How To Teach LGBTQ+ History To Students

Our American history belongs to everyone – which is why it’s so essential for students to learn about LGBTQ+ history as part of their curriculum. The US was founded on diversity and personal freedoms, but unfortunately, it has been a difficult struggle for the LGBTQ+ community to gain equal rights.

It’s worth thinking about why LBTQ+ history is so important and how you can communicate it to students in the best possible way. Whether you’re a teacher or parent, here’s what you need to know about educating students on LGBTQ+ history.

Why we should teach LGBTQ+ history in schools
Inclusivity in the classroom means valuing and treating everyone equally, regardless of beliefs, appearances, or identity, so it’s clear that schools need to include LGBTQ+ history. Many students identify as being part of that community, or have LGBTQ+ parents, so ignoring this part of history is essentially encouraging the heteronormative and saying that diverse experiences don’t matter in history – or today.

Examining LGBTQ+ history also teaches students important lessons on equality and overcoming adversity, and gives them new role models to look up to. Put simply, LGBTQ+ history shouldn’t be erased from the textbooks and is something everyone needs to learn.

With some school districts discouraging LGBTQ+ education for misplaced religious or moral reasons, it’s more important than ever that parents speak up and let schools know that this matters. While California has mandated the FAIR Education Act in 2011, which makes it essential to include diverse history in K–12 curriculums, many states are still lacking similar legislation.

Why is it important to understand LGBTQ+ history?
As Sir Winston Churchill famously stated, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. American history (and recent events) have seen countless suffering and mistreatment for LGBTQ+ individuals, so to grow and improve as a society, our students need to learn from the past to avoid the same mistakes. To change the world for the better, students first need to understand the past, as it happened.

How to teach LGBTQ+ history to students
When teaching LGBTQ+ history in schools, educators can benefit from a few tips. Here are a few things to keep in mind when teaching students.

1. Utilize LGBTQ+ lesson plans
If you’re new to instructing on LGBTQ+ history and aren’t sure where to start, one great idea is to reach out to an LGBTQ+ organization. Many have pre-written lesson plans available to teachers, at no cost, that have been developed for each age group.

The ONE Archives Foundation, which supports the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern California (USC) Libraries, has a lot of great resources for teachers on LGBTQ+ history, but so do many other charities and educational facilities.

2. Use inclusive language
If you’re leading a lesson, or just starting a conversation, it helps to always use inclusive language and proper terminology. Something like a pronoun, for example, can seem like just a small thing, but to a transgender or nonbinary student, being referred to with the right pronoun can mean the world.

GLAAD has created a useful glossary of LGBTQ+ terms that you might find useful, outlining which terms are best to use and which are best avoided.

3. Add LGBTQ+ lessons into your current classwork
Even if you don’t have a specific LGBTQ+ lesson plan, you can do some research on your own to learn more about key events that tie into the lesson you’re already teaching.

If you’re doing a lesson on the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, for example, this is a great time to introduce the Stonewall Riots in New York City, an event that launched the modern-day Pride movement.

4. Foster a safe and supportive community for all students
One of the most important aspects of teaching LGBTQ+ history is creating a supportive and safe environment for all students. It’s not always easy, but set ground rules so that students know how to broach the topic with sensitivity and respect for their classmates.

Key historical events to cover
There are so many LGBTQ+ historical events and leaders to cover, so you can customize your lessons based on your curriculum. A great starting point is to think about advocates and trailblazers in the LGBTQ+ space. A few to consider include:

• Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to politics in California
• Jeanne Manford, the co-founder of the country’s first friends and allies group within the LGBTQ+ community
• 18th century social rights campaigner Jeremy Bentham
• 1950s advocate Frank Kameny

You can also cover major historical events within the LGBTQ+ community, such as the Supreme Court’s first-ever ruling in favor of gay rights, the landmark 1973 decision to remove homosexuality from the official list of mental illnesses, and the 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

How can teachers help LGBTQ+ students?
As a teacher, parent, or advocate, there are plenty of ways to support and help LGBTQ+ students. School can be hard on any child, but it can be particularly challenging for LGBTQ+ students – they experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and consideration of suicide. They may become withdrawn, upset, or even lose interest in going to school, so teachers should always make themselves available to help.

First, always be a listening ear and supporter, letting your students know that you’re there to help and support them. Watch out for any signs of bullying too, putting a stop to it immediately to keep students safe.

It’s also helpful to provide resources and support, whether that means referring students to a telephone line where they can get free advice or starting an LGBTQ+ ally organization within your school or community. You could also consider making a resource board in your classroom where students can find the information they need anonymously.

These actions help make school safer and more comfortable for all students, no matter their identity.

 

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