HOT TOPICS Sexual Orientation Brett Grayson Rosalinda Ramirez

HOT TOPICS Sexual Orientation Brett Grayson Rosalinda Ramirez Rachel Sanchez

Sexual Orientation • An enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, or affection attraction that a person feels toward another person. • Develops across a person’s lifetime, which develop at different points in their lives.

Sexual Orientation Survey • Please go to our group’s website… http: //projectconnect-sexualorientation. wikispaces. com/

The 2003 National School Climate Survey Results Question Frequently Often Sometimes Rarely Frequency of Hearing “That’s so Gay” in School 69. 8% 20. 4% 7. 0% 2. 0% Frequency of Hearing any kind of Homophobic Remark (combined hearing “that’s so gay” and other kinds of remarks) 42. 9% 30. 7% 18. 5% 7. 2% Frequency of Hearing Biased Language from Teachers or Other School Staff 1. 0% 4. 0% 17. 7% 40. 3% Frequency of Intervention by Teachers or Other School Staff when biased remarks were made. Always 4. 4% Most of the Time 13. 2% Some of the Time 43. 8% Never 38. 6%

The 2003 National School Climate Survey Results Question Frequently Often Sometimes Rarely Frequency of Verbal Harassment in the Past School Year 27. 2% 17. 8% 23. 1% 18. 1% Frequency of Physical Harassment in the Past School Year 10. 0% 6. 7% 12. 4% 15. 0% Percentage of Students who felt unsafe at school 60. 8% Frequency of Missing Days of School in the Past Month Because of Feeling Unsafe or Uncomfortable 6 or more days 7. 1% 4 -5 days 3. 8% 2 -3 days 11. 8% 1 day 10. 1% 0 days 67. 2%

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network • Two methods of survey used: Outreach through communitybased groups serving LGBT youth and outreach via Internet. • The sample consisted of a total of 6, 209 LGBT K-12 students, from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, between the ages of 13 and 21. • About 2/3 of the sample (64. 4%) white • Over half (57. 7%) female • Over half identified as gay or lesbian (53. 6%) • Students grades 6 to 12, with the largest numbers being 10 th or 11 th grade

Sexual Orientation Program History • The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center (LGBT) founded in 1983 • Gay and Lesbian Independent School Teachers Network (GLSTN) founded in 1990 • Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) founded in 1998

Sexual Orientation vs. Sexual Behavior • Sexual Orientation is different from Sexual Behavior • Sexual Orientation can be known as: – Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual • Sexual Behavior – Includes any type of sexual acts.

Sexual Behavior in Cultures • In Greece, older men engages in same sex relationship with young boys. – Purpose: The transition from young boy to adulthood. • In New Guinea, boys 8 -15 are inseminated daily by the young make warriors of the tribe.

Gay Gene • How many believe that people are born with homosexual gene (NATURE)? • How many believe that people choose to be homosexual (NURTURE)? • Does the environment play a role in sexual orientation?

NATURE

Mental Disorder • Psychiatrists used to believe that it was a mental disorder. • 1957, tests were performed exploring the relationship between homosexuality and psychological development and illness. • Since the mid-1970’s, it has NOT been supported by health professional organizations.

Research on the Brain • Swaab’s experiment (1990): – 1 st document of a gay man’s brain – Found hypothalamus structure of the brain was different from heterosexual man to a homosexual man. • Swaab research was dismissed due to testing done only to homosexual men’s brain.

Hypothalamus • Function: Directly related to sexual drive and hormone regulation. • Androgen: Male Developed Characteristics • Estrogen: Female Developed Characteristics

• Homosexual men and heterosexual women have similar results in hormones. • Rat Studies show: Androgen injected to female rats cause those rats to exhibit male symptoms of attraction.

More Research • Dean Hamer: X-linked trait – 5 genetic marker on the X chromosome (Xq 28). • Simon Le. Vay: – amygdala same size in females and homosexual males.

NURTURE

• Homosexuality is identified not by a trait or gene, but rather by their actions. • IF homosexuality is innate – Would merely having the “gay” gene force one to carry out the responsible for homosexual actions?

Beginning Patterns • Childhood play patterns • Early peer interaction • Parental behavior • Role of gender constancy in the home

As of today, the Human Genome Project have sequenced the X and Y chromosome. – X, 1168 genes – Y, 251 genes Neither the map for the X nor the Y chromosome contain any “gay gene”

Fear of “Coming Out” • Fear of Isolation • Fear of Stigmatization • Lack of Family Support • Risk of harassment or get hurt

“The Outcast” HBO Real Sports produced this story of Greg Congdon, a stand-out high school football player in Troy, PA. Greg came out of the closet during his junior year… (2002) http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=c. GIpu. ZEb 134&eurl=http%3 A%2 F%2 Fpr ojectconnectsexualorientation. wikispaces. com%2 FVideos&feature=player_embedded And http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=HJ 9 z. OAN 8 YOE&eurl=http%3 A%2 F%2 F projectconnectsexualorientation. wikispaces. com%2 FVideos&feature=player_embedded These videos can also be found on our group’s website.

“Coming Out” From bottom to top, the order of who typically hears the announcement Parents Close Family Members Close Heterosexual Peers Other Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Peers

Recommendation & Solution As Educators

What Schools and Communities Can Do • Schools with anti-bullying policies must clarify that teasing and exclusion based on sexual orientation is prohibited. • Schools need to consider adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the school community that no one should be treated differently because of an admitted or presumed sexual orientation. • Schools should train staff and volunteers on effective bullying prevention methods and interventions.

More to Consider… • Understand the nature of sexual orientation • Provide an accepting environment • Treat them with the same equality • Adopt policies in districts and schools • Support student clubs, GSA (Gay Student Alliance)

Effects of Harassment • Mental Health – They are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide • Education – Often embarrassed/ashamed of being targeted, may not report abuse – More likely to skip school due to fear, threats and property vandalism directed at them • Because of their absence they will have a result in low academics and low GPA – 28% of gay student will drop out of school • (normal rate is around 10%) – 4 out of 5 gay and lesbian students say they don’t know 1

Legal Principles • What does the law say about homosexuality in public schools? • Court Victories • What does this mean to you, the teacher?

What does the law say? • Students are protected by the Establishment Clause of the 1 st Amendment, which, among many other things, requires the separation of church and state. – For example, public schools may not promote religion, endorse particular religious beliefs or seek to impose such beliefs on students. • Gay, Lesbian, and bisexual students – like all other students, are also protected by the 14 th Amendment’s requirment of equal treatment under the law.

Progress made in the court system 9 Major Court Victories I. 1969 The California Supreme Court rules that the state cannot revoke a gay teacher’s credentials on the basis of sexual orientation. II. 1974 The 1 st U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals establishes the rights of gay college student groups to exist. III. 1980 A U. S. district court rules that Cumberland, R. I. , high school student Aaron Fricke has the right to bring a same-sex date to the school’s prom.

Progress made in the court system 9 Major Court Victories IV. 1984 The U. S. Supreme Court affirms a lower-court ruling in Oklahoma overturning a law against discussion of homosexuality in the classroom. V. 1995 A U. S. district court rules that a Kansas school board cannot ban the lesbian novel “Annie on My Mind” VI. 1996 Jamie Nabozny wins a settlement of over $900, 000 after a federal jury finds that high school officials had failed to protect him from harassment.

Progress made in the court system 9 Major Court Victories VII. 1999 A U. S. district court in Salt Lake City rules that denying access to a gay-straight alliance violates the federal Equal Access Law. VIII. 2000 A Massachusetts appeals court rules that a transgender junior high school student has the right to wear gender-specific clothing IX. 2003 The 9 th Circuit Court of Appeals says that school officials in California have a duty to protect gay students from harassment.

What does this mean to you? • School districts must protect student from anti-gay harassment just as it protects students from other kinds of harassment. – Jamie Nabozny won $900, 000 because his district did not adhere to this principle. • If a student wants to start a “Gay-Straight Alliance Club” it must be considered as equal status to any other club in the school. • Public Schools may not disseminate info to students if the material is not adequately researched or scientifically biased.

What does this mean to you? • If you’re ever in doubt about how to teach any particular ‘hot topic’ or which materials to incorporate, you should contact your district’s legal counsel. • Irving ISD’s legal counsel is: Ralph Diaz Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent 972. 215. 5005 rdiaz@irvingisd. net.

• Resources "Sex Education" by Michael R. Stevenson Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered History in America • "School Court Victories" by Don Romesburg The Advocate, 12/20/2005 Issue 953, p 8. • “Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation & Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators & School Personnel, ” by the American Psychological Association. 2008. • “The Outcast, ” produced by Amani Martin. HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, 2007. • "Sexual Orientation" from WISE - Working to Improve Schools and Education • GLSEN's 2003 National School Climate Survey -- a full report of this annual study which documents issues many LGBT youth and professionals experience in schools -- also includes information about schools with effective policies and practices regarding issues of sexual orientation and harassment. • GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network – http: //www. glsen. org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/home/index. html