"Teaching" Diversity

[Trublu]

I put "teaching" in quotes because I don't know if it's possible to teach diversity, but I am running a workshop on it next weekend, so that was pretty close to what I'm getting at.

I'm running a workshop on diversity and acceptance next week for middle school kids, and since I know a few of you are in middle school, or are just starting high school, I thought I'd ask you what kind of information you wish you had, still want to know, or found out and think I should share with this crowd. I have a basic script from the camp that I'm working for that pretty much outlines what I should talk about, but I also wanted to get input from people who are living 'alternative', I'll call it, lives.

I know that there are a few things that I wish I knew in middle school / the beginning of high school, so I just wanted to see if you had any input.

[edwardjh]

Definitely dispel false rumours: one in particular is the "keep your backs to the wall" comment as if every gay person was a rapist - a bit off-topic but a funny observation related to this is that there seems to be a positive correlation between homophobes and ugliness, haha.

That's really the big'un right there.

Anyways, I wish you luck with it

[Trublu]

Mar 5, 2009 13:07:26 GMT -5 @edwardjh said:

Definitely dispel false rumours: one in particular is the "keep your backs to the wall" comment as if every gay person was a rapist - a bit off-topic but a funny observation related to this is that there seems to be a positive correlation between homophobes and ugliness, haha.

That's really the big'un right there.

Anyways, I wish you luck with it

I don't think I'll address that one in particular, unless they bring it up, as it's a bit adult in nature, but as for dispelling rumors in general, that sounds like a good idea.

[theKyra ღ]

hmm, I'd tell them to keep in mind that being gay can definitely be used against you -- bullying, in other words.

I've seen it happen, and it's actually pretty common in our neighborhood. :/ I wonder why. </sarcasm>

[edwardjh]

Mar 5, 2009 16:24:16 GMT -5 Trublu said:

I don't think I'll address that one in particular, unless they bring it up, as it's a bit adult in nature, but as for dispelling rumors in general, that sounds like a good idea.

Ack! Yeah... Just did research in the US school system: too young to address that, haha. Sorry about that - the UK school system is different so I was working on that basis