This Love Story is Perfect for an LGBTQ-inclusive Curriculum

As educators, we have a unique opportunity to help our students to learn about the world around them. As any educator will tell you, we teach our students not just with our lesson plans, but with everything we say -- and everything we leave out.

There are so many high schools today comfortably teaching Romeo and Juliet as one of the greatest love stories of all time. As educators, we show our students over and over again that heterosexual love and romance is “common” and “acceptable” -- even more, that it’s “romantic” and “desirable.”

What many high schools are missing is the integration of queer romance and the opportunity to learn, read, and discuss characters and relationships that aren’t framed in heteronormativity. GLSEN research shows that nearly 4 in 5 LGBTQ students don’t see positive LGBTQ representation in their curriculum. We are missing stories like Love, Simon, a story about seventeen-year old Simon Spier. He's yet to tell his family or friends he's gay and he doesn't actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he's fallen for online.

That’s why GLSEN has partnered with 20th Century Fox to bring this film and its important themes and characters to your students. We have developed a discussion guide and lesson plan to help foster conversation about the movie’s themes, especially around coming out and invisible identities in your classrooms.

Our #LoveSimon high school lesson plan can help students explore “invisible identities” and coming out. ➡️ https://t.co/CXr3glDsOJ #sponsored pic.twitter.com/fMVQ7Fo9Bl

— GLSEN (@GLSEN) March 7, 2018

At GLSEN, we know the benefits that LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum can have for all students. This movie, and the book it’s based on, can help you ensure that your students don’t leave high school thinking that stories like Romeo and Juliet are the only love stories worth remembering.

Becca Mui is the Education Manager at GLSEN.

Love, Simon is coming out to theaters March 16!

This post is sponsored by 20th Century Fox.