsomeworkplaces,itexists.Infact,itislegaltofireor
refusetohiresomeonebasedonhisorhersexualorientationin29states(Employment2013).
Inotherwords,ACLU(AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion)assertsthatwhilewepromoteequality
foreverybody,wereinforcetheideathatbecauseonedoesnotfollowsocialnorms,theycannot
beallowedtoassociateandworkwithothers.Thisisonlythebruntofdiscriminationlgbtq+
peopleface.Asitstands,inordertoadvocateforbetterlgbtq+support,wemustfirsteducateour
youth.
Inmodernday,itisnotuncommontoseeorhearofgayortransgenderpeople.Carlwas
11yearsoldwhenhecommittedsuicideafterenduringmonthsofharassmentfromstudentswho
perceivedhimasgay.(Zero2015)Imagineanelevenyearoldbeingharassedandassaultedto

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thepointofsuicide,anelevenyearoldwhogetsnolove,nogoodmemories,nofuture.As
teenagersandyoungadults,wearenowevenmoreexposedtonotonlypeopleofotherracesand
culturesbutofdifferentsexualorientationsandgenders.Aproposedantibullyingsystemhas
beenimplementedinmanyschoolsnationwidecalledzerotolerance.Perhapssomeonemayhave
heardofit,welldespitetheobviouspositivemessageitistryingtoputacross,itdoesquitethe
oppositeforlgbtq+kids.Thesepoliciescanbeharmfultolgbtq+studentsbecausetheyinsinuate
automaticpunishmentifaruleisbroken(Zero2015).Sowhenalbgtq+kidtriestodefend
themselvesfromharshcommentsandphysicalabuse,willtheyalsogetpunished?Theansweris
yes,andthatisbecauseofthesezerotolerancepolicies.Whiletheintentisthere,itstill
maintainsaneedforbetterpoliciesthatwillbenefitlgbtq+kidsandprotectthemfrombullying.
Studentsareatschooltolearn,yetsomearentabletolearnandfocusbecauseofconstantthreats
andharassment.Considerthat26%oflgbtq+studentssaythattheirmainconcernsareabout
theirfamilyacceptingthem,bullyingatschool,andcomingoutversusanonlgbtq+student
whoselargestconcernsrevolvearoundgradesandexams(View2016).Astudentsjobisto
learn,underthepremiseofstoppingbullyingwearecreatinganenvironmentthatistoxicto
thoseofthelgbtq+communityacommunitythatdoesnotprotectitsyouthisnotacommunity
worthlivingin.
SECTIONTHREE:ProposedSolution
Throughoutmanyyears,thoseinthelgbtq+communityhavesustainedmuchhardship,
fromhomophobicandtransphobicremarks,tophysicalassault,evenleadinguptosuicide.With
algbtq+inclusiveenvironmentandmoreawareness,schoolscanbeasaferplaceforstraight
studentsandlgbtq+studentsalike.Whileitistruethatbullyingneedstobestopped,itdoesnot

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necessarilyfollowthatitmustbedonethroughequivocalmeanssuchaszerotolerancepolicies.I
surveyedacquaintancesinmygradeandinquiredabouttheirbeliefsoflgbtq+.InmysurveyI
askedthemtowriteashortresponseastowhatshouldbedonetostopthehomophobiaand
transphobiaseenthroughoutmanyschools,andmanyoftheanswersvariedyetallhadthesame
generalunderstanding:createawareness.Oneofthebiggestattemptsateducatingyouthabout
lgbtq+istoincludeitintothecurriculum.AsurveyinCalifornialookedtoseeiftherewereany
correlationbetweenlgbtq+inclusivecurriculumanditclaimsthat78%ofthestudentswho
learnedaboutlgbtissuesreportedfeelingsafe,comparedto67%whohadnotlearnedaboutlgbt
issues(Safe2016).AccordingtoasurveytheGLSEN(GayLesbianStraightEducation
Network)displaysthatlgbtq+studentsexperiencesaferandpositiveschoolatmosphereswhen
theirpeersaretaughtaboutfamouslgbtq+influencesbecausetheyareseeninapositivelight.
Thisresultedinlesshomophobicandtransphobicremarksandlessvictimization(Pino2015).
Includinglgbtq+peopleandhistoricaleventsintoclasseswillallowstudentstoseeinanother
pointofviewandopentheirminds.Theschoolbecomesanaffirmingenvironmentwithoutthe
dehumanizationofthosewhoidentifyasalgbtq+person.
ForInstance,thereisanimportantsubjectthatmanystudents(lgbtq+andnonlgbtq+)do
notreceiveadequateeducationfor,sexeducation.Sexeducationisnotasubjectthatisheavily
taughtinhighschoolsnorisitatopicthatmanystudentsfindagreeabletodiscusswithadults.
Thatbeingsaid,JennyBetz,adirectorofeducationandyouthattheGay,Lesbian&Straight
EducationNetwork,assertsthatmanyLGBTstudentsreceivelessthansatisfactoryeducationon
theissueofsexeducation.Betzsupportsthiswithdatafromastudyconductedquestioning
LBGTyouthandiftheybelievetheylearnedappropriatesexeducation.Theauthoralso

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maintainsthatheterosexualityispresumedbymanyeducatorsresultinginunsafeenvironments
forLGBTstudents(Betz,2015).TheevidenceinthearticleisquitepersuasivebecauseBetzis
associatedwithanorganizationthataimstobetterthesexeducationofyouthinschools,
specificallyLGBTstudents.
Furthermore,studentsarenottheonlyoneswhoneedtobeeducated.Teachersarea
largepartofhowastudentseducationprogresses.Iftheteacherisnotknowledgeableabout
whatgenderastudentidentifieswithorwhichpronounstouse,thenitcouldleadtoanunsafe
environment.InanotherGLSEN,96%hadatleastonesupportiveeducator,butonly39%had11
ormore(View2016).Withoutasupportiveenvironment,itisdifficulttofeelsafe.School
leadershipneedstoexplaintheharmfulimpactofbullyingtostudentsandstaffandthenprovide
knowledgeanddevelopmentforteachers,schoolcounselors,andadministratorssotheyhavethe
skillstospotandstopbullying(Zero2015).Havingaolderadultfigurewhowillacceptthem
aswhotheyareisimportantintheprocessofmaturityandpuberty.Thisinstillsasenseoftrust
intothemandofferanenvironmentinwhichtheycangotoiftheyareinneedofassistance
regardingschoolandlgbtq+issues.
Equallyasimportantaseducatingstudentsandteachers,wemustmaketheprospectof
lgbtq+equalityknowntopeople.Havingdayslikelgbtq+awarenessdaysandclubsthatsupport
themsuchastheGayStraightAlliances(GSA)promoteahealthierenvironmentforstudentsto
beawareofandtoendthebullying.Only50%ofthosesurveyedintheGLSENquestionnaire
saidthattheyhadaGayStraightallianceclub,oranysupportivelgbtq+clubsintheirschool.
Evenworse,only10%ofthosesurveyedsaidthattheyhadacomprehensiveantibullyingpolicy
thatincludedbothsexualorientationandgenderexpression.Justwiththeselownumbersgoesto

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showhowmuchmoreweneedtoinvestintheencouragementoflgbtq+awareness(Inclusion
2015).InthesurveyIgaveout,79%ofthemknewsomeoneinthelgbtq+community.
Furthermore,morethanhalfofmyrespondentssaidthatthereshouldbemorerecognitionon
lgbtq+sothatpeopleareawareofslurstheymayuseandrudegesturesthatareoffensive.There
areanabundanceofexternalfactorsthatcaninfluencealgbtq+youthsexperience,butwemust
betheretoenhanceandendurethesolutionswepropose,wemustfightforequalityandjustice
foreveryone,nomattertheirsexualpreferenceorgenderexpression.
SECTIONFOUR:AddressPossibleObjections
Whenitcomestothetopicofsexualorientationandgenderexpression,mostofuswill
readilyagreethatsexualpreferencedoesnotmatterandonecanbewhoeveronechoosestobe.
Wherethisagreementusuallyends,however,isontheideaofreligionorsexualityorgender
expression.Whilesomeareconvincedthatreligionisnotanindicationofwhattheybelieveor
thatithasnoimpactonthelgbtq+community,othersbelievethatthoseinthelgbtq+community
areagainsttheirreligion.Thosearereligiousextremistsmayobjecttomyproposalbecauseit
goesagainsttheirfaith.ChristianCoalitionfounderPatRobertsonoftheTraditionalValues
Coalitionasserted,thatbeinggayisasickness,anditneedstobetreated(Publication2016).
Extremistsareheavilyagainsthomosexualitygoingasfarasevencallingitasin.Peoplelike
Robertsonencouragebehaviorthatisharmfultothelgbtq+communityandtheenvironmentthat
theylivein.ImsureyouveheardofthecomebackofitsAdamandEve,notAdamand
Steve.Peopleattempttouseareligiousideologytodeflecttheirhomophobicandtransphobic
nature.lgbtq+inclusivecurriculumshouldstillbeimplementedbecausethereareaplethoraof

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youthinvolvedinareligionthatidentifyaslgbtq+andtheyneedsupportandacceptance,not
homophobicortransphobicagenda.
SECTIONFIVE:CallToAction
Ifsomeoneisstraight,thentheymaythink,whydoesthismattertome?Asastraight
person,wehaveprivilegeandacceptance,buthowdoeslovingsomeoneorbeingwhothey
identifyasdifferfromhowastraightpersonlovessomeoneorhowtheyexpressthemselves?If
schoolsdonotenforceaninclusivecurriculumandeducatestudentsandteachersthenschool
bullyingmayincreasebecausealotofbullyinghastodealwithhomophobiaortransphobia
matters.Asaferenvironmentleadstobetterexperienceforbothlgbtq+studentsandstraight
students.Bydenyingsomeonetheirrighttoexpressthemselvesreiteratesamovementthat
lgbtq+peopledonothavethesamerightsasothersdo,despitethatrightsareirrespectiveof
sexualorientationandgenderexpression.
Lgbtq+discriminationisnotuncommon,buttherearewaysthatwecanreducethe
detrimentaleffectsithasontodaysyouth.Wemustworktogethertoenddiscrimination,we
mustworktogethertomaketheworldsaferforlgbtq+kids,wemustgrantthemtheyouththey
deserveandallowthemtolivefreeofviolationofrightsandharassment.

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AnnotatedBibliography

Betz,Jenny."SexEdNeedstoBetterIncludetheIssuesofL.G.B.T.Students."
TheNewYork
Times
.TheNewYorkTimes,1May2015.Web.8Mar.2016.
Thisarticlewasveryhelpfulintheissueoflgbtq+education,specifically,sexeducation.
Thisarticleprovidedmewiththesourcetouseasanexampleofhowlgbtq+education
needstobeincludedinourcurriculum.Thearticlewasalsohelpfulinestablishinghow
crediblemysourceswereasBetzisapartofanorganizationrenownedforitsworkinthe
lgbtq+field.

"CombatingDiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity."
Combating
DiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity
.N.p.,n.d.Web.04
Mar.2016.
Thiscrediblesourceassistedinfindingthehistoryoflgbtq+issuesandhowthelawsthat
areimplementedviolaterightsandthelawsthatareimposedonthoseofthelgbtq+
community.Thissourcewasusedtosupportthediscriminatoryfactorargumentinthe
lgbtq+community.

"EmploymentNonDiscriminationAct."
AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion
.ACLU,11Nov.2013.
Web.04Mar.2016.
Thiswebsiteofferedalotofinformationandknowledgeonthelawssurroundinglgbtq+
people.Italsoincludedsomestatisticstouseinmyargumentsthatweresupportedby
anecdotesandexamples.Theseanecdoteshelpedtofurthermypointandstrengthenmy
argument.

Granderson,LZ."Transcriptof"TheMythoftheGayAgenda""
LZGranderson:TheMythof
theGayAgenda
.TED,May2012.Web.15Mar.2016.
WhileIdidnotusethissourceinmyactualpaper,Iusedthisvideotogainabitmore
insightonthetopicoflgbtq+rightsandviews.Thiswasveryinformativeandallowed
metothinkmoreaboutthetopicandmakemefeelverystronglyaboutthetopic.

"InclusionandRespect:GLSENResourcesforEducators."
GLSEN
.GLSEN,n.d.Web.04Mar.
2016.
Thisorganizationofferedplentystatisticstoincorporateinmyproposalandgrantedme
theinformationformythreemainpoints.Itdescribesschoollifeforlgbtq+youthin
schoolandtheexperiencestheyhave.Thiswasimportantinordertoreallyprovehow
badlylgbtq+studentsaretreated.

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Morris,BonnieJ."AmericanPsychologicalAssociation."
AmericanPsychological
Association
.AmericanPsychologicalAssociation,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.
Thiswebsitewasusedmainlyfortheintroductoryparagraphasthishadmanydetails
regardingtheoverallhistoricallineageofsexualityandgenderexpressionandhowitwas
perceived.Withth3ehistoryoflgbtq+issues,Iwasabletofurthergrasphowfarwehave
comealongandhowmuchworkwestillneed.

Pino,Mark."TheNecessityofLGBTInclusiveCurriculum."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,24Mar.2015.Web.04Mar.2016.
Thisarticleincludedafirstpersonperspectiveontheconceptoflgbtq+inclusive
curriculumfromsomeoneapartofthecommunitythemselves.Thiswentoverthe
positiveimpactsimplementingthisideawouldbring.Theseimpactswerehelpfulbecause
itprovidedanactualanecdotetosupportmyargument.

"Publication."
TheReligiousRight'sWarOnLGBTAmericans
.N.p.,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.
ThiswebsitewasusedformyfourthsectionwhenIconcededapointandrebuttedit.
This
focusedheavilyonreligionandhowitisagainstthelgbtq+communityanddifferent
instancesofhomophobiaandtransphobia.Thiswasverysignificantbecausemanypeople
wouldobjectbutwithnewevidencetosupportmyrebuttal,itstrengthensmypoint.

"SafeSchoolsResearchBrief4."(n.d.):n.pag.
LGBTInSchoolCurriculumPromotes
SchoolSafety
.CaliforniaSafeSchoolsCoalition.Web.04Mar.2016.
Thispdfwasusedinmyproposalasdataandsupportingevidenceformyargument.In
thispdfcontainsdetailsregardingactualinclusivenessoflgbtq+inschoolsacross
california.Thiswasparticularlysignificantbecauseitprovidedreallifeevidenceof
potentialsolutions.

"ViewandShareStatistics."
HumanRightsCampaign
.HRC,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.
Thisarticlemainlyconsistedofstatisticsregardingstudentsatschoolandhowthey
experiencebeingalgbtq+personinanenvironmentthatdoesnotacceptthemforwho
theyare.Itprovidedgooddataforsupportingmydifferenttypesofsolutionsforthis
problem.

"ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com."
ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com
.N.p.,17
Nov.2015.Web.04Mar.2016.
Thisarticleexplainedaboutthezerotolerancepoliciesthatmanyschoolusetopunish
studentsandtogetridofbullying.Thiswebsitealsoexplainswhyantibullyingpolicies

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donotworkandhowwecanbetteradaptourselvestoassistlgbtq+studentsandtheir
schoolexperiences.
WorksCited

Betz,Jenny."SexEdNeedstoBetterIncludetheIssuesofL.G.B.T.Students."
TheNewYork
Times
.TheNewYorkTimes,1May2015.Web.8Mar.2016.

"CombatingDiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity."
Combating
DiscriminationBasedonSexualOrientationandGenderIdentity
.N.p.,n.d.Web.04
Mar.2016.

"EmploymentNonDiscriminationAct."
AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion
.ACLU,11Nov.2013.
Web.04Mar.2016.

"InclusionandRespect:GLSENResourcesforEducators."
GLSEN
.GLSEN,n.d.Web.04Mar.
2016.

Morris,BonnieJ."AmericanPsychologicalAssociation."
AmericanPsychological
Association
.AmericanPsychologicalAssociation,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.

Pino,Mark."TheNecessityofLGBTInclusiveCurriculum."
TheHuffingtonPost
.
TheHuffingtonPost.com,24Mar.2015.Web.04Mar.2016.

"Publication."
TheReligiousRight'sWarOnLGBTAmericans
.N.p.,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.

"SafeSchoolsResearchBrief4."(n.d.):n.pag.
LGBTInSchoolCurriculumPromotes
SchoolSafety
.CaliforniaSafeSchoolsCoalition.Web.04Mar.2016.

"ViewandShareStatistics."
HumanRightsCampaign
.HRC,n.d.Web.04Mar.2016.

"ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com."
ZeroToleranceZeroHelp|Advocate.com
.N.p.,17
Nov.2015.Web.04Mar.2016.