AAPI SPECIFIC RESOURCES GENDER DYSPHORIA INTERSEX LATINX SPECIFIC RESOURCES LGBTQ+ TERMINOLOGY
MENTAL HEALTH & SUPPORT SERVICES RELIGIOUS RESOURCES SUPPORT FOR PARENTS SUPPORTIVE GROUP MEETINGS TRANS ATHLETES COMPETING IN SPORTS
RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS
The California Department of Education, in response to direction from the state legislature (AB 493), has developed a resource site for schools and districts. This site offers a wealth of information regarding supporting LGBTQ+ students, including specific supports broken down by region. Particularly helpful are the explanations and FAQs regarding “Laws Related to Supporting LGBTQ+ Students.” You will find a referral to Kinder Future on the state’s website HERE.
ANTI-BULLYING
How to intervene and what to say to “that’s so gay” and other hurtful comments:
https://welcomingschools.org/resources/stop-thats-so-gay-anti-lgbtq-comments
INCLUSIVE CURRICULUMS
California Education Code has outlined that part of our responsibility as educators is that we no longer ignore the existence of LGBTQ+ individuals and identities at school. SB 48, the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act, includes LGBT Americans in a list of diverse identities to be included in curriculum, particularly as related to historical contributions. The California Healthy Youth Act requires that all instructional and non-instructional materials, K–12, be inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ people.
Below you will find great resources for lesson plans and literature for all grade levels, including read alouds. For non-instructional materials, think health and mental health information in nurses’ and counselors’ offices, flyers promoting your school’s LGBTQ and Ally peer support club, or GSA (“Gay, Straight, Alliance”), and inclusive forms (e.g. “family,” “caregivers” or “guardian” instead of “mom and dad” and “student” as opposed to “boy or girl,” etc.).
Inclusivity Self Evaluation Tools - Fabulous resources for school staff and administrators to self evaluate, analyze their school environment, learn inclusive and equitable practices, and find answers for responding to concerns and questions from the community.
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/publications/best-practices-for-serving-lgbtq-students
Elementary - A teachers’ guide to LGBTQ+ inclusive ELA instruction in elementary school:
https://www.tcpress.com/reading-the-rainbow-9780807759332
Elementary - Lesson plans for elementary age students based on LGBTQ+ inclusive literature:
https://welcomingschools.org/resources/lesson-plans-lgbtq-inclusive
Elementary - Lesson plans focused mainly on kindness/anti-bullying and identity:
https://www.glsen.org/activity-list?program=All&type=92&topic=All&issue=All&grade=All
K-12 - Welcoming Schools provides a variety of useful lesson plans by topic. Primarily focused on elementary grades, you can also find lesson plans for secondary schools by going to resources/secondary. The link to lesson plan categories is below:
http://www.welcomingschools.org/resources/lesson-plans/
Secondary - Learning for Justice, formerly Teaching Tolerance, has excellent History and Social Science lesson plans, as well as some Reading and Language Arts. Searchable index here:
https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/lessons?keyword=LGBT
LGBTQ History – Our Families Coalition has created and maintains an Educator’s Guide for Teaching LGBTQ+ History. Their guide along with links to other helpful resources may found HERE.
LGBTQ+ LITERATURE & READ ALOUDS
Picture Books - Extensive list of LGBTQ inclusive and diverse picture books for young children and early elementary listed with descriptions and age range. https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/WS-Booklist-012121.pdf?mtime=20210121172249&focal=none
Middle Grades - Extensive list of diverse and LGBTQ+ inclusive books for middle grade students. Books include diverse families and ‘who you love’ topics and are listed with descriptions and age ranges. https://assets2.hrc.org/welcoming-schools/documents/WS_LGBTQ_Inclusive_Middle_Grade_Books_-_Family.pdf
Secondary - HRC’s Welcoming Schools curated booklists for middle and high school students includes lists for inclusive classrooms, preventing biased based bullying, supporting transgender and nonbinary students, and more. https://welcomingschools.org/resources/secondary-booklists
Elementary - Teachers can request free LGBTQ+ children’s literature from Pride and Less Prejudice. Check out their titles with descriptions HERE.
Elementary - Gender Nation donates to entire school districts from this great list of LGBTQ books for elementary school children. Check out their reading lists and request books for your district HERE.
Young Adult - Make It Safe Project donates LGBTQ+ themed Young Adult fiction and non-fiction books to schools, homeless shelters and detention centers. See their book list HERE.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS’ STATEMENTS ON LGBTQ STUDENTS
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
"School psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity for the development and expression of their personal identity in a school climate that is safe, accepting, and respectful of all persons and free from discrimination, harassment, violence, and abuse."
National Education Association
The National Education Association firmly stands up for LGBTQ+ students. Education and advocacy resources are available through NEA’s Just and Equitable Schools and their advocacy page on EdJustice. They also curate a Toolkit for Educators at this NEA LGBTQ+ Resources page.
The American School Counselor Association
“School counselors promote equal opportunity and respect for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. School counselors recognize the school experience can be significantly more difficult for students with marginalized identities. School counselors work to eliminate barriers impeding LGBTQ student development and achievement.”
American Psychological Association
"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists affirm that same-sex sexual and romantic attractions, feelings, and behaviors are normal and positive variations of human sexuality regardless of sexual orientation identity; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists affirm that diverse gender expressions, regardless of gender identity, and diverse gender identities, beyond a binary classification, are normal and positive variations of the human experience... "
National Association of Secondary School Principals
"Purpose: To affirm support for the rights, safety, and identity of all LGBTQ+ students, educators, and school leaders; acknowledge historic marginalization and institutional bias associated with LGBTQ+ individuals; state the association’s opposition to legislation and policies that discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals; and provide recommendations for federal, state, and local policymakers and school leaders on how to better support LGBTQ+ students and educators in the K–12 education system."
RESPONDING TO CONCERNS
For teachers and administrators regarding how to think about inclusive curriculums and how to respond to concerns.
https://www.welcomingschools.org/resources/research/responding-to-concerns/
Gender Spectrum has created some very useful tools for responding to concerns from parents and the community about transgender students and teaching about gender at school:
"Responding to Concerns: Transgender Students"
"Responding to Concerns: Teaching about Gender"