GLSEN NORTHEAST OHIO MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER FOR ALL STUDENTS NATIONAL AND LOCAL RESOURCES 2021 Questions: Reach out to GLSEN Northeast Ohio Co-Chairs Karen Tollafield - ktollafi@kent.edu Gary DiBianca - [email protected] Resources for Educators, Parents, and Youth Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC 24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People This CDC Site under Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health is a great list of the resources for LGBT Youth, Parents, and Educators: http://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth-resources.htm GLSEN Resources www.glsen.org – All of GLSEN’s Research, Lesson Plans, & even the Safe Space Kit can be downloaded here free of charge https://www.glsen.org/chapter/northeast-ohio WWW.GLSEN.ORG/RESEARCH RESEARCH AND LATEST CLIMATE SURVEY WWW.GLSEN.ORG/POLICY MODEL POLICIES 2019 Safe-Space Kit: https://www.glsen.org/activity/glsen-safe-space-kit-solidarity-lgbtq-youth NEW: RESPECT FOR ALL – RECOMMENDATIONS SCHOOL LEADERS AND DISTRICTS: https://www.glsen.org/article/respect-all-policy-recommendations-support-lg btq-students ACLU Open Letters: https://www.aclu.org/aclu-open-letters-schools-rights-lgbt-students Local Resources for Parents and Youth PFLAG: Parents, Families, Friends, and Allies United with LGBTQ People to Move Equality Forward - www.pflag.org Local Chapters in Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown & Kent OutSupport Medina: Medina-based Support for Trans people and families http://outsupport.org/ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland: http://www.lgbtcleveland.org/ Offers a variety of youth programs, counseling, and general interest groups/support CANAPI: Community AIDS Network & Akron Pride Initiative: www.canapi.org TransFamily: Cleveland-based - www.transfamily.org TransALIVE: Akron-based - http://www.transfamily.org/events/akron-meetings TransOhio: http://www.transohio.org/ Bellefaire JCB – LGBT Outreach: email: [email protected] Resources about Suicide Prevention www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ - Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 www.thetrevorproject.org – The Trevor Project – LGBT Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386 www.afsp.org – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.save.org – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education www.translifeline.org/ - The Trans Lifeline:1- 877-565-8860 Curricula, Lesson Plans and Education www.glsen.org – All of GLSEN’s Research, Lesson Plans, & the Safe Space Kit can be downloaded here free of charge www.nonamecallingweek.org – No Name-Calling Week lessons for all ages www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com – Language awareness campaign https://www.learningforjustice.org/– Learning for Justice formerly Teaching Tolerance is a site devoted to the development of educational resources www.aclu.org – American Civil Liberties Union www.facinghistory.org – Facing History - Curricula and Programs through facing adversity www.niot.org – Not In Our Town Diversity Program www.adl.org – Anti-Defamation League www.glaad.org – Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation League www.itgetsbetter.org - It Gets Better Project BOOKS FOR YOUTH: http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award - American Library Association Stonewall Book Awards (includes all winners from 1971-present) http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/popularresources/children - The American Library Association lists books for younger children http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/ - Rainbow Book List (ALA GLBT Round Table Committee) GLSEN Northeast Ohio – Getting the Language Right!!! VISIT THIS DOCUMENT: GLSEN NORTHEAST OHIO’S REFERENCE LIST FOR LGBTQ+ LANGUAGE: EXPLORING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PJgKnun_7tkNzXFH1WwFW7Qb0E7j gmCOLJk1hqTPyl0/edit?usp=sharing The DOs and Don’ts of helping be better advocates for LGBTQ+ students DON’T • Think you have to have all of the answers • Make unrealistic promises • Make assumptions • Ignore anti-LGBTQ bullying, harassment, and language DO • Listen to students • Respect confidentiality • Use inclusive and gender-neutral language * • Be conscious of your biases ** • Seek out knowledge • Be a resource as an ally/advocate or refer out • Respond to Anti-LGBTQ behavior • Include positive representations of LGBTQ+ people, history, & events in course content and an inclusive health education program HOW TO INTERVENE IN NAME-CALLING, BULLYING AND HARASSMENT Follow these steps when you witness anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying or harassment: 1. Address Name-Calling, Bullying or Harassment Immediately. 2. Name the Behavior. 3. Use the Teachable Moment (or Create One). 4. Support the Targeted Student. 5. Hold Students Accountable. HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT’S SO GAY Possible Responses: • “What do you mean by that?” • How do you think a gay person might feel? • Do you say that as a compliment? • So the connotations are negative? • So maybe it’s not a good thing? BE A PART OF THE CHANGE AND JOIN THE GLSEN NORTHEAST OHIO WORKING BOARD WE MEET THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 7:30-9:00 email [email protected] PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO GLSEN NORTHEAST OHIO TO MOVE OUR MISSION FORWARD - https://www.glsen.org/chapter/northeast-ohio RECOMMENDATIONS TO ASSURE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING STUDENTS ABOVE ALL: · IT IS OUR JOB AS THE SCHOOL AND DISTRICT TO KEEP “THIS ONE” STUDENT SAFE AND SUPPORTED. IT IS NOT ABOUT THE OTHER STUDENTS!!! · Use correct names and personal pronouns according to a student’s self-identification / Talk with student about identification at home · Respect a student’s confidentiality by never disclosing a student’s gender non-conformity or being transgender (or sexual orientation) to a student’s parents unless the student consents · Allow students to dress according to their gender identity (assure that dress code policies are gender non-conforming and not only “male” or only “female”) · Provide opportunities for sports, gym classes and other gender segregated activities based on a student’s gender identity and not only their sex assigned at birth · Assure all students have access to gender appropriate restrooms; meaning they are permitted to use a restroom based on their self-identification · Provide access to Gender-Neutral restrooms (ie single-stall bathrooms that are identified as Gender-Neutral) · Provide appropriate accommodations to locker room spaces: o -use of a private area within public area o -a separate change schedule o -use of a nearby private area o -satisfying of the PE requirement by independent study out of school hours · Assure that a school curriculum and school resources have positive role models and access to accurate information with regard to Trans* and LGBQ people/issues and an inclusive health and sex-ed curriculum These best practices are not just from GLSEN. There are statements, resources, and best practices from: -ACSC: American School Counselor Association -NASP: National Association of School Psychologists -NEA: National Education Association Great Document: Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools at www.genderspectrum.org.