We Are Human Too

CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO HELP LGBTQ+ TEENS IN SCHOOL

Most teens dread the sex ed unit in heath, but being LGBTQ+ makes that unit even more difficult. Oregon’s state standards for LGBTQ+ Sex-Ed are quite vague. According to the Oregon Health Education Performance Indicator Chart, teachers have to teach “sexual decision making, medically accurate inclusive reproductive anatomy and physiology, sexual response cycle and definitions of sexual activity, signs an symptoms of pregnancy.” The standards have to be taught in a way that is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, but what does that actually look like in the classroom? And how do teachers address the topic when even mentioning it may put their job at stake? In practice, the state standards that address LGBTQ+ sexual education are only lightly taught, if at all. An LGBTQ+ student should be provided comparable education regarding safe sex and the risks. One resource health classes at West use is The Safe Zone Project , a free online resource providing curriculum, activities, and other resources for educators (sexuality, gender, and LGBTQ+ education sessions). One of the activities is the ‘genderbread person.’ The goal of this activity is to help individuals better understand the concepts of gender identity, expression, and sex. After reviewing The Safe Zone, it is clear that the curriculum is full of good information. It is simple but really efficient and gets the basic information out. The Safe Zone has a long list of LGBTQ+ words with definitions. It also has lesson plans, which are short and simple.

By Austin Rudel

In May of 2022, Florida passed the Parental Rights in Education bill, banning classroom discussion about LGBT+ topics from kingergarten to third grade. It empowers parents to sue the school district over teachings they don’t like. The “don’t say gay” bill has caused many

LGBTQ+ members to feel unsafe and unwanted. This has made it hard for teachers to teach and help educate students. No one in the world should have to sit in silence. We have to stand together to fight for what’s right, never knowing what will happen next. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community is not a bad thing. People that are in the LGBTQ+ community are always judged. People have the constant thought that being different is a bad thing, but in reality it makes you one of a kind. If everyone was the same, life would never be interesting. LGBTQ+ community members are told that they have made a choice to be a part, but in reality you’re born with it. In high school being part of the LGBTQ community separates you from a lot of people, when being separated from others can make you depressed and lonely. Everyone in this world is equal no matter what, we’re all human. For some LGBTQ + community members, not having equal rights is a big problem to them. Therefore they have to fight for their rights. There’s always constant problems happening, but we can’t all fix them all at once. We just have to take them one day at a time. Some problems might take years to fix, but in that time we can learn lessons about who we truly are and what we believe in. If you believe in yourself enough, you can push past the problems in society. If you’re strong enough, you won’t care what people think and will only care about what you think. LGBTQ+ Sex Ed is just one of our world problems. The world is full of right and wrong, but that doesn’t stop us from fixing them. As a society, we have to come together to fix our problems, not letting the little problems sit and never be talked about. All voices have to be spoken for. We need time to look back at our past and make changes for the future so we can set an example for the others ahead of us. We need to stand together and stand up for what’s right.

Art by Harvest Buchanan

1924 - Society for Human Rights founded by Henry Gerber 1969 - Police raid Stonewall Inn in NYC, impetus for US Gay Rights Movement 1973 - Maryland first state to statutorily ban same-sex marriage 2003 - US Supreme Court strikes down “homosexual conduct” law, decriminalizing same-sex sexual conduct

2018 - Trump Administration bans transgender people from serving in military

2021 - State Department announces applicants can selfselect sex markers on passports

1952 - American Psychiatric Association diagnostic manual lists homosexuality as “sociopathic personality disturbance”

1973 - Lambda Legal first legal organization fighting for Gay and Lesbian equal rights 1986 - US Supreme Court upholds Georgia’s sodomy law

2015 - US Supreme Court legalizes samesex marriage in all 50 states 2021 - President Biden repeals ban on transgender Americans joining military

2021 - State Department announces first issuing of US passport with “X” gender