Gayness,Multicultural Education, and Community

Post #3

Shannon Holmes

by: Sellers, Maxine, and Lois Weis

Beyond Black and White



The authors argues that in our educational system, sexual orientation has been erased from text completely as if it doesnt exist. Schools in general do not adress the issue of gayness as a form of multi-culturalism. The authors think it should be part of our curriculum, such as learning about other races or cultures.



1) Techniques of normalizing and marginalization in education;

a) The erasure of gayness in the curriculum

b) The "closeting" and " witch hunting" of gay teachers.

c) Verbal and physical intimidation of gay teachers and students.

This shows three ways that gayness is not accepted in our educational system.



2)Normalizing text ( covering only those that fit into the norm in society) systematically excludes and neglects the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying.



Text books in our education system do not adress the topic of gayness even if for example a famous writer or scientist is gay. That part of his story would simply be left out and never mentioned.



3) The only place that homosexuality is mentioned is in health text, where it is associated with disease. Stating that " the first group in the U.S. diagnosed with A.I.D.S were male homosexuals.

This shows that the only time we are taught anything about the gay community it is a negative view that is presented.



I found this article tough to read at times and rather long. What i got out of it was that educators should be including gayness in their education along with the lessons given on topics like multi-culturalism.

One of my favorite paragraphs of this article was this one: " In the very least educators should involve young people in a discussion of gay identity within the context of a discussion of human rights in a democratic community and it may extend to a discussion of caring for others"