Tuesday, August 3 (DJ #6)

As stereotypical as it might be, I was REALLY excited to talk about this issue in class not only because I am a part of the GLBTQ community, but because I am looking forward to hearing the insights of my colleagues on these issues. Before I begin I would like to recommend a couple of books which I will bring to class:
Am I Blue?—short stories, fictional and non-fictional that deal with teens “coming out”
One Teacher in Ten—short stories/personal narratives about GLBTQ-identified teachers and their experience being GLBTQ in a school setting (out or not)
Annie on My Mind—okay this one might not be with me, I think I lent it to someone…but it is the story of a young lesbian and her first love
Absolutely, Positively Not—hilarious story of a young man (in Minnesota!) who comes out after constantly saying he’s “absolutely, positively not gay.” You can listen to my podcast review of the book here:

Now that I have plugged a few great texts, I will turn to the articles. I must first say that I was very impressed that Reiko Liu is a brave soul. I was very impressed at her willingness to so boldly tackle such a controversial (unfortunately) topic. Although I agree that GLBTQ literature has a place in the multicultural curriculum—I really liked Athanases’ rationale:
“to encourage inclusiveness and to work against stereotype formation, thoughtful educators can select texts by and about groups defined by not only race and ethnicity, but also gender, sexual orientation, religion and other significant definitions of cultural and social groups” (233)
—I was surprised that she chose a politically charged letter to teach and discuss rather than a piece of literature about a teenager dealing with GLBTQ issues. Not only does it tackle political issues of Heteronormativity, but it also deals with Catholicism! Again, bold soul. In addition to church, government AND sexuality, the article is focused on gay teachers—yet ANOTHER taboo topic. Many people might be “tolerant” of GLBTQ individuals, but take issue with “one of them” teaching their child(ren). This complicates the issue to an even greater extent. I found myself wondering if Reiko would still tackle this topic if she identified as a lesbian? Athanases reminds us of the tension: “even when teachers are convinced of the importance of exploring gay and lesbian experiences in literature, they often still fear that community members will view such study as promoting homosexuality, thus instigating a backlash” (233). As a gay teacher, I am extremely worried that any piece that I include that represents a GLBTQ character or deals with homosexuality will be considered a personal agenda. It is for this reason that I often consider not being open about that aspect of my identity with my students. Although I still consider her to be a courageous educator, I must say that my opinion changed slightly when I realized where the school was located. Teaching about GLBTQ issues in San Francisco, at least to me, does not seem nearly as risky as other places. Most of these students have friends, family and community members who identify as GLBTQ and likely have learned much about that particular “social world.” That’s not to say that it isn’t important for the classroom, but I also think that this particular teacher probably has a bit more leniency in the GLBTQ department. I must read “Dear Anita” as soon as possible!