Exploring LGBTQ History Summary Throughout History, LGBTQ People Have Overcome Adversity
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Live Out Loud is a nonprofit organization committed to connecting LGBTQ students with positive role models from our community. For more in- formation about our resources and programs, visit us online at www.LiveOutLoud.info or email [email protected] Lesson Plan 4 Our Story Is Your Story: Exploring LGBTQ History Summary Throughout history, LGBTQ people have overcome adversity. Because students have now explored both their identity (Lesson Two, Born This Way: Developing a Positive Identity) and some of the obstacles they may face because of their identity (Lesson Three, That’s So Gay!: Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism), this les- son will help students to realize that LGBTQ people have a long history of celebrating their identity and over- coming obstacles. When youth act for LGBTQ causes, they are not “reinventing the wheel.” LGBTQ activists stand in a long tradition of fighting for civil rights. Goals • Students will learn that they stand in a long tradition of LGBTQ people fighting for civil rights. • Students will be shown that they are not alone when they act on behalf of the LGBTQ community. Objectives • Students will discuss major events in LGBTQ history. • Students will learn about the people who have shaped LGBTQ history. • Students will observe patterns in LGBTQ history. Supplies Needed • Timeline cards (see “Resources” on page 5) • Large paper for brainstorming activity • Index cards Session Outline As always, start the session by reinforcing the ground rules of your group – boundaries you have set to ensure that youth feel safe to talk openly with each other. For example: • Keep the conversation door closed – everything said in this room stays in this room. • Respect the person who is talking – listen to what they say until they’re done saying it. • Understand that everyone’s opinion is valid – we don’t all have to think the same things. • Don’t dump on people’s ideas – it’s fine to disagree, as long as you disagree respectfully. WWW.LIVEOUTLOUD.INFO PAGE 1 Warm Up: Remembering Our History (10 minutes) Begin by asking students to brainstorm a list of people and events related to LGBTQ history. Ask students to think specifically about things that have happened in their lifetime related to LGBTQ rights and/or visibility. Write their responses on either a blackboard or on large sheets of paper. Now ask students to think specifically about things that happened before they were born. Continue by listing events that happened before students’ lifetimes. Ask students to discuss how the events they’ve listed have impacted the everyday lives of LGBTQ people. As you review the list, discuss patterns in the responses: • What patterns do you see in students’ responses? Do the events students listed represent positive change, tragedy, growth, freedom, repression, etc.? • What types of events/people does students seem to know the most about (media, politics, personal lives of celebrities, etc.)? • How far back do students’ knowledge of LGBTQ history go? • During what time period do your students know the most or perceive the most happened? Why do you think this is? Give each student an index card. Ask them to write the name of an LGBTQ person or historical event that resonates with them/their experiences on the card. This card will be used later in the lesson. Reflection: We Are All One (2 minutes) Remind students that LGBTQ people have a long history of celebrating their identity and overcoming obsta- cles. When we act for change in our homes, schools, churches, and communities, we stand in a long tradition of fighting for civil rights. Share the following quote with your students: “We are all one. And if we don’t know it, we will learn it the hard way.” (Bayard Rustin, LGBTQ rights activist, 1912-1987) Role Model (15 minutes) Live Out Loud connects LGBTQ youth and their allies with role models from the LGBTQ community. Today’s role model will share aspects of LGBTQ history as they relate to his/her story of living as an LGBTQ person. Encourage the role model to spend time before the meeting researching figures from LGBTQ history who have impacted their life and may impact the lives of students. For example, ask the role model to be ready to speak about a figure from LGBTQ history who made it possible for them to work or live as they do. What person or event from LGBTQ history inspires them? How can the role model insert this aspect of history into their personal story? The following questions can serve as a guide: 1. What information about the LGBTQ community and its history were you aware of when you came out? 2. Would it have been helpful for you to know more about LGBTQ history when you came out? What events, people, etc. would you like to have known about? 3. Did a specific event inspire you to “come out”? 4. How have you learned about LGBTQ history? What has made you want to know more about LG- BTQ history? 5. What figures from LGBTQ history have made it possible for you to work or live as you do (think about your profession, hobbies, and passions)? What person or event from LGBTQ history inspires you? WWW.LIVEOUTLOUD.INFO PAGE 2 6. Why is it important for LGBTQ and allied people to know LGBTQ history? Is it important for straight people to know LGBTQ history? Why? 7. What moments/events that have occurred in your lifetime really resonated with you and informed who you are today? It’s important that students don’t simply listen to the role model’s story, but also become engaged in the con- versation. Provide the following questions for the role model to ask students as a conclusion to his/her presen- tation: 1. Where or from whom have you learned about LGBTQ history? This information is not readily avail- able in school, so how does it get passed along? (consider mentioning 2011 California legislation that made California the first state in the nation to add lessons about LGBTQ people to public schools’ social studies curriculum. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/california- gay-histo- ry-law-jerry-brown_n_898745.html) 2. What people or events from LGBTQ history inspire you? 3. Why is it important for LGBTQ and allied people to know LGBTQ history? Is it important for straight people to know LGBTQ history? Why? 4. What do you think we can do to make LGBTQ history more available? Action: Collective Timeline (20 minutes) Distribute “LGBTQ History Timeline” cards to the group (see “Resources” on page 5). Be sure the back of each card includes a brief description of the event. Challenge students to put the cards in the correct chrono- logical order. • As students order the cards, encourage conversation about the events. • Ask students if they are surprised by any events – how recent they are, how long ago they hap- pened, or in what order the come. Note: If students aren’t familiar with some of these events and have a difficult time completing the timeline, give them “hints” by reading the description of the event (minus relevant dates). Encourage students to use the context of the description to place the events in the correct order. 1969 Stonewall 1972 Sweden becomes first country to allow transgender people to legally change their sex 1973 Homosexuality removed from DSM-II (The DSM is the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” a resource published by the American Psychiatric Association that is used to classify mental disorders.) 1974 First openly gay American elected to public office 1974 Bisexual Forum is founded 1977 Gaysweek (1st weekly gay newspaper in NYC, 1977-1979, also 1st to be owned by an African American) 1977 Harvey Milk elected 1982 Formation of GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) 1983 LGBTQ Center formation 1985 GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation formed) 1987 Formation of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) 1990 Deborah Glick became the 1st openly gay member of the State House of Representatives 1997 Under Mayor Guiliani, NYC recognizes municipal domestic partnerships 2002 Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act was passed 2003 First openly-gay ordained bishop 2003 Lawrence v. Texas 2010 Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell 2011 Marriage Equality Bill passes in NY state WWW.LIVEOUTLOUD.INFO PAGE 3 After the timeline is constructed, add the following events which are directly relevant to high school students. 1988 1st GSA 2001 Live out Loud was created! 2009 Glee premieres 2010 Candace McMillen sues her high school 2010 It Gets Better project Ask students if there are other events that are relevant to their lives they would like to add to the timeline. Consider using events from opening activity. Assignment Ask students to chose one of these events and research a person that was pivotal to its success (Dan Savage/ It Gets Better, etc.). Research this person to find how they used their passions and skills to make the LGBTQ community (and its causes) more visible. Tell students to be ready to present this information at the next meet- ing. Every week Live Out Loud spotlights an LGBTQ role model on our Facebook page. Tell students to send infor- mation about their LGBTQ history heroes to [email protected] and we’ll feature them on our Facebook page! (https://www.facebook.com/lgbtliveoutloud) Resources on following pages... WWW.LIVEOUTLOUD.INFO PAGE 4 LGBTQ History Timeline Cards Cut out the following cards and fold on the center line to create the front/back cards you need for the Collective Timeline activity. Front Back FOLD Stonewall Riots (1969) A police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, an NYC neighborhood known for CUT Stonewall Riots its high population of LGBTQ people, set off a series of CUT random and violent demonstrations on June 28, 1969.