Gender and Sexuality in Education

It is important to be aware of up-to-date definitions of terminology regarding gender and sexuality. The Day of Silence is a day at schools wherein students and faculty remain silent all day in order to raise awareness of the bullying and discrimination LGBTQ (an acronym which stands for lesbian, gay, transgender, and queer) people face every day (Slesaransky-Poe 41). Gender identity refers to the internal sense a person has of being a girl, a boy, somewhere in between, a combination of the two, or neither at all. It is a spectrum, rather than a strict binary as has been believed in the past. Being transgender can refer to a “wide range of identities” and “includes those whose gender assigned at birth does not match their gender identity or expression” (Slesaransky-Poe 42). Sexual orientation is about who a person is attracted to, whether sexually, romantically, or emotionally (Slesaransky-Poe 4). Finally, homophobia refers to prejudice against homosexual people.

The two most important values that result from a school supporting a gay-straight alliance organization are a sense of inclusion and agency and an improved “ability to accomplish goals” (Poteat 12). My own theory on why schools that have gay-straight alliances have lower truancy rates and less drug use even among students that are not members of the alliance is connected to the general sense of solidarity and belonging among the student body. When students support each other in a gay-straight alliance and take bullying and prejudice seriously, it affects the environment of the entire school and lets everyone know that people will look out for one another. This means students are more likely to stay in school and enjoy their time there, especially when students in gay-straight alliances report being able to better accomplish their goals, both social and academic (Poteat 12).

Three roles or functions in which the GSA adult advisor can get involved are “link[ing] students to larger community networks,” giving LGBTQ students a voice in cases of discrimination and bullying and providing support for students who may be dealing with difficulties at home, at school, or with mental health (Poteat 12). I believe these roles are important for students and that SDA academies should be open to sponsoring or allowing Gay-Straight Alliances on their campuses. It benefits LGBTQ students and the entire student body. GSA organizations spread awareness of different sexualities and gender identities which helps people be educated and therefore less prejudiced against them.

In the short documentary, Widmers, there were a couple of instances that changed my cognitive thinking about the attitude toward transgender people in SDA communities. One was the minister's wife saying that she did not like how the statement from the church her husband received referred to transgender people as “a phenomenon” (Watchfire Films 4:28). I thought this was interesting and reassuring because it showed her belief that transgender people are still people and not some sort of rare curiosity that only just started occurring. The other example that challenged my thinking was when the minister referred to being transgender as an “anomaly” in the brain, just like mental illness (Watchfire Films 6:28). I'm sure this was not his intent, but I have realized how important language is when discussing LGTBQ issues and believe it is essential that being transgender is not likened to any sort of illness. It is not some sort of mental illness like schizophrenia that medication can “fix”—it is a person's identity.

The film also influenced my emotions. I was at first a bit upset at Teagan's parents when they were expressing how much they struggled with their daughter coming out as transgender toward the beginning of the film. However, I now realize it is important for them to express this as it is probably something many parents go through when they aren't familiar with the transgender experience. Another example of my feelings being affected is the moment when Teagan's mother is talking about getting through the loss of her son and being able to welcome her daughter with open arms and an open heart. It was heartwarming to hear both parents openly accepting their child, despite not understanding what Teagan is going through, and despite their religion often preaching otherwise.

There were several points where I was spiritually impressed. I was happy to hear the minister, though he struggled with how to handle the discrepancies between his personal feelings and the attitudes of his church, say that Jesus did indeed welcome all into his group, no matter how different. I also appreciate his response to the statement the SDA church gave about transgender people and his criticism that since they didn't have much knowledge on the subject, they probably shouldn't be taking a strong stance against it.

In Emily Quinn's TED Talk about biological sex, she makes several very excellent points about the binary of biological sex that society has created. She posits that biological sex, just like gender identity and expression, exists on a spectrum, and are influenced by many different biological factors: hormones, hormone response, chromosomes, and more (Quinn 21). She says, astutely, that the shame some people feel about their bodies is because other people try to put them in a box in which they, and in fact, nobody, actually fits. She brings up the discrimination, the emotional and bodily harm, many intersex people go through because of pressures and unrealistic standards enforced by such a strict binary. Some examples of this are unnecessary surgeries, harassment, and the erasure of their identities (Quinn 29). As Quinn states, these can be avoided with awareness and education of how much biological sex really varies, just like any other aspect of a person.

In Jim Roy's short article, he discusses the phrase that God “hates sin but loves the sinner,” which is often quoted as “hates the sin but loves the sinner.” The first “the” implies that God and His followers are “critical, blaming, and even coercive” (Roy 15). It paints the phrase as judgmental and only tolerant of the proverbial sinner. I really liked that Roy describes his interpretation of the phrase as meaning God loves the sinner but hates sin because it causes troubles for us, causes us suffering and makes things more difficult for all of us—it distances us from God and this causes Him pain, to see us in pain.

Works Cited

Poteat, V. Paul. “Gay-Straight Alliances: Promoting Student Resilience and Safer School Climates.” American Educators, 2016. 

Quinn, Emily, director. The Way We Think About Biological Sex Is Wrong. TED Talk, Nov. 2018, www.ted.com/talks/emily_quinn_the_way_we_think_about_biological_sex_is_wrong#t449. 

Roy, Jim. “Religion and The Only Person I Can Control.” The Better Plan, 5 July 2015, thebetterplan.org/2015/07/05/religion-and-the-only-person-i-can-control/. 

Slesaransky-Poe, Graciela. “Adults Set the Tone for Welcoming All Students.” Kappan, Feb. 2013, pp. 40–44. 

Widmers. Watchfire Films, 2017.