LGB Students

• Analyze a classroom that is considered to be a "safe space"

• Learn about how to treat transgender and nonbinary students in a classroom

• Explain the dark side of LGBTQ+ communities in schools

According to the Chicago Tribune and various other sources, the acronym LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, etc ("As the Abbreviation Grows, What Does LGBTQIA Stand For?", Daley, Bill). This beautiful acronym is a wonderful representation amongst those who are gay, lesbian, and many others. The LGBTQ+ could also fit those who are non-binary, pansexual, aromatic, and asexual.

With this main source of knowledge, according to the Willams Institute in California, over 10% of students in a school are considered to be a part of the LGBQ+ community ("LGBTQ Youth in California Public Schools", Loyal). These students could be either gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and so on. From this, creating a safe space for your students is essential to being a great teacher.

Do you remember when you were a kid and you were told to treat others the way you want to be treated? Well when it comes to your students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, it's important to treat them with kindness and respect. You probably have no idea what they are going through outside of the classroom, so it's really important that you treat them with respect and kindness, while at the same time remaining neutral if certain situations arise with them. And when it comes to a student of yours diving into newer pronouns or taking on transitioning, it's crucial that you get to know their newer preferred pronouns and (if they're willing to share) their sexuality.

Creating a safe space for your students is key to being a diverse and inclusive teacher. Safe spaces provide a place for your students to fully express themselves without any kinds of judgment and criticism from other students. Placing rules in your classroom to protect your students from bullies and all kinds of harassment is really important because your students will probably want a place where they can leave their troubles behind. Here are some examples of how to create a proper safe space for your students in your classroom according to UCL ("Creating Safe Spaces for Students in Classrooms", UCL).

• Create flashcards for your students and have them write down their names, preferred pronouns (provide examples for the students), age, race, and sexual orientation. (UCL)

• If there are any issues that arise between two students, face these challenges head-on and try to diffuse the situation by getting both sides of the story. (UCL)

• Use micro-affirmations to assure students! Micro-affirmations are tiny gestures of inclusion or opportunities for students in your class. (UCL)

With every school comes students who fight to be understood in a classroom. Because of this, students want to feel included in a classroom and corrected. However, there are some harmful things that could come from misgendering a student. According to The Trevor Project, 42% of students and teens in classrooms have thoughts of suicide ("Facts About LGBTQ Youth Suicide", The Trevor Project), and with that knowledge, it's important now than ever to come to terms with what a school can offer for those who identify with the LGBTQ community.

Recently in the state of Texas, according to NBC News, Greg Abbott issued an order towards transgender teens and children in classrooms who were open about their transition, and teachers and doctors who knew were required to report to officials to investigate the parents as a form of child abuse (“Texas Governor Calls on Citizens to Report Parents of Transgender Kids For Abuse.", Yurcaba, Jo.) As a teacher your job is to remain as neutral as possible, however, in situations such as this, it's really tricky to keep your students who are openly trans safe. And if there were any orders issued towards students who are LGBTQ-oriented, then it will be even harder to protect them.

In the state of Florida, according to NBC News, they passed a law called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which means that schools in Florida are no longer allowed to have the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, prohibiting the expansion of knowledge about the LGBTQ+ youth in classrooms. With states cracking down on LGBTQ+ communities in schools, the support becomes tightly knit, and it's really difficult to continue to support your students.

Daley, Bill. “As the Abbreviation Grows, What Does LGBTQIA Stand for?” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2018, https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct_lgbtqia_letters_defined-htmlstory.html.

thisisloyal.com, Loyal |. “LGBTQ Youth in California's Public Schools.” Williams Institute, 11 Feb. 2021, https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbtq-youth-ca-public-schools/.

Ucl. “Creating Safe Spaces for Students in the Classroom.” Teaching & Learning, 18 May 2020, https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/publications/2020/apr/creating-safe-spaces-students-classroom.

“Facts about LGBTQ Youth Suicide.” The Trevor Project, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/.

Yurcaba, Jo. “Texas Governor Calls on Citizens to Report Parents of Transgender Kids For Abuse.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 23 Feb. 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/texas-governor-calls-citizens-report-parents-transgender-kids-abuse-rcna17455.

Sopelsa, Brooke, et al. “'Don't Say Gay' Bill: Florida Senate Passes Controversial LGBTQ School Measure.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 8 Mar. 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-senate-passes-controversial-lgbtq-school-mea-rcna19133.