Chapter Overview
Human diversity includes race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religion, age, language, and exceptionalities. Over the past 20-30 years, cultural understandings of gender and sexuality have shifted.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals collectively reveal the diversity of human gender and sexuality. Sexual identity is about one’s anatomy and biological chromosomes; gender identity is about how one sees themself. Sexual orientation is about who a person is physically and romantically attracted to. These identities can overlap and be found in all combinations in the human population.
Gay identity is seen as a psychological and social orientation. The Cass model of gay identity describes six stages of development: identity confusion, identity comparison, identity tolerance, identity acceptance, identity pride, and identity synthesis.
Many LGBTQ students are bullied in school and their personal lives. This can affect students’ self-image, academic achievement, and psychological well-being. Teachers can fight LGBTQ discrimination by setting and maintaining high standards for respectful behavior, teaching students about the history of LGBTQ activism, and including LGBTQ role models in the curriculum. LGBTQ role models include individuals such as James Baldwin, Harvey Milk, and Barbara Deming.
Learning Objectives
L01. Describe how elements of human diversity have changed.
L02. Define and discuss concepts of gay culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
L03. Identify bullying and homophobia issues and discuss strategies to eliminate discrimination in schools.
L04. Interpret and justify the importance of presenting role models from the LGBTQ community.
Readings & Resources
Due this Week
Human diversity includes race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religion, age, language, and exceptionalities. Over the past 20-30 years, cultural understandings of gender and sexuality have shifted.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals collectively reveal the diversity of human gender and sexuality. Sexual identity is about one’s anatomy and biological chromosomes; gender identity is about how one sees themself. Sexual orientation is about who a person is physically and romantically attracted to. These identities can overlap and be found in all combinations in the human population.
Gay identity is seen as a psychological and social orientation. The Cass model of gay identity describes six stages of development: identity confusion, identity comparison, identity tolerance, identity acceptance, identity pride, and identity synthesis.
Many LGBTQ students are bullied in school and their personal lives. This can affect students’ self-image, academic achievement, and psychological well-being. Teachers can fight LGBTQ discrimination by setting and maintaining high standards for respectful behavior, teaching students about the history of LGBTQ activism, and including LGBTQ role models in the curriculum. LGBTQ role models include individuals such as James Baldwin, Harvey Milk, and Barbara Deming.
Learning Objectives
L01. Describe how elements of human diversity have changed.
L02. Define and discuss concepts of gay culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
L03. Identify bullying and homophobia issues and discuss strategies to eliminate discrimination in schools.
L04. Interpret and justify the importance of presenting role models from the LGBTQ community.
Readings & Resources
- Chapter 7
Due this Week
- Check-in #2
- You will provide an update on your progress in the class. This will inform the instructor of how you are doing and how instruction can be adapted to best support your needs. Go to Assignments in Laulima for your check-in prompts. Your check-in will be due on Sunday by 11:55pm.
- Discussion Post
- Answer one of the following questions. Post your response on FORUM in LAULIMA. Your discussion post will be due on Friday by 11:55pm.
- To what extent have you noticed a shift in how people in your life think and talk about diversity in sexuality and gender? To what do you attribute this?
- How can schools and teachers be more inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ students?
- Answer one of the following questions. Post your response on FORUM in LAULIMA. Your discussion post will be due on Friday by 11:55pm.
- Peer Responses
- Respond to one of your classmates' discussion posts. Your response must be respectful, thorough, and well thought-out. Peer Response will be due by Sunday at 11:55pm. Submit your peer response directly to the discussion post in FORUM on LAULIMA.