Gender and sexuality have a frequent and significant impact on daily classroom interactions. Gender roles and sexual orientation are socially constructed labels that students recognized as “normal”. This notion is reinforced in pop culture, music, TV shows, religion and interactions with peers. However, not everyone that attends school share the same experiences or home-life. As educators we must address topics of gender roles and sexuality from a neutral perspective, trying not to indoctrinate students with our beliefs but creating an environment of acceptance. In classroom discussions students may accidentally reveal things about themselves or their families that they have previously kept private. Someone may have same-sex parents or might reveal themselves to be LGBT and these people need to feel safe, accepted and free from judgment in our classrooms. Adolescence is a very stressful time for every student; this is when they are trying to figure out their own identities and values. LGBT students can suffer even more stress because they are finding out who they are and this can clash with “normal” cultural standards. As teachers, we can challenge these cultural standards thus creating a forum for open, respectful discussion resulting in a more accepting, informed and enlightened student population. (gh)
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