is important to hear and understand terminology from the perspective of those you are engaging in conversation with. For young people, the terminology presented here often provokes romantic notions and ideas of identity and self-discovery, rather than the political or sexual context these words may evoke for older audiences. Using a person’s chosen term without judgment can make all the difference in the world. This means being open at all times, regardless of whether you understand why a child in your classroom has chosen to identify by a different name, gender, or a pronoun from those they have previously used in your classroom or in your school. The best course of action is to thank them for letting you know and then to use that name and pronoun when calling on them in class. If other students question this, not every moment needs to be a reason to stop the class for a long lecture about these topics. It may simply be that you can say that this is the name this student is using and then continue with your class. If you accept this information from the student and behave as if it is no big deal, it is much more likely that the other students in the class will behave as if it is no big deal as well. However, be mindful of what may be being whispered when you are at the front of the class or things that might be said in the hallway before or after class. You can always check in with a student before or after class to ask if they are feeling safe and supported or to remind them that your classroom is a place where they will not be judged or mistreated.
Lesbians
It should not be assumed that lesbians have never been sexually active with men; we cannot assume when talking with students at middle school or high school that they have not had sexual encounters with males. Making this assumption can leave them unsafe due to lack of information given, because there is an assumption that information is not useful. The risks of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and depression may be higher in lesbians and bisexual individuals, especially those who are not open about their sexual orientation, who are not in satisfying and safe relationships, and/or who lack social support. Smoking and obesity rates are also higher in lesbians and bisexual women because smoking and eating are inexpensive ways in which some cope, and this population may be more likely to need coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of living in a world that is often homophobic and biphobic.
In addition, many lesbian and bisexual women are victims of hate crimes, and they often fear for their safety. Intimate partner violence may also occur between women in same-sex relationships at a rate that is similar to heterosexual relationships. Lesbian women can also be raped, physically assaulted, or stalked by a female partner. It may be difficult for students to be open about this, especially if they do not feel supported at home and within the school. They may struggle with addressing these concerns and their relationships out of fear that they will not be believed, or that people will assume that women cannot be as violent toward each other as men have been known to be violent in interactions with women. If a student comes to you with concerns about relationship safety, it is necessary that you follow the same protocol the school has for opposite-sex relationships and for any report of violence whatsoever.
Gay and MSM
This categorizes male-identified people who have sexual encounters and/or relationship with other male-identified people. At the present time, some see “gay” as an identity that deals with a specific type of personality or type of behaviors. In those cases, some do not identify as “gay” but rather as “MSM”—men who have sex with men. (This may be how a male-identified student identifies his sexuality, even if his age and/or appearance do not yet make him a “man” by definition.) Regardless of a person’s chosen label, there is still an increased risk for this population of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as psychological and behavioral disorders related to their experiences and whether or not they are accepted at home. It may be easy to find statistics that indicate that gay men or men who have sex with men are contracting more STIs than other groups; however, this research is often heavily biased either in the way the study was written to bolster pre-existing misperceptions or by misinterpreting the results to further a person or group’s agenda, regardless of the breadth of research that indicates otherwise.
This may be because the people funding the study have personal or religious feelings about homosexuality. It may be because a drug company is biased in their studies in an attempt to indicate a need for a drug they are trying to sell. It may also be that the place in which these studies occur is heavily biased toward or against one type or group of people. For example, doing a study while inside a nightclub will likely only capture the responses of people who go to nightclubs; it will not also include people who do not go to nightclubs, which may be a significantly different experience. This detail is important to know, so that you can both consider your own biases and beliefs and have an understanding that parents of students may make assumptions based on biased research that can cause them to be not accepting and not affirming of their children. With this in mind, homosexuality has been associated with a higher risk of psychological and behavioral disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts and plans, eating disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, and cigarette smoking. The stigmatization of homosexuality in American society results in the frequent exposure of homosexual men to discrimination and victimization. This is believed to be a causative factor in the development of psychological and behavioral disorders.
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