The Invisible Minority: Preparing Teachers to Meet the Needs of Gay and Lesbian Youth

Mathison, Carla

doi:10.1177/0022487198049002008

Cited by 20 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This logic ignored the possibility that LGBTQ and other marginalized students might be disadvantaged in fulfilling these expectations despite equal treatment. When a student is homeless because they have been disowned by their family or skips school because it feels unsafe, a counterargument can be made that more has to be done to help that student close the gap that separates their capacity to meet expectations with that of more privileged students (Mathison, 1998). Actors in institutions must prioritize equity and eschew the belief that an absence of discrimination is enough for LGBTQ students to thrive (Spalding et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Professional development can facilitate the implementation of such strategies, enabling staff to act as crucial intermediaries between school-level policies and student outcomes. Yet, without specific training on LGBTQ issues and the needs of LGBTQ students, staff may adopt “common-sense” ideologies about the sameness of students in service of interpreting the needs of a diverse student body (DeTurk, 2018; Mathison, 1998). Treating students equally is not the same as treating students equitably (Banks, 1995; DeTurk, 2018; Nieto, 2000).…”

Section: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer/questioning Stude...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Production and maintenance of the institutional in/visibility of sexual and gender minority students in schools.

Kuhlemeier¹,

Goodkind²,

Willging³

2021

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

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This research investigates how school professionals, as institutional actors, influence school climates experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Although research links institutional characteristics to outcomes for LGBTQ youth, scholars do not yet fully understand the mechanisms. We address this gap through a mesolevel analysis of staff perspectives on schools' responsibilities to LGBTQ students. Using data from 96 semistructured interviews with high school staff during the 2016-2017 school year, we found that participants used three main cues to assess visibility of the school's LGBTQ population: (a) student self-advocacy; (b) students' enactment of LGBTQ stereotypes; and (c) same-sex relationships. Reliance on these cues led staff to underestimate the LGBTQ population and employ narrative frames to rationalize the status quo: small LGBTQ population did not merit allocating resources; all students were treated equally;LGBTQ-inclusive policies further marginalized LGBTQ students; and student issues were addressed through individualized interventions. Our research shows how staff's biases collide with institutional inertia to influence school climate, one crucial facet of the ecological contexts of LGBTQ youth. We conclude with discussion of implications and recommendations. Public Policy Relevance StatementLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning/queer (LGBTQ) youth who experience hostile and anti-LGBTQ school climates exhibit more severe behavioral health difficulties compared to those LGBTQ youth who go to schools with more inclusive environments. This study examines how school climates that do not affirm LGBTQ students are constituted at the mesolevel and proposes changes to school policies around school professional education to promote LGBTQ-inclusive schools. aaa A s institutions in which youth spend large portions of their lives, schools can help build resilience and/or cause harm, depending on the schools' cultivation of safe and supportive environments. Attending schools with hostile environments can negatively affect all students, but lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning/queer (LGBTQ) youth are more likely to report experiencing such environments compared to cisgender and heterosexual students (Kann et al., 2016). In this context, a "hostile school environment" is often operationalized as characterized by the presence of anti-LGBTQ remarks, verbal or physical harassment, and discrimination in school (Kosciw et al., 2009). Findings from the 2019 National School Climate Survey, administered by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), found that of 23,001 LGBTQ student respondents, 59.1% This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer/questioning Stude...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Production and maintenance of the institutional in/visibility of sexual and gender minority students in schools.

Kuhlemeier¹,

Goodkind²,

Willging³

2021

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

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“…One possibility is that as both of these areas continue to be taboo, even with the protection of anonymity young people did not feel safe to raise these subjects. In addition, many sexuality education programs ignore or deemphasize these topics because of their perceived controversial nature or, in the case of sexual orientation, an implicit heteronormative bias (Elia & Eliason, 2010a, 2010bMathison, 1998;Savage, Prout, & Chard, 2004;Walton, 2005). Previous research also suggests that regardless of a program's prescribed content, educators themselves often de-emphasize or avoid altogether what they perceive to be controversial topics because of their own discomfort or disagreement with teaching about these topics (Firestone, 1994;Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2000).…”

Section: Infrequent Topicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexuality Information Needs of Latino and African American Ninth Graders: A Content Analysis of Anonymous Questions

Angulo-Olaiz

Goldfarb

Constantine

2014

American Journal of Sexuality Education

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This study used qualitative content analysis to examine anonymous questions about sex and sexuality submitted by Latino and AfricanAmerican adolescents in Los Angeles, California, classrooms. The majority of questions asked about sexuality and sexual behavior, or anatomy and physiology, with fewer questions about pregnancy and pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted infections, and condoms. Overall, a notable mix was found of questions implying exposure to or awareness of a wide range of sexual activities, together with questions demonstrating fundamental misunderstandings or confusion about some of the most basic aspects of sex and sexuality. Gender differences emerged across topics, subtopics, and question types. The results of this study suggest that differences exist between what Latino and African-American teens yearn to know about sex and sexuality, and what information they are getting on these topics from other sources. This reinforces the importance of considering the concerns and needs of the intended audience in designing and evaluating health education programs.

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“…Audiotaped interviews with instructors revealed that students made many links to broader social justice issues. In this article, Mathison (1998) identifies questions related to teacher educators' responsibility in preparing pre-service teachers to work with queer youth: "What teacher behaviors most alienate queer students? What negative messages does the school/classroom communicate?…”

Section: Multicultural Education Multicultural Education Courses Havmentioning

confidence: 99%

"Outing" Queer Issues in Teacher Preparation Programs: How Pre-Service Teachers Experience Sexual and Gender Diversity in Their Field Placements

Murray¹

2000

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Currently in the United States there are more than 4 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in K-12 public schools (Bochenek, Brown, & Human Rights Watch, 2001). Despite the prevalence of LGBT youth and the diversification of family populations, teacher preparation programs rarely acknowledge "queer" aspects of multiculturalism (Letts, 2002). As a result, a majority of K-12 educators enter the field of teaching unwilling and/or unprepared to engage with queer issues as they relate to students and families, curriculum, and instruction. The culture of silence around homosexuality can put queer youth at risk and deter school stakeholders from addressing queer issues, the discussion of which can lead to deepened understanding, increased empathy, and social action. Employing critical social theory as a theoretical framework, this paper examines the promise of increased awareness about and use of queer-inclusive pedagogy and curriculum in pre-service teacher education. It is argued that such inclusion is necessary to counteract heterosexism in schools that reinforce gender norms and impart heteronormative values. Guided by interpretivist inquiry, the current multiple-case study describes how eight pre-service teachers encountered, made sense of, and responded to sexual and gender diversity in their K-8 field placements. Findings are presented in individual case descriptions followed by a cross-case synthesis and suggest that preservice teachers came into direct and constant contact with queer issues. Participants' overwhelming desire to process and make sense of their encounters as a means of supporting students as well as negotiating their own personal sense of identity also vii

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The Invisible Minority: Preparing Teachers to Meet the Needs of Gay and Lesbian Youth

Cited by 20 publications

References 4 publications

Production and maintenance of the institutional in/visibility of sexual and gender minority students in schools.

Production and maintenance of the institutional in/visibility of sexual and gender minority students in schools.

Sexuality Information Needs of Latino and African American Ninth Graders: A Content Analysis of Anonymous Questions

"Outing" Queer Issues in Teacher Preparation Programs: How Pre-Service Teachers Experience Sexual and Gender Diversity in Their Field Placements

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