GLSEN and 20th Century Fox Film Distribute Free Love, Simon Safe Schools Re

Media Contacts:

Joanna Cifredo Media Relations Manager joanna.cifredo@glsen.org  646-388-6575

Tomie Shaw 20th Century Fox Publicity Coordinator Tomie.Shaw@fox.com 310-369-2543

New Resources Released to Support Safe and Inclusive Schools for LGBTQ Youth

GLSEN & 20th Century Fox Film Distribute Free Love, Simon Safe Schools Resources to Educators & Students 

New York, NY (March 06, 2018) – GLSEN, the leading education organization working to create safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ youth, has partnered with 20th Century Fox Film to release new Love, Simon themed resources for educators and students working to create welcoming and supportive school climates for all students. The two new resources, the Love, Simon Educator Lesson Plan and the Love, Simon Student Discussion Guide, have been developed utilizing the upcoming feature film Love, Simon as a catalyst for conversations around identity, coming out, and harassment.

"There is a pantheon of wonderful adolescent movies and fairy tales of finding yourself and finding love. Love, Simon is one of the very, very few of these in which LGBTQ youth can see their own lives reflected, and their peers can identify with a universal longing depicted from a different perspective," said Eliza Byard, GLSEN Executive Director. "We hope this film can inspire school communities to open their eyes and their hearts to the full inclusion of LGBTQ youth throughout their schools -- and that the resources GLSEN and Fox have created will help students and educators in creating that change."

Directed by Greg Berlanti (Everwood, The Flash, Riverdale) and starring Nick Robinson (Jurassic World) Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Jennifer Garner (13 Going On 30), Josh Duhamel (Transformers), and Tony Hale (Veep) Love, Simon is a funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about the thrilling ride of finding yourself and falling in love.

"It's a constant struggle to be heard as a young person and even more so to be heard and affirmed in our truth. The Love, Simon Educator Lesson Plan is a great tool for supportive educators to lead conversations about identities and acceptance, messages LGBTQ students like myself have been trying to relay to our schools for some time now," said Soli Guzman a 10th-grade sophomore student, from Pleasant Hill, CA. "I find the Love, Simon Student Discussion Guide as a beneficial tool for students who are having difficulty navigating conversation around their identities, coming out, and their safety all while trying to pass midterms and have fun in school."

Set in a suburban high school, Simon Spier's (Nick Robinson) journey towards embracing his identity includes dealing with the fear of rejection from friends and family, and bullying and harassment from classmates at school -- issues too many LGBTQ youth have come to experience.

The Love, Simon Educator Lesson Plan on "Coming out and Invisible Identities" will help 6-12 grade students to reflect on their own identities and those of the movie characters, and to consider how their daily words and actions may impact students with different identities, or whose identities may not be known to others.

Additionally, the Love, Simon Student Discussion Guide was created for middle and high school students to help discuss themes of this movie in greater depth, such as identity, coming out, and safe spaces from harassment and bullying. This discussion guide will provide LGBTQ youth with an opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations on inclusion and respect in their student clubs, youth groups, or with friends.

"Nearly twenty years of GLSEN Research shows LGBTQ students in K-12 schools with supportive educators, inclusive curriculum, and student-led GSA clubs report better academic outcomes and higher self-esteem," said Ikaika Regidor, GLSEN Director of Education and Youth Programs. "We hope that these tools can support the amazing work of educators in thousands of schools nationwide who actively work to create inclusive classrooms, and for student leaders of GSAs and other clubs working to create a safer school environment for LGBTQ youth, and all students."

Love, Simon is rated PG-13 and will be in theaters nationwide March 16. GLSEN and Fox's Love, Simon Educators Guide and Love, Simon Student Discussion Guide are available for free download for use in classrooms, student clubs, and youth groups from www.glsen.org/lovesimon.

 

About GLSEN

GLSEN works to create safe and inclusive schools for all. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of 39 community-led chapters in 26 states brings GLSEN's expertise to local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for inclusive schools at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN's policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research, and educator training programs, please visit www.glsen.org.

About Twentieth Century Fox Film

One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of 20th Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Twentieth Century Fox Family.