What One Teacher Can Do

1. Inform yourself about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and about anti-LGBT bias.

Low Risk

·\tLearn about LGBT history, culture and current concerns by reading books, journals and periodicals.

Some Risk

·\tAttend LGBT film series or lectures. ·\tAttend a meeting of an LGBT organization. ·\tAttend an "allies" meeting (for example, P-FLAG). ·\tHave conversations with openly LGBT people.

Greater Risk

·\tEngage heterosexual people, including your family and friends, in discussing issues concerning LGBT people.

2. Create a safe and equitable classroom.

Low Risk

·\tChange your assumption that everyone is heterosexual unless they tell you otherwise. ·\tUse inclusive language that implicitly allows for LGBT possibilities (for example, "parent" rather than "mother" or "father"; "spouse" rather than "wife" or "husband"; "date" rather than "boyfriend" or "girlfriend").

Some Risk

·\tChallenge anti-LGBT language and name-calling. ·\tPut up LGBT friendly posters, pictures or signs. ·\tIf you are heterosexual, don't be quick to inform others of your heterosexuality. Ask what they might think if you told them you were LGBT.

Greater Risk

·\tBe clear about your willingness to support LGBT students. ·\tUse language that explicitly allows for LGBT possibilities (for example, "Emily Dickinson and her partner"). ·\tInvite LGBT speakers to your classroom. ·\tUse LGBT curriculum. ·\tIf you are LGBT, come out to your students.

3. Create a safe and equitable school.

Low Risk

·\tBe a role model of acceptance.

Some Risk

·\tChallenge name-calling and harassment. ·\tWork to establish policies protecting LGBT students from harassment, violence and discrimination. ·\tCall for the inclusion of LGBT people in diversity presentations. ·\tWork to form a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and/or support group for LGBT students. ·\tCall for faculty and staff training in LGBT youth issues (including crisis intervention and violence prevention). ·\tCall for counseling services for LGBT youth and their parents.

Greater Risk

·\tInvite LGBT speakers to your school. ·\tJoin a GSA alliance. ·\tCall for and develop an LGBT awareness day. ·\tWork with the PTA and other community based support groups regarding the education and health needs of LGBT students. ·\tSolicit the cooperation of LGBT alumni/ae in motivating the school to meet the needs of students who succeed them. ·\tCall for faculty training in LGBT studies. ·\tEncourage colleagues to develop and use LGBT curriculum. .\tIf you are LGBT, come out to the school community.