Blog #9

Queering Our Schools

The Editors of Rethinking Schools

Samantha Marsella

Argument

        The authors argue that we need to create classrooms and schools with accepting arms with students who identify as something else. Another thing is that communities are built by working through differences and not pushing them away. Lastly, students need to be able to openly talk or ask questions about gender and sexuality.

         This reading is all about being open to students who have a different gender or sexual preference. Schools are the place where a lot of bullying happens about these things. Schools need to take action to make these students feel more comfortable and safe. Doing things like having a gender-neutral bathroom, not lining classes up by boys and girls, changing gym classes and locker rooms, etc. Another thing is opening teachers up to be able to have these conversations with the students who need it. That can then lead to more lectures on the LGBTQ community and history. This will allow students to feel more comfortable in schools knowing that they will be accepted and not judged by teachers or other students. We have to remember that these people are human too and just want to be treated the same, but in their own skin.

        This video below is about teaching identities in schools and how the students feel safe and can trust. There is a lesson about people being visible or invisible. The things we see on the outside are visible but the things on the inside are invisible.

Exploring Perceptions About Identity Through Self-Portraits - YouTube

        Have you ever thought about what you identify as? If you haven't then you don't understand the difficulties that these people go through. No one truly understands that they are standing in those shoes. Just like the video talks about we never know the invisible of people and shouldn't assume.