LGBT YA
Lit
Counter
Heterosexism
and Homophobia
Implementation in the Classroom
LGBT People are not Alone
Choose literature that not only makes homosexuality visible but also, shows queer people in queer communities (Clark 30).
Try to Involve Students in Picking the Texts
It is key to consider the reader's enjoyment with the text. When possible, allow students to have a choice in the LGBT-themed texts they read (Clark 30). There are plenty of popular LGBT-themed YA authors available. (See Novels Page for suggestions)
Working together
Work with students, colleagues, administrators, and students' parents to learn about your own biases while creating trusting relationships. Learning about these biases and prejudices, acknowledging them, naming them, and being able to combat them will help with learning and creating a safe environment (Clark 31).
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What to do
What to Avoid
Don't assume all of your students are heterosexual and homophobic. This will affect how the reader is positioned with the text and how much the students will enjoy the text. For example, Clark and Blackburn mention a teacher that used Martin Luther King Jr.'s Stride Toward Freedom that contains the notion of love as unifying and hating the sin, not the sinner. However, this sets up homosexuality as a sin and the homosexual as a sinner; also, this will affirm homophobic student's ideas that their gay peers are sinners and support hate instead of understanding (Clark 27).
Help LGBT students hear their voices actively in texts, and help straight students view the varying ways of being sexual in the world (Clark 27).
Don't position LGBT texts in units about fear or survival. This could greatly confuse students because it assumes LGBT people are filled with fear, people should fear them, or they have to struggle and fight to survive (Clark 27-28).
Use LGBT-themed texts to expose students to issues and empower readers (Clark 28). It is also highly important to consider the reader's enjoyment when choosing the novels (Clark 30).
Do not constantly use LGBT novels to provoke empathy because then it makes those students who identify as LGBT seem pitiable. Instead, use them to show commonalities among differences and empower readers (Clark 28).
Don't leave homophobic beliefs unchallenged because this may very well promote heterosexism and homophobia in the school (Clark 28).
Create book discussion groups of teachers and students that meet throughout the school year. In this group, select, read, and discuss LGBT-themed literature. This will aid in combatting heterosexism and homophobia in the school and classrooms. In addition, use LGBT-themed novels in the classroom throughout the year in different units to normalize homosexuality and transgenderism (Clark 28).
Consider positioning students as LGBTQ or allies/potential allies. Also, invite all students to join in the previously mentioned discussion groups or Gay-Straight Alliances. The student's participation is voluntary, but it promotes being supportive of LGBT people and disrupts heteronormativity (Clark 28).
Teach character development, post inclusive pictures/graphics, read gender nonconformative-themed literature (Flores 119)
Once the criteria has been established, make sure your novels work within that checklist. According to Logan there are nine general criteria educators can follow: curriculum relevance (is it relevant to what is being taught and the goals?), literary merit (theoretical position, what way would an adolescent read this, complexity?), windows and mirrors (new insights/perspectives, relatability), social jusitice and equity (full and equal participation, every learner has greatest opportunity to learn enhanced with the resources, changing social structure), stereotypes (discourages false images, include some archetypes), pride and self-actualization (self-awareness, tenacity, champion resiliency, empowering), sexual expressiveness (relevant, current, authentic, what would be considered acceptable if the characters were heterosexual), offsetting heterosexism/homophobia and challenging heteronormativity (Logan 32-34)
As stated in the "Don't" section, it is not wise to do something like create a unit on lesbian atheletes, but Mason suggests positioning texts that deal with lesbian atheletes in a unit on sports-themed literature in general. This allows students to look at how female atheletes are portrayed and how we perceive them. This type of unit does not degrade or single anyone out in a negative way but allows for analysis of characters and connections/comparisons to real life (Mason 59).