When I came out as non-binary, I was met with many, many reactions. Some people said, “Ok” and that was it. Other people said things like, “Have you not decided on a gender yet?”; “How are you not a boy or girl?”; “Are you a mutant?” and “That’s really weird.”
Most of these questions I was prepared to answer. Sometimes I even found the questions amusing. But I really think more people should be educated on the subject–especially if the numbers of people coming out have grown generation by generation.
Seeing that so many people are coming out as LGBTQ+ or being allies makes me think that people need to be better educated on the subject, especially since so many young people are suffering. Data show that approximately 20 percent to 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT. So many young people are kicked out and shunned from their homes and families because they don’t fit the norm.
At my school, we have a thirty-minute “flex” class where we learn about bullying, vaping, drugs, and other health and safety issues, but we learn the exact same thing every year. I think this time could also be used for things like educating people about the LGBTQ+ community. Even if schools don’t have a thirty-minute flex class like mine, I feel schools could still find somewhere in their schedule to educate people on this subject.
Some may argue that schools need to use all their time to teach students the regular curriculum or parents may say that they don’t want their children learning about the LGBTQ+ community. In some states, they are trying to pass “No Promo Homo” laws to specifically ensure issues about LGBTQ+ students are not addressed in school. But by not discussing the community, students can feel like their school doesn’t care or ignores that part of their identity.
One student I spoke with who is closeted described the social stigma of trying to find support among peers. “There’s one morning club for LGBTQ+ but people talk about it badly, like ‘Oh they were at gay club.’ I think [we just need to find] a way to tell people it’s okay to be who you are even though people say stuff.”
Gay/Trans students can’t even go to a club to make themselves feel safe and supported without other students talking to them. It’s especially hard for students who are in the closet to be able to go to a designated safe space without basically outing themselves. And I know students and a family member who were treated differently by their peers when they came out because so many people have very little knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community.
When I came out, I was worried about other students treating me differently. I’ve definitely had my fair share of homophobic peers and situations, but I would say once I’ve educated someone on the subject more, they really don’t care that I’m non-binary. If we just got schools to teach students even a little bit about the LGBTQ+ community, it could have such a positive impact on all the students that identify as LGBTQ+ and there would be less bullying and homophobia towards these students.
According to a poll from the American Survey Center, Americans increasingly support a more inclusive approach to teaching about LGBTQ+ issues in school. Fifty-seven percent of Americans believe that high school social studies and history textbooks should include references to the gay rights movement. If so many people agree that LGBTQ+ history needs to be taught in school, how come nothing has changed?
Even the smallest amount of knowledge can change someone’s views on the situation.
Schools need to teach even a little bit about the LGBTQ+ community. Even the smallest amount of knowledge can change someone’s views on the situation. A person who wasn’t very educated on the LGBTQ+ community asked me how I could not be male or female. I was obviously stressed in this situation because I knew this person wasn’t educated on this topic, but after explaining it, they were super accepting.
With a little bit of knowledge, we can make generations more accepting, lessen homophobia in schools, and ensure people can feel more comfortable with their identity. With the number of young people coming out each year growing, this world needs to be accepting and ready for them. Schools should be safe for all students, and that’s why I think we really need to require our schools to teach about the LGBTQ+ community.
Georgie Farmer is a part of the Kentucky Student Voice Team and Young Authors Greenhouse’s Education Justice Writing Cohort. They are an 8th grade student at John W. Bate Middle School in Danville.
