3.1: Guest 1 – Meet Michael and Learn about the LGBTQA+ Community

Module 1 – LGBTQ+

Intercultural Communication Speaker Series – Meet Michael

Michael took COMM 2100 in 2019 and returned as a Research Assistant student worker in the Summer of 2020. We are excited Michael will continue studies in Communication at the University of MN but sad to see this great RCTC Grad go!

Michael still volunteers to share lived experiences as a Trans Male. Please watch Michael’s video:

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Learn more about LGBTQ+ Topics

Language Use: Initialisms and Vocabulary

Initialism…

Initialisms

The LGBTQ+ community is comprised of a group of individuals who identify as Lesbian (L), Gay (G), Bisexual (B), Transgender or Nonconforming (T), Queer (Q), and others (+). The symbol “+” is used to indicate that more sexual orientations/identities may be included. The basis for initialisms lies with the concept of nonbinary gender identity. These initialisms, in short, help to “move beyond the binary.”

Now, binary refers to either-or, 2 possible choices – much like a bicycle has 2 tires, “male or female” is an example of a binary choice. However, “throughout history, some people have identified as neither male nor female, or as ‘nonbinary’….Nonbinary people’s gender identity lies outside the boundaries of a strict male–female dichotomy” (National Institute of Health, 2020)

Additional initialisms include LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, where an “I” is included for individuals who are intersexual, an “A” includes individuals who are A-sexual (or, some might claim, Allies). LGBTTQQIA is a more recent initialism of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, allies, and pansexual. Reid-Smith points out that “[s]ome people wrongly think LGBT or LGBTQ are acronyms. In fact, he continues, initial letters are only an acronym if you say them as a word, like “NASA.” Therefore LGBT+ and all the other options are initialisms, because you spell out each letter, like you do in the USA” ( 2020).

Literally, an umbrella!

Reid-Smith (2020) asserts that “all of the options are umbrella terms for the same community..[t]hey broadly mean the same.” The interesting part is that adding more letters means one is thereby “explicitly including more identities. On face value, that makes your choice more overtly inclusive. In a like manner, “using the ‘+’ symbol is a more implicit way of doing that. Thus, by “adding the plus, you include everyone else” without having to season a rich, thick alphabet soup of dizzying letter combinations.

Reid-Smith cautions us to “remember that many people feel their own identities are overlooked within our community…” commenting that, “[a]fter all, the initialisms don’t contain ‘pansexual’, ‘non-binary’ or many more. So why stop at just LGBTQ?” Reid-Smith concludes that, simply, the “truth is there is no option that everyone agrees with. And some LGBT+ people actively dislike some of the choices” (2020).

So, why the alphabet soup? Tris Reid-Smith’s (2020) commentary reflects the complexity of initialism:

“…And if you want a ‘house style’ on how to express ‘LGBT+’, understand there are pros and cons to all the options and no right answer. So do your best and be prepared to listen and change as the community moves on. But most importantly, always remember our community is made up of 460 million individuals – so reflect their identities and respect their individuality in everything you do.”

Have a conversation about what initialism others choose.

LBGTQ+

At this juncture, initialized notions of co-cultures and communities might seem unfamiliar or foreign. As you learn more, you can ask individuals about the version of the initialism they use. For the purposes of this textbook, we will use that initialism OutFront Minnesota ascribes to due to their 30+ years of leadership and committed activism in this area: LBGTQ+. For further relevant reading, please consult the many links below:

• https://www.itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2013/01/a-comprehensive-list-of-lgbtq-term-definitions/
• https://www.glaad.org/reference#guide
• https://www.minnstate.edu/system/equity/glossary.html
• https://www.uis.edu/gendersexualitystudentservices/about/lgbtqaterminology/
• https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/glossary
• https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbttqqia2s-letters-mean/#gs.999vgk
• American Psychological Association

Language Choice: Presenting the “Genderbread Person”

Understanding the language in this unit, and the changes that have occurred since you had “the BIG sex talk” in middle or even elementary school are daunting. Back in the 1970’s we watched an animated show, one for the boys and one for the girls. A lot has changed since. The “Genderbread Person,” created by Sam Killermann, is an effort to bring about positive change as an “educational tool to clarify the distinctions among gender assigned at birth, experienced gender, and sexual orientation” (IACAPAP.org, 2018). Below is a copy of the Genderbread Person shared under Killermann’s uncopyright policy.

This image and the explanations embedded in the graphic are used to leave the binaries of male/female, feminine/masculine, and gay/straight behind. As one blogger shares, “Binary language only accounts for two possible sides (boy & girl, gay & straight, Pepsi & Coke, dogs & cats), all while devaluing any other possibilities (transboy & cisgirl, bisexual & pansexual, Sierra Mist & Dr. Pepper, fish & birds)” (neatnmessy.blog, 2020).

For Killermann, the “Genderbread Person is a model that depicts the ways society constructs gender, and the different components that go into that. It’s meant to be a digestible introduction to these ideas, for beginners, in a way that makes sense to most people” (Killermann, 2020).

Killermann (2020) states, as directly quoted below, the Genderbread Person is not :

• A depiction of how an idealized, or utopian society, might construct gender. Nor is it prescriptive, suggesting that gender _should be a certain way.
• A diagnostic tool to be used on or applied to other people in your life.
• A comprehensive model of sexuality or sexual orientation. While it includes orientation, this is in the spirit of helping to understand how it intersects with gender (i.e., There are _far _more than two forms of attraction, and/or people experience attraction and are oriented in many ways that are not just about gender).

Katie Couric Interviews Sam Killermann

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The video above shares interesting information about the “Genderbread Person” from a 2017 interview between Katie Couric and Sam Killermann. Please note that, in the video, Killermann is referring to the 3.0 version of the Genderbread Person diagram and uses the concepts (contestable for many) of biological sex vs. anatomical sex. The fourth version of the handout highlights the differences between Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Anatomical Sex.

• To learn more about Killermann’s work, see: https://www.itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2018/10/the-genderbread-person-v4/
• For more information and a valuable glossary highlighting and complimenting the “Genderbread Person, please also see: https://www.itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2013/01/a-comprehensive-list-of-lgbtq-term-definitions/

Module 2:
Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Expression, or Gender Identity? What’s the Difference?

Better Understanding the Difference between Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity

To better understand the concepts related to Killermann’s Genderbread Person, this video expands upon the phrases, “sex characteristics” versus “biological sex” or “anatomical sex.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C63Xn–i13o

Definitions:

Dictionary Says…

Having gained a baseline of concepts, the following terms will help expand that base of information. Kelly Holstine, Director of Education Equity at OutFront Minnesota Education (and the 2018/19 Minnesota State Teacher of the Year) shared her academic expertise by allowing us to use the educational materials she has curated in the LGBTQ+ 101 & Intersectional Equity Training materials quoted, in their entirety, below:

Key Terms

• Sex: Category assigned at birth (female, male, or *intersex)
  * People born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads, and chromosome patterns) “that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies” (UN 2016). 1 in 1000 people (estimated)
• Gender Identity: Person’s internal sense of self (male, female, a blend of both, or neither)
• Gender Expression: The way people communicate their gender within a given culture (socially constructed: feminine, masculine, and/or other)
• Sexual Orientation: Sexual, romantic, and/or emotional attraction

Sexual Orientations

• Lesbian: A woman who is emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to other women
• Gay: A man who is emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to other men
• Bisexual: An individual who is emotionally, physically and/or sexually attracted to multiple sexes/genders
• Asexual: A term for those who do not feel physical or sexual attraction toward others
• Pansexual: A term for those with the capacity to be attracted to people of all genders (regardless of sex, gender identity, or expression)

Identities

• Transgender: A term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth
• Queer: An umbrella term used to describe anyone who is not straight, or the community as a whole
• Two-spirit: umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people in their communities who fulfill a traditional third-gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial role in their cultures
• Cisgender: A term for people whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth
• Gender NonConforming: A term used for people whose gender expression differs from their gender identity
• Nonbinary, genderfluid, or genderqueer: a term used by some people who experience their gender identity and/or gender expression as falling outside of the categories of male or female

Thank you to Kelly Holstine for sharing the definitions she uses when leading training sessions.

The Relationship Between Biology & Sex

Biology & Sex – New Questions & Answers

A common question continues, “nature or nurture?” A conversation about biological sex was captured in a Ted Radio Hour program demonstrating that this is still not an easy question to address. The description reads, “Many of us were taught biological sex is a question of female or male, XX or XY … but it’s far more complicated. This hour, TED speakers explore what determines our sex” (National Public Radio, 2020).

• Click here to listen: https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/852195850/the-biology-of-sex?showDate=2020-05-08

The following videos are highlighted in the NPR podcast noted above:

The way we think about biological sex is wrong, Emily Quinn

TED Description:“Did you know that almost 150 million people worldwide are born intersex — with biology that doesn’t fit the standard definition of male or female? (That’s as many as the population of Russia.) At age 10, Emily Quinn found out she was intersex, and in this wise, funny talk, she shares eye-opening lessons from a life spent navigating society’s thoughtless expectations, doctors who demanded she get unnecessary surgery — and advocating for herself and the incredible variety that humans come in. (Contains mature content).”

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The weird history of the “sex chromosomes,” Molly Webster

TED Description: “The common thinking on biological sex goes like this: females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y. In this myth-busting talk, science writer and podcaster Molly Webster shows why the so-called “sex chromosomes” are more complicated than this simple definition — and reveals why we should think about them differently.”

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The biology of gender, from DNA to the brain, Karissa Sanbonmatsu

TED Description: “How exactly does gender work? It’s not just about our chromosomes, says biologist Karissa Sanbonmatsu. In a visionary talk, she shares new discoveries from epigenetics, the emerging study of how DNA activity can permanently change based on social factors like trauma or diet. Learn how life experiences shape the way genes are expressed — and what that means for our understanding of gender.”

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Your biology class and other scientists can continue the conversation with you concerning biological/anatomical sex. Listening to the podcasts and videos listed above, though, will help you formulate new questions about just how truly complex the opening lines to many of our lives were: “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!”

Module Three: Skills for Inclusive Communication

Singular They and Pronoun Use

Ask, “What are your pronouns?” not, “What are your preferred pronouns?”

Changes in the understanding of gender and sex parallel changes in language. The American Psychological Association (APA), as well as the Modern Language Association (MLA), have updated their professional standards for writing. Though perhaps the single space after a period is groundbreaking for folks 50+, most scholars, journalists, and English teachers with red pens talked about the issue of using the singular “they” to substitute for the use of he or she (or he/she). The singular “they” became the Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s 2019 “Word of the Year:”

Nonbinary they takes a plural verb, despite referring to one person, which can make the grammatically conservative uncomfortable. It’s helpful to remember that the pronoun you was initially plural, which is why it too takes the plural verb even when it’s referring to a single person. “You are” has, of course, been perfectly grammatical for centuries, and it’s worth noting that thee and thou were long ago completely displaced by singular you in standard speech and writing—concrete evidence of the constant evolution of language. We don’t even notice the singular use of you today, and it’s quite possible that the nonbinary they is headed for a similarly unremarkable fate—only usage and time will tell (Merriam-Webster, 2019)

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For a 5 minute explanation on why “they” is the Word of the Year listen to: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/13/787720675/the-word-of-the-year-is-they

In addition to becoming the “Word of the Year,” the American Psychological Association endorsed the singular they. The APA suggests:

Use the following forms of the singular “they”:

Form	Example
they	Casey is a gender-fluid person. They are from Texas and enjoy tacos.
them	Every client got a care package delivered to them.
their	Each child played with their parent.
theirs	The cup of coffee is theirs.
themselves (or themself)	A private person usually keeps to themselves [or themself].

Also quoted fully below, the APA (2020) offers more suggestions for tips and alternatives.

“Here are some tips to help you use the proper forms:

• Use a plural verb form with the singular pronoun “they” (i.e., write “they are” not “they is”).

• Use a singular verb form with a singular noun (i.e., write “Casey is” or “a person is,” not “Casey are” or “a person are”).

• Both “themselves” and “themself” are acceptable as reflexive singular pronouns; however, “themselves” is currently the more common usage.

Alternatives to the Generic Singular “They”

If using the singular “they” as a generic third-person pronoun seems awkward, try rewording the sentence or using the plural.

Strategy	Example
Rewording the sentence	I delivered a care package to the client.
Using the plural	Private people usually keep to themselves.

However, do not use alternatives when people use “they” as their pronoun—always use the pronouns that people use to refer to themselves (APA, 2020).

The University of Wisconsin, Madison shares advice and the following table (University of WI, Madison, 2020):

What are your pronouns?

Pronouns Matter

Using the correct pronoun might take time to learn if the person has changed their name or pronoun use. Extensive advice is found at My Pronouns (https://www.mypronouns.org/) where the following questions are addressed:

• WHAT ARE PERSONAL PRONOUNS AND WHY DO THEY MATTER?
• HOW DO I USE PERSONAL PRONOUNS?
• WHAT IF SOMEONE MAKES A MISTAKE AND MISPRONOUNS SOMEONE ELSE?
• HOW DO I SHARE MY PERSONAL PRONOUNS?
• HOW DO I ASK SOMEONE THEIR PERSONAL PRONOUNS?
• HOW DO I USE GENDER INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE?
• WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND LINKS CAN HELP ME?

The following video shares why pronouns matter:

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This video shares addition views on the importance of pronouns:

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Module 4:
LGBTQ+: Intersectionality, Dominant Culture, and Co-Culture

Oppression is linked…

The Balance of Intersectionality, Dominant Culture, and Co-Culture

When considering co-cultures, one may easily succumb to the assumption that someone from a different co-culture than one’s own would necessarily differ in categories and characteristics such as race, age, ethnic background. Some students looking to complete the co-culture interview assignment infer that there are attributes, readily observable, that identifies another as from a different co-culture. We are immersed within difference whether we can observe it or not. Conversely, one may also succumb to the assumption that those from one’s own co-culture necessarily share the same behavioral traits, characteristics, and categories common to that co-culture. Both assumptions need to be avoided. The National LGBT Health Education Center (2020) shares that LGBT people, for example, “are from all different races, ethnicities, ages, social/economic classes, and places. Some in the community are very open about being LGB or T, while some are only “out” to a few people, or just to themselves. In short, one can “never be sure whether someone is LGBT unless they tell you” (LGBT Health Education).

The assumptions of difference and sameness above, in and of themselves, might possess some level of validity; however, given the concept of intersectionality– the “interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating [non-discrete] overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage” (Oxford Dictionaries)–it is necessary to tread lightly about these assumptions. Case studies provide a demonstration of how individuals might belong simultaneously to a number of co-cultures such as “Julie,” who identifies as lesbian, Christian, white, middle-class, and American. These five traits form an “intersection” of “overlapping and interdependent systems” which confer privilege/advantage, or conversely in other cases, as we’ll next see, discrimination/disadvantage. Contrast Julie’s “intersection” to that of, “Vithu,” a Cambodian international student attending a US college (on a scholarship) who identifies as Pansexual, and is from a Cambodian Buddhist tradition though has converted to Christianity. The intersection of Vithu’s various co-cultures does not include the same power or social privilege as Julie’s intersection of being white, middle-class, American, and Christain, all aspects of our dominant culture. However, because Vithu is both a man and now has earned a Ph.D. in Engineering from Harvard University, he may, indeed, jump over Julie in crucial respects of social rank. While not a “competition,” these examples show how intersectionality is a dynamic theory that offers insight into how individuals are not easily defined by one culture (or co-culture) even when it dominates.

Samovar’s concepts of dominant culture and co-cultures, as well as intersectionality, challenge the validity of assumptions surrounding one’s view of co-cultures, whether those of others or one’s own. Samovar, et. al. (2017) defines dominant culture as:

Referring to a group of people as a culture…applying the term to the dominant culture found in most societies. In the United States, a variety of terms have been coined to represent this group, such as umbrella culture, mainstream culture, U.S. Americans, and Euro-Americans. We prefer to use dominant culture because it clearly indicates that the group we are referring to generally exercises the greatest influence on the beliefs, values, perceptions, communication patterns, and customs of the culture. A dominant group is characteristic of all cultures, and this collective of people possesses those instruments of power that allow it to set the broad societal agenda the majority of others will commonly follow. The power we are referring to does not necessarily reside in numerical dominance but in the ability to control the major institutions within the culture — governmental, educational, mass media, economic, military, religious, and the like. What a dominant cultural group uses as the basis of power (money, fear, the military, and such) may differ from culture to culture, but in every case, the group determines the political, economic, and social agenda. Regardless of the source of power, certain people within every culture possess and exercise disproportionate influence, and that influence is translated into how other members of the culture shape their lives (pp. 8-9).

Regarding the notion of co-cultures, Samovar et. al. (2017) explains that it is rash to make blanket generalizations and assumptions regarding difference or sameness as members of these groups so often tend to have overlapping memberships:

…within the dominant culture are numerous co-cultures and specialized cultures. We believe the best way to identify these groups is with the term co-culture, because it calls attention to the idea of dual membership. Therefore, we use co-culture when discussing groups or social communities exhibiting perceptions, values, beliefs, communicative behaviors, and social practices that are sufficiently different as to distinguish them from other groups and communities and from the dominant culture. Co-cultures may share many of the characteristics of the dominant culture, but their members also exhibit distinct and unique patterns of communication. Co-cultural affiliation can be based on ethnic heritage, gender, age cohort, sexual preference, or other criteria. What is important about all co-cultures is that being gay, disabled, Latino, African American, Chinese American, American Indian, female, young, or old, to name a few examples, exposes a person to a specialized set of messages that helps determine how some aspects of the external world are perceived. It also significantly influences how members of that co-culture communicate those perceptions (p. 9).

Hence, the vibrant LGBTQ co-culture includes a wide spectrum of members, to a lesser or greater aspect part of the dominant culture, and, as part of the LGBTQ co-culture, range from those who openly share nearly all aspects of themselves and their co-culture to those who still opt for “the closet” or who simply are as yet unsure if they are a member of this group.

Module 5: Improving Intercultural Communication Competence

What can you do to improve your skills, motivation, and knowledge?

Strategies to Use!

OutFront Minnesota Education provides educational training sessions and uses the following materials in the LGBTQ+ 101 & Intersectional Equity Training organized by Kelly Holstine, Director of Education Equity, in entirety, below:

Strategies to Increase Intersectional Equity

• Creating safe, respectful, and caring environments for every learner (help students & educators feel like they matter) & utilizing restorative practices
• Celebrating vulnerability, sharing authentic selves, and eliminating perspective gaps
• Advocating for the rights of people who are discriminated against
• Including diverse voices in the curriculum
• Engaging in courageous conversations to challenge prejudice and discrimination (including: owning and improving your own flaws and biases [explicit and implicit])
• Letting go of needing to be the “expert” and “in charge” (i.e, being open to asking questions and being curious instead of judgmental)
• Being aware of intention vs. impact
• Breaking down systems that are creating barriers

Equity = giving someone what they need to be successful

Strategies to increase LGBTQ+ Educational Equity

• Adding your pronouns to your email signature
• Not making assumptions when people tell you stories about their lives (e.g., pronouns, sexual orientations, genders, etc.)
• Introducing yourself with affirmed pronouns and using other people’s affirmed pronouns and names
• Using gender inclusive language (e.g., folks, humans, learners, etc.)
• Not gendering students in activities (e.g., having students line up by birthdays or last names instead of by gender identify)
• Speaking out against LGBTQ+ bullying and harassment (i.e., Immediately addressing the use of anti-
• LGBTQ+ language in schools, standing up for students when they are being discriminated against, etc.)
• Displaying posters and art that represent LGBTQ+ culture (e.g, symbols of support, Safe Space signs).
• Gender Unicorn posters, pictures of LGBTQ+ people, etc.)
• Having safe restroom access (e.g., gender neutral bathrooms, single stall/private bathrooms, supporting students to use whatever bathrooms make them feel safe)
• Recognizing families that are diverse in structure and using inclusive, non-gendered terms (e.g., parents, grown-ups, guardians, caregivers, etc.)
• Including LGBTQ+ voices and examples in the curriculum
• Starting/Supporting Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)
• Supporting laws and policies that support LGBTQ+ humans
• First day with students: read the student’s last name and ask what first name they would like you to use (create rosters with “Student Name” on first line and “Legal name [if different]” on the second line

Training Materials

The following videos are useful for training in a number of settings. These training materials are also used in Learning Objects for the class that are not able to be shared in this PressBook, please contact [e-mail] if you would like access to these.

Training Videos with Medical Scenarios

Care to the Trans* and Gender Non-Conforming Identified Patient

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE: “This video is one in a series created for nursing and healthcare educators for use in a variety of settings.”

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Mandala Center for Change

“We Are Here”
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE:“We Are Here” is an educational video focusing on transgender healthcare produced by Mandala Center for Change and Whaleheart Productions. Commissioned by Jefferson Healthcare, this video was a direct outcome of the Mandala Center’s Transgender Youth Legislative Theatre project and is being integrated as required training for local medical providers and support staff. The training video itself is 12 minutes long followed by credits and 3 minutes of Cast Interviews. www.mandalaforchange.com

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LGBT Healthcare Training Video: “To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am”

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE: “To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am”: New York City Health and Hospitals launched a mandatory employee training program that will improve access to healthcare for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and help to reduce health disparities related to sexual orientation and gender identification. The training will teach staff to provide respectful, patient-centered and culturally competent healthcare services to thousands of LGBT New Yorkers who are served by the public hospitals, community health centers and nursing homes every year. Find out more at www.nyc.gov/hhc .

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youtu.be/qsMxnXyTFc8

Education Related Videos and Resources

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE: The federal law known as Title IX is meant to protect students from discrimination based on their gender identity. But many gay, lesbian, and transgender students say they face an array of challenges and safety issues on their campuses. The Chronicle interviewed more than a dozen of them to hear more about what keeps them from thriving in college.

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High School

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE: “Imani and Ilayha are speaking out. And Teach For America is proud to support them. We believe that all kids should have access to a safe and affirming school environment. Unfortunately, many don’t right now. Did you know that LGBT youth are more than two times as likely as non-LGBT youth to say they have been verbally harassed, and twice as likely to say they have been physically assaulted, kicked or shoved at school? Worse yet, LGBT youth are more likely than non-LGBT youth to report that they do not have an adult they can talk to about personal problems. Teach For America refuses to let a student’s sexuality limit their opportunities for success. If you agree, speak up by signing and sharing our pledge. Our goal is 25,000 signatures by the time school starts this fall. Show our students that you want them to feel safe at school.”

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YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION QUOTED HERE: “Meet some of GLSEN’s student ambassadors. These LGBT high school students from across the United States share their experiences and talk about the impact GSAs, Day of Silence, and other GLSEN programs have made on their lives.”

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The Hetrick-Martin Institute is a non-profit organization that serves the needs of LGBT youth. GLAAD visited their location in downtown New York City and interviewed the LGBT young people about their experiences being bullied.

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Stories about LGBTQ+ Life Experiences around the World

This Is What LGBT Life Is Like Around the World | Jenni Chang and Lisa Dazols | TED Talks

As a gay couple in San Francisco, Jenni Chang and Lisa Dazols had a relatively easy time living the way they wanted. But outside the bubble of the Bay Area, what was life like for people still lacking basic rights? They set off on a world tour in search of “Supergays,” LGBT people who were doing something extraordinary in the world. In 15 countries across Africa, Asia and South America — from India, recently home to the world’s first openly gay prince, to Argentina, the first country in Latin America to grant marriage equality — they found the inspiring stories and the courageous, resilient and proud Supergays they had been looking for.

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Links to Education Related Topics

• www.chronicle.com/specialreport/Diversity-in-Academe-/11
• https://www.outfront.org/sites/default/files/OutFront%20LGBTQ%2B%20Resource%20Guide.pdf
• Toolkit for Ensuring Safe and Supportive Schools for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students
  • (9/27/17)Toolkit to help school districts and charter schools create policy/resources for transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
• https://thesafezoneproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/SZP-2hr-Curriculum-Facilitator-Guide.pdf
• https://www.rutgers.international/sites/rutgersorg/files/PDF/web_Rutgers%20GTA%20manual-module1-16.9.18.pdf
• The Effect of LGBT Resource Centers on Student
  Success & Engagement
• https://homopoly.eu/module-1-unit-2-coming-out-section-a-when-where-how
  • Videos Related to “Coming Out”:
    1. What LGBT students want you to know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-G4vA6TsX4
    2. ‘Ask me’: What LGBTQ students want their professors to know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnbnF8QAnsY
    3. Interview with LGBT high schoolers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haPXxFLQhJI
    4. High school senior comes out as LGBT while accepting award https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yILh_jMJv7k
    5. Teacher comes out of the closet with a rap song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFJVUV9-zFQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26rb-IXwbhA
    6. Morgana Bailey: The danger of hiding who you are (She comes out in her TED Talk) https://www.ted.com/talks/morgana_bailey_the_danger_of_hiding_who_you_are?referrer=playlist-on_coming_out
    7. Geena Rocero: Why I must come out (A Fashion model comes out in her TED Talk) https://www.ted.com/playlists/307/on_coming_out
    8. Elle Mills’ (the maker of fun genre-twisting YouTube videos) coming out story youtu.be/pDi7cezk9CA
    9. Coming Out & Dad’s Shocking Confession https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbDCl5pcpz0

Module 6:

Finally, Fast Facts, Timelines, and Additional Resources

Dig more deeply, learn more.

This case study area is one where you can gain more access to the communication of individuals of the co-culture, it is not a complete handbook on the co-culture. It can help you, though, to take a more in-depth look at relevant facts, events, and court decisions related to this co-culture. The following links can help you in your research:

• LGBTA+ Resources in Minnesota:
  • Advocacy:
    • https://www.outfront.org/
  • History:
    • https://libguides.mnhs.org/lgbtqrights
  • Legal Rights in Minnesota:
    • https://mn.gov/law-library/legal-topics/lgbt-rights.jsp
  • Demographics:
    • https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT&area=27#density
• PewResearch:
  • https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/13/5-key-findings-about-lgbt-americans/
• Timeline:
  • https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/lgbt-rights-milestones-fast-facts/index.html
• Additional Links of Interest
  • “When The Conversation Doesn’t Include You: LGBTQ+ Sex Ed In A Small Town” – NPR Podcast Phttps://www.npr.org/2019/04/01/706944327/when-the-conversation-doesnt-include-you-lgbtq-sex-ed-in-a-small-town

Works Cited
(*under construction)

Adult health. (2019, August 21). Retrieved May 1, 2020, from www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...h/hlv-20049421

Open Textbook Library. (2016). Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies. Minneapolis, MN.

Legal & Trans Justice. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://www.outfront.org/legal-trans...ans-law-health

Liszewski, W., Peebles, J. K., Yeung, H., & Arron, S. (2018, December 20). Persons of Nonbinary Gender – Awareness, Visibility, and Health Disparities. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6748626/

McLean, S. (2018). Intercultural Communication. Boston: Flat World.

National Center for Transgender Equality. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2020, from https://transequality.org/sites/defa...mary-Dec17.pdf

Originally published on 22 January, 2016. (2020, April 28). Do

Ask, Do Tell: Talking to your provider about being LGBT ” LGBT Health Education Center. Retrieved from http://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/publication/dadt/

Prepare to Care: A Planning Guide for Caregivers in the LGBT Community. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aar...-lgbt-aarp.pdf

Reid-Smith, T. (2020, January 24). Should I use LGBT, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTI, LGBTQIA or something else? Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/...omething-else/

Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, E. R., & Roy, C. S. (2017). Communication between cultures. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.