Speaking the Unspeakable in forbidden places: addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, equality, in primary school

Whenever we think of schools, what first came to our head is, “...place of safety and innocence; a place where children is both natured and sheltered…” (Alexandra Allan). When the school becomes this secure, sexuality becomes monitored and prohibited, where students aren’t able to express themselves. I remember there was a gay student in high school, and other students dislike the fact that he was gay and they fought him. The teachers did break the fight but did not help prevent any bullying upon students who were gay or has sexuality difference. They did not hold any assembly to talk about sexuality or bullying. This alleged that sexuality probably was prohibited in that school or as Alexandra Allan and the rest of the authors has stated, “...identities are made absent in one sense through the fact that they are not addressed in formal school contexts...”

I like how this article uses a fairytale to help introduce sexuality identities to children. The experiment was successful, and the children did understand that even princes or princesses don’t have to marry a prince or a princess. With the quote, “...he has to meet all these princesses but doesn't want to marry any of them...” (Alexandra Allan) it makes me think twice on what the prince really wants. Some of the questions that came up when I was reading about Cindy’s experiment are what if the prince is gay? Or the princess is lesbian? Is it alright? According to Cindy, it is OK that princes and princesses have a different sexual identity. Not everyone have an identical identity.  I agree with Allan’s statement, “...teachers should take responsibility for helping pupils to recognize sexuality and thereby work towards greater social justice” (Alexandra Allan).

The problem of sexuality that people had while growing up in heterosexuality society is trying to fit in. Due to confusion, and anxiety, kids would feel different. Do to their differences, kids were bullied and ignored by most teachers and the school’s staffs. I believed that a child growing up with identity difference, being bullied and ignored can cause them to become corrupted in the future. More likely, I believed that some even commits suicide and it’s what all adults should help prevent.

On the other hand, I dislike how sets of books on sexuality were “unpacked on staffroom tables [in schools] and left for teachers to browse at their leisure” (Alexandra Allan). Children should be introduce to sexuality as soon as possible so, as they grow up, they should have a clear understanding of identity difference that would help prevent future chaos and decrease bullying. Relating to “Privilege, Power and Difference” by Allan G. Johnson, the teacher are the ones who have power over the children while the principles having the power over the teachers. In this case, it was the principles’ duty to enforce the learning of “LGBT” (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) and the uses of LGBT books. But I don’t blame them because it wasn’t their fault that their society is probably made up of heterosexual people or the principle grew up knowing heterosexual themselves.  

A question that pop up in my head are: what would you do if you were told by the school board to teach a few class about LGBT in your school and knowing that as the principle, most of your children comes from heterosexual background and most of their parents already made voices notifying not to teach of LGBT in school?

Bibliography

Alexandra Allan, Elizabeth Atkinson, Elizabeth Brace, Renee Deplama. "Sex Education." Speaking the Unspeakable in forbidden places:addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, equality, in primary school August 2008: 315-328.

Johnson, Allan G. "Privilege, Power, and Difference." 2001: VII-35.