Abstract

The current content of English Language Arts (ELA) classes has been the same for years. Generations of people can discuss the novels they read in high school, such as The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men, A Tale of Two Cities, and many more. While it can be seen as a good thing that children all across the country have been familiarized with these works of literature for decades, it brings up an issue: the lack of turnover and diversity and inclusion in the content that students in America are reading. The same novels have been read for decades, with little to no adjustment to keep up with the current times. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the content of high school literature classes, and examine them for diversity, specifically in terms of queer literature, and determine if the inclusion of queer literature has an effect on student advocacy. The hypothesis was that an increase in inclusive content would have a positive correlation with the rates of student advocacy. In order to examine the current conditions of ELA classes, surveys were distributed to current high school students and teachers. Each group of participants was asked to take a closer look at the content they come in contact with every day, and analyze it specifically for LGBTQ themes. Students and teachers were then asked to examine their own advocacy rates, and their willingness to discuss issues of sexuality within and outside of the classrooms. The results showed that the hypothesis of this research was correct. Students answered that they would be more prepared and willing to discuss social issues if there was more diverse content included in their everyday English curriculum. This research concludes that an increase in queer literature will have a positive effect on students’ preparedness to begin conversations of sexuality with their peers and teachers.

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