Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation
Your
response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the
inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex
partnered families
If someone told me that they believed early childhood
centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian
individuals such as same-sex partnered families, I would have to disagree with
them. All families should be equally represented and in a positive way
regardless of the center’s beliefs or the beliefs of the teachers in the classroom
(Laureate Education, 2010). Equal and positive representation ensures that each
child’s identity is positively developed, accepted, and validated.
If
you have ever used or heard homophobic terms such as "fag,"
"gay," "homo," "sissy," "tom boy," or "lesbo" as an
insult by a child toward another child? Or, by an adult toward a child?
Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all
children? (Note: if you
have not had a personal experience, ask a family member, friend, or colleague)
I have never used these terms but I have heard them used and I
have had my own children come home and tell me that they have heard these terms
or have been told they are these things. My youngest daughter has been called a
lesbian quite often at school because of her short hair and her athleticism.
Because one of her older sisters is a lesbian, we have been able to have open
and honest discussions about being gay/lesbian and that we are accepting of all
of our children’s choices. We also discuss the unfairness of such prejudices
and misconceptions and how to handle them. So far, she has handled these
situations in stride. She also gets called a boy quite often by adults. With
her peers, she sets them straight in various ways. Sometimes she lets them know
that she donated her hair to children with hair loss and now likes her short
hair. Other times she says she likes her short hair because she competes in
jiu-jitsu. If they’re being rude, she just tells laughs them off and tells them
how ridiculous their thinking is or will ask why it matters to them anyway. With
adults, she doesn’t correct them. We let her guide us when it comes to
correcting adults. The only time I correct an adult is when it is necessary
such as when she is competing in jiu-jitsu and mistake her for a boy because
the rules are different for what they can wear under the gi.
These types of comments influence all children
because it gives them misinformation that divides them into groups of
acceptance and unacceptance which in turn gives them a feeling of being
superior over a marginalized group of people. Children absorb the prejudices and
biases that surround them and begin to understand the power dynamics that come
with certain social identities (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010, pp.
15-16). It is sad to know that this is occurring in schools, that children are
being bullied, and that some children choose to commit suicide over their
struggle with their identity and the struggle of being accepted by society. ”Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or
verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior
by 2.5 times on average” and they are also five times more likely to attempt
suicide than heterosexual youth (The
Trevor Project, n.d.).
As
early childhood educators, we need to teach acceptance, tolerance, and
inclusion of all children in hopes that we can stop all instances of bullying
and prejudice for a better future for our children.
References
Derman-
Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and
ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC).
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Start seeing diversity: Sexual orientation [Video file]. Retrieved
from https://class.waldenu.edu
The Trevor Project. (n.d.). Preventing suicide. Facts about suicide. Retrieved from: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/preventing-suicide/facts-about-suicide/#sm.000tsf8a6zb6ctt1150261l4anghx
