1 14 th Annual Northern California Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Educator Conference Building A Community of Allies: Students Empowered about Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation and Family Configuration Lynn Bravewomon, Coordinator Lynn Bravewomon, Coordinator HUSD Safe and Inclusive Schools Program HUSD Safe and Inclusive Schools Program

2 Group Agreements  Stay engaged  Expect the discomfort that accompanies learning  Step up and step back  Expect and accept non-closure

3 Introduction Student Experience Definitions Laws and Policies Academic Language for all to Use: Health Standards Be a Vocal Ally: intervention Skills Being a Visible Ally Educator School Wide Events

4 Student Experience: Recent Tragedies Billy Lucas, 15: Indiana on Sept. 9th Cody Barker, 17: Wisconsin on Sept.13th Seth Walsh, 13: California on Sept 19 Asher Brown, 13: Texas on Sept. 23rd Tyler Clementi,18: New Jersey on Sept. 29

5 Student Experience: Student Experience: A 7 th Grade Youth Responds “ they went home for summer and were probably relieved, they could chill, you know decompress…. Then they cam back to school and the trash talk hit them like bricks and all those students, they just snapped..”

6 Student Experience: What Our Students Have To Say Student Experience: What Our Students Have To Say Percentage of students reported hearing bullying and name-calling base upon: Anti Gay derogatory language 90% Size 79% Learning Differences/Intelligence 71% Race 68%

7 Definitions: Part One Actual and Perceived and Target Bullying and Harassment

8 Definitions: Bullying A pattern of deliberate, negative, hurtful, aggressive acts that work to shift the balance of physical, emotional, or social power. Rigby: A desire to hurt+ a hurtful action+ a power imbalance+ repetition (typically)+ an unjust use of power+ evident enjoyment by aggressor+ sense of being oppressed on part of the target

9 Definitions: Harassment Definition: “Conduct based on protected status that is severe or pervasive, which unreasonably disrupts an individual’s educational or work environment or that creates a hostile educational or work environment” (California Student Safety and Violence prevention Act- 2000)

10 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Define the following words: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Gender Identity Gender Expression Sexual Orientation

11 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Sexual Orientation: Whom we are emotionally and physically attracted to: same sex, both sexes, other sex. Note: Identity vs. Behavior

12 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Gender Identity: A person’s innermost conviction of being female, male or anywhere along the gender spectrum. This may be different from sex assigned at birth. Every one has gender identity.

13 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Gender Expression: An individual’s characteristics and behaviors. Can include: appearance, dress, mannerisms, speech patterns and social interactions that are perceived by others as feminine or masculine

14 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Lesbian: A woman who is physically and emotionally attracted to other women Gay: A man who is physically and emotionally attracted to other men. Is sometimes a catch-all phrase to describe all people attracted to the same gender. Bisexual: A person attracted to both men and women

15 Definitions: Part 2 “LGBTQ”+++++ Transgender: An umbrella term describing many forms of gender variance. Common use of this terms describes a person whose gender identity doe not match or align with the gender they were assigned at birth based upon genitalia.

16 You Make A Difference: Changing School Climate Laws, Policies Being A Visible Ally Positive and Inclusive Language Curriculum that represents diversity School Wide Events Ally Week No Name Calling Week Day of Silence

17 Laws and policies: State Law and District Policy Policy  California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act (AB 537)  Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (SB 71)  Check your district Anti-harassment policies and equity policies

18 Upcoming Legislation AB 9 Seth’s Law: To ensure every school in California implements updated anti- harassment/anti-discrimination policies and program and empower students and parents to know and advocate for their rights FAIR Education Act: Prohibits discriminatory instruction and require positive images of contributions of people whoa re LGBTQ

19 Be a Vocal ALLY: Intervention Skills STOP it NAME it EXPLAIN it Check for Understanding Create Change in Behavior

20 Contact Information Lynn Bravewomon ext (select Departments/Safe and Inclusive Schools Program)