Many were shocked by the mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse, an LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer) nightclub. This tragedy had a devastating effect on gifted LGBTQ (G/LGBTQ) students. Long considered a non-issue in K-12 education, these youth have become visible enough that gifted educators must now consider implications of having them in their classrooms. There are six issues that may create a need for intense, personalized social/emotional support, and additional protections (Whittenburg & Treat, 2009).
With awareness comes change, and when teachers and administrators are conscious of the needs of G/LGBTQ students they can work to create a safe and welcoming environment where all students feel respected, understood, and nurtured.
A Response to the Six Social/Emotional Issues for G/LGBTQ Students By P. J. Sedillo, New Mexico Highlands University
Here are suggestions of what teachers can do to help address the six social/emotional issues for gifted LGBTQ (G/LGBTQ) students (Check first to see what’s allowable in your particular school/district):
Suggested Readings
Cohn, S.J. (2003). The gay gifted learner: Facing the challenge of homophobia and antihomosexual bias in schools. In J.A. Castellano (Ed.), Special populations in gifted education: Working with diverse gifted learners (pp. 123-149). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Cowan, T. (1997). Gay men & women who enriched the world. New Canaan, CT: Mulvey Books.
Katz, J. (1992). Gay American history: Lesbians and gay men in the USA: A documentary history. New York, NY: Plume.
National Association for Gifted Children. (2015). Supporting gifted students with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. [Position Statement]. Retrieved from www.nagc.org/sites/de fault/files/Position%20Statement/GLBTQ%20(sept%20 2015).pdf
Southern Poverty Law Center. (2013). Best practices: Creating an LGBT-inclusive school climate, a teaching tolerance guide for school leaders. Montgomery, AL: Author. Retrieved from www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/LGBT%20 Best%20Practices_0.pdf
References
Center for American Progress. (2010, June). On the Streets: The Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth. Retrieved from from www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/ news/2010/06/21/7980/gay-and-transgender-youth-homel essness-by-the-numbers
Southern Poverty Law Center. (2013). Best practices: Creating an LGBT-inclusive school climate, a teaching tolerance guide for school leaders. Montgomery, AL: Author. Retrieved from www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/LGBT%20Best%20Practices_0.pdf
Whittenburg, B., & Treat, A. R. (2009). Shared characteristics of gifted and sexually diverse youth. In N.L. Hafenstein & J.A. Castellano (Eds.), Perspectives in gifted education,volume 5: Diverse gifted learners. Denver, CO: University of Denver.
Permission Statement
Copyright 2016 NAGC. Reprinted with permission of the National Association for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org. No further reprints are permitted without the consent of NAGC.
This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit www.DavidsonGifted.org.
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