Modern Families: Incorporating LGBTQ+ families in the classroom community

These Queer Issues Symposium (TQIS) aims to help ally’s, leaders, teachers and admin in supporting the wellness of LGBTQ+ folks. This can help teachers with LGBTQ+ children, and understanding queer family needs or their value to the classroom. Participants will leave feeling empowered to create a welcoming environment for their queer students or employees, and armed with having tools to support their queer family and friends. with resources for ensuring more queer representation in the classroom; tangible ways in which to support queer families; and deeper understanding of queer issues and concerns (current terminology, notable history, and current concerns).

Need a different Workshop?

Be on the look out for:

• Stages of Sexual Identity Development: Why do some people know they are queer and some do not? How and why do some people need to “Come Out”?

The stages from exploration of sexuality awareness, preferences, expression to the commitment of one’s sexual identities are explained and discussed in this lecture

• Sex, Sexuality and Gender: Breaking Down the Differences

An introduction to the rainbow, with topics including sexuality development and gender identity or expression. A deep dive into what the gender and sexuality spectrum look like and how they intersect.

• Parent Seminar: Understanding the LGBTQ+ child’s identity development and resources for the family

Long before a person comes out, they may go through several stages of identity development. For a child , acknowledging or understanding their sexuality and gender may be affected by biological factors and social stigmas they are subjected to. Parents may want to help guide them but not know how. This interactive lecture helps with that.

• Stigma and Discrimination

If you have never understood how internalized homophobia is formed, what exactly it means to be part of a stigmatized group, and how that creates discrimination, then this lecture is for you.

• Allyship and Advocacy: A Welcoming Schools Approach

This presentation discusses the differences between an ally, an advocate, and how students and faculty can be either or both. The best practices for supporting gender and sexual minority groups will be presented and discussed as a group. An inventory self-check list will be presented for creating a safe and inclusive space.

• Seeing the Rainbow: Addressing Bias and Prejudice

An exploration of how bias forms, how it creates minority stress. A discussion on what minority stress looks like in a school district for both students and faculty, and how bias can unknowingly add to systemic oppressive practices. A voluntary self-assessment, which will not be shared with anyone, will be given to aid in their self-reflection process and make this invisible thinking process more visible.