Maricela Ponce

English 1A
7 December 2016
LGBTQ in Education System
Discrimination is defined as : the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories
of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. Homophobia is a huge topic
that angers people because they disagree with lgbtq rights. The United States has dealt with
many discriminations throughout time and homophobia has been a huge a topic for years.
Lgbtq+ rights has been adapted and has been more accepting throughout this period of time.
Equality for all needs to exist. People in the category LGBTQ still face some discrimination
throughout their lives. There are laws that protect their rights but other people may have the lack
of education on what it is like to be a gay, trans, bi, lesbian etc. It impacts the LGBTQ+ members
because of the lack of education. Many before faced the support and guidance is not in their
reach. Therefore, these people need the support and guidance while they are facing troubles. Not
only should the school be involved in these issues but they should be giving these students
guidance, as well as parents involved in the idea and process of helping them out by being
educated themselves. The lack of education has an effect to the youth by causing discriminations
due to the lack of education, those who contribute to the hatred.
So LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi Trans, Queer (and/ or Questioning) etc. It is a
variety of individuals who self identify when they are without a doubt okay with who they are.
That is the most important part for every LGBTQ+ individual because it is the moment they find
themselves. Coming out to themselves is important because that is when they find their voice and
the voice to have the courage to also come out in public. Coming out is a huge step because not

everyone will react pleasant. Teachings about LGBTQ rights had been a topic that schools and
universities discussed on . Early in the 1990s Lgbt gained its awareness and it went from
abnormal concept to society to a research topic to analyze and discuss. Lesbian and gays
subject evolved into expressive and political subjects and it started being introduce more into
schools as a subject to teach. Anger had risen as well throughout its history. A example of debate
happened between the early 19900s. In New York City Rainbow Curriculum was introduced
and Rainbow Curriculum was a subject that talked about lesbian and gay topics. Because of this
subject being inputted it caused for New York City Chancellor to be fired. Another issue
occurred in the same time era in Salt Lake City ( Utah). Members of the school board had
instituted for there to be an after school program for lgbt members to meet after school. Later,
that issue landed to a supreme court case because they had closed down all after school programs
because the district did not want a program lgbt to exist. The battle was not won at all and the
after school funding for the program was cut off. The topic homosexuality was a term not used
lightly for a very long period of time it was ignored and frowned upon. The problem with
researching the topic was it wasnt a popular opinion so scholars ignored it as well. The
teachings of homosexuality was homophobic early 1900s. Books included that homosexuality
was contagious. Anyone who was gay was not allowed around others. Writer Willard Willard
brought to everyone's (parents) attention that if teachers were teaching and were gay the teachers
would end of falling in love with their child (students). Waller encouraged homophobia
because he was against the idea of a gay person being equal like the rest he encouraged schools
to not hire those that were gay or those who had gay mannerisms as well as to fire teachers
who were discovered to be gay.

Every part of the community faces their own discriminations for example, gays and
lesbians are hated on for being with a man or a woman. Bisexuals were the start of the gay rights
movement, but over time they got discriminated on by their own members. Bisexual women are
frowned upon in the lesbian community because they believe that bi women are faking their
sexuality. Bisexual men on the other hand, are seen as gays who are afraid to come out
completely by the gay community and heterosexual people. (David) There is also the role
religion and status, but those who disagree are overall uneducated.
Types of discrimination has on effect on LGBTQ. People on the daily have negative
comments to say to the LGBTQ community. Especially those who are young who are and out or
are being outed with hateful slurs like : I hate gays.They should be banned from this
country...Get away from me, you faggot. I cant stand the sight of you.These queers make my
stomach turn.These are only quite a few hateful words they have to face within society. Society
has a way with using words and words like faggot is often used by the anti-gay/ homophones
to manipulate and scare the LGBT youths. So, faggot or gay are used in a negative sense
while trying to express about something either not cool or dumb (Human Rights Watch 35).
Not only are these words hurtful they it shows a how an individual using these words are very
anti-gay and discriminating each member even more. In a study made by Sharon Cole she
discusses how one half of LGBT that are out are not cared for by their parents. Parents get upset
by their sexaul preference. A quarter of those members are in their early youth are asked or put
out to leave their homes. Cole explains that those that are rejected and at a very young age as
well, they generally do not learn to communicate well and not know how to build a relationship
with others such as peers or families. Consequently it leaves them feeling alone at some very
hard times and making themselves isolated from the rest of society. Of course now there is

guidance such as going online and searching for some help but not many have the opportunity to
find it. In school there could be a teaching for students in class so they can guide them to help for
those that are hurting them. Pamphlets and such to help them find the help they cannot reach
because it is not a very huge topic to speak about in school. The negative effects of also coming
out is the violence and being harmed by others (See Fig 1)Some of those hate that each lgbtq
member face with are both verbally and physically abused by parents . In addition, roughly about
40% of youths that are homeless are classified as LGBT youths. (Human Rights Of Education).
Human rights article points out that. 27% of male teenagers who classified themselves as gay or
bisexual left home due to quarrels with family members over their sexuality. (HROE) In other
words, parents overall have a huge part that takes place when it comes to discrimination for lgbtq
because they had put all their trust into telling their parents because they felt comfortable with
who they are and get their worst fear reaction.
(See fig 2)

Fig 1.
Source. Growing Up LGBT in America: View Statistics. Human Rights Campaign, Survey.
Web. 7.Dec. 2016
Note. The survey was taken to see how each individual has faced violent acts upon them and the
survey result showed that because of their sexuality they were bullied by others.

Source. Growing Up LGBT in America: View Statistics. Human Rights Campaign,

Survey. Web. 7.Dec. 2016
Note. As said 26 % feel that acceptance is their problem when it comes to coming out.

The

negative effects they get by others harms their performance when it comes to school and their
life.
Overall the discussion informs that students also contribute to discrimination between lgbtq+
because they can't accept who they are. Some positive actions that should be taken place by the
school's education system is encouraging parents to welcome those to create a safe environment
around. For schools there should be actions that need to take place starting at a very young age.
It's a concern concern to those who feel shut out because people are not educated on what to say
to a person who is gay. In the article Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and
Questioning Youths Perspectives of Inclusive School-Based Sexuality Education by L. Kris
Gowen and Nichole Winges-Yanez talk to all students. to students among lgbtq and to a surprise
they are not aware of all the other members of the community because they were uneducated. A
member claims they did not know what transgender meant.
I didnt know. It wasnt taught to us, so I didnt know it was even something to be
brought up, and I didnt know what it meant. It wasnt like I knew what it was or

any of

it, so why would I bring it up? I didnt know it was something to talk about.

In the article it shows that not only people who are not gay are unaware of the community, but
people in their community themselves are uneducated of others in their own community.
Although those that are aware fight for the same rights for each other all around. In the article.
Local Schools Must Address Safety for Gays reports that school faculty should be instituted to
bring the percentage of discrimination against gay students. People's Personal point of view need
to be put aside and to ensure a safe environment for others. In 2016 there is still unsafe for
LGBTQ+ people. For the most many are accepting or aware that gay rights exist, but sometimes
society forgets the dangers the others and because of other people's beliefs. For example the
president of the United States Donald Trump made some very hateful comments not only just on
minorities but LGBTQ+ people as well. His hate brought an uprising that LGBTQ+ people have
fought for.For example, one tragic current event happened in Florida. On June 12, 2016, Omar
Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard, killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a terrorist
attack/hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. His hate was so strong
because he hated himself for being gay and he killed himself for being outed. Being educated
would go a long way. Jacobus a world of ideas text discusses the issues of discrimination. A little
black girl entering a white community school. She did not do anything wrong, but enroll in the
school and was hated. She was hated for her skin color and called hateful names. Not only after
everyone was educated that the subject of that blacks were okay and were equal help bring the
hatred over the African American. Archer argues, if racial comments are now frowned upon why
are remarks like dyke, fag, or queer be acceptable? He argues. if those words are at the
same level of discrimination as making a racial comment? Education for LGBT rights has been
pushing to make them their own school institution to feel safe, but it is the contrary, because it is

taught the rest of society to isolate from one another when they do not agree with each other. It is
the same thing as sending different races to one specific school. LGBTQ+ are a variety of
different people and it would be unjust.
The purpose of this research is to show that the two factors that cause discrimination is
lack of education and and hatred. It important to know because acknowledging the problem can
help discrimination against gays and the youth . In sociology it is taught that family and
environment play a huge role into views, beliefs and helpfulness. The source of society's
knowledge comes firsthand from their parents and then in school/ environment. A method to the
teaching is to help the stop discrimination and by doing so it is by teaching children at a young
age that love is love and from school there should be a little course of training of no hate or
arrogance going around school. The training would benefit them and others around. If the
teachings of being an LGBT ally or just being aware was taught the more better understanding
they (people) would get. Students are taught about religion and culture as students, we learn
them but we are not forced upon to practice them and lgbtq+ should be included as well. It would
be helpful if it was included to subjects just like others. Methods like these will help the hate go
down and furthermore help bring a safe environment to every community.