Resources for Educators Dealing With Gay and Lesbian Issues
THE GAY, LESBIAN, AND STRAIGHT TEACHERS NETWORK (GLSTN).
GLSTN is a national organization that brings together gay and straight educators in order to combat homophobia in their schools as well as to support gay teachers. For information, contact: GLSTN
West 26th Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10001 USA
Tel: (212) 727-0135
Email: glstn@glstn.org
Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect
PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS (P-FLAG).
P-FLAG offers support to family members of gay people. Its national office can refer you to local chapters: P.O. Box 27605, Washington, D.C. 20038 (202)-638-4200. The Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition offers support for gay parents and also for children of gay parents, the latter through its sub-group Children of Lesbians and Gays are Everywhere (COLLAGE).
They can be reached at Box 50360, Washington, DC 20091 (202-583-8029).
THE HETRICK-MARTIN INSTITUTE
A New York-based social service agency, has long been the leader in providing services for gay youth. They also publish You are Not Alone: The National Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth Directory, which is available for a $5 fee.
Address: 2 Astor Place, New York, NY 10003, (212) 674-2400.
THE BRIDGES PROJECT
of the American Friends Service Committee facilitates communication among gay youth service providers through its newsletter and other activities.
Address: c/o AFSC, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-241-7133.
Two organizations operate national, toll-free hotlines for gay
youth:
The INDIANAPOLIS YOUTH GROUP operates The NATIONAL GAY/LESBIAN/BISEXUAL YOUTH HOTLINE, 7:00-11:45 p.m., EST at 1-800 347-TEEN. They also offer a pen pal service, for which an application can be obtained by writing : P.O. Box 20716, Indianapolis, IN 46220.
The OUT YOUTH AUSTIN HELPLINE operates seven days a week, 5:30-9:30 P.M., CST, and can be reached at 1-800-96-YOUTH (Address: 2330 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78705).
PUBLICATIONS
GENERAL BACKGROUND
LOOKING AT GAY AND LESBIAN LIFE
by Warren Blumenfeld and Diane Raymond is a good general introduction;
IS IT A CHOICE?: ANSWERS TO THREE HUNDRED OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GAY MEN AND LESBIANS
by Eric Marcus is a good starting point as well;
THE NEW LOVING SOMEONE GAY
by Don Clark offers answers and information from a therapist for gay people and their families.
SCHOOLS
THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION ON GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH, MAKING SCHOOLS SAFE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH
surveys the needs of gay youth and presents detailed recommendations for action by schools to meet those needs. Its recommendations were adopted as state educational policy by the Massachusetts Board of Education in May 1993. Write the Commission at State House Room 111, Boston, MA 02133, to receive
a copy.
Specifically focused on the independent schools:
BREAKING THE SILENCE: ADDRESSING GAY ISSUES IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
available from Bob Riddle of the Crossroads School (310-829-7391);
Voices of teachers are found in ONE TEACHER IN TEN: GAY AND LESBIAN EDUCATORS TELL THEIR STORIES
edited by Kevin Jennings, a collection of autobiographical writings by 36 openly gay and lesbian teachers
SCHOOL'S OUT: THE IMPACT OF GAY AND LESBIAN ISSUES ON AMERICA'S SCHOOLS
by Dan Woog is an collection of "snapshots" of what is happening in schools around the country
THE GAY, LESBIAN, AND BISEXUAL STUDENTS' GUIDE TO COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND GRADUATE SCHOOLS
by Jan-Mitchell Sherrill is a wealth of information on post-secondary education.
YOUNG CHILDREN
The "ALYSON WONDERLAND" series, including such books as HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES by Leslea Newman and UNCLE WHAT-IS-IT? IS COMING TO VISIT by Michael Wilhoite, consists of books which introduce children to gay people in age-appropriate ways.
A catalogue is available from Alyson Publications, 40 Plympton St., Boston, MA 02118.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
The Chelsea House "LIVES OF NOTABLE GAY MEN AND LESBIANS" biography series is excellent
AM I BLUE?: COMING OUT FROM SILENCE
ed. by Marian Bauer, an anthology of pieces by well-known children's writers, is also excellent
Good novels include:
ANNIE ON MY MIND by Nancy Garden
THE DROWNING OF STEPHAN JONES by Bette Green
ADOLESCENTS
A useful book for gay adolescents (or closeted people of any age) is OUTING YOURSELF: HOW TO COME OUT AS LESBIAN OR GAY TO YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOUR COWORKERS
by Michelangelo Signorile, which is exactly what it says it is -- a step-by-step guide to coming out.
Works addressing the experiences of gay youth include:
GROWING UP GAY, GROWING UP LESBIAN:A LITERARY ANTHOLOGY
edited by Bennett Singer, which includes a detailed resource guide to all national support groups in its appendix;
TWO TEENAGERS IN TWENTY: WRITINGS BY GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH,
ed. by Ann Heron;
NOT THE ONLY ONE: LESBIAN AND GAY FICTION FOR TEENS
by Tony Grima;
DEATH BY DENIAL:STUDIES OF GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH SUICIDE
by Gary Remafedi collects research on this subject (including the Mass. Governor's Commission report, see above);
HELPING GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH: NEW POLICIES, NEW PROGRAMS, NEW PRACTICES
ed. by Teresa DeCrescenzo and THE GAY TEEN ed. by Gerald Unks (originally published as an issue of "The High School Journal") contain many useful articles.
FAMILY ISSUES
COMING OUT TO PARENTS: A TWO WAY SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR LESBIANS AND GAY MEN AND THEIR PARENTS
by Mary Borhek provides practical advice to both gay youth and their parents from the mother of a gay son;
BEYOND ACCEPTANCE: PARENTS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
by Carolyn Griffin;
STRAIGHT PARENTS, GAY CHILDREN: KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER
by Robert Bernstein;
THE FAMILY HEART: A MEMOIR OF WHEN OUR SON CAME OUT
by Robb Forman Dew;
PRAYERS FOR BOBBY: A MOTHER COMES TO TERMS WITH THE SUICIDE OF HER GAY SON
by Leroy Aarons;
NOW THAT YOU KNOW: WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY
by Betty Fairchild and Nancy Hayward;
THERE'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TELL YOU
by Loralee MacPike addresses coming out by parents;
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CLOSET: THE COMING OUT CRISIS FOR STRAIGHT SPOUSES AND FAMILIES
by Anne Pierce Buxton tells an important side of the story;
THE LESBIAN AND GAY PARENTING HANDBOOK
by April Merten offers practical information for gay parents and is useful reading for those who will be working with these families;
A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY: GAY MEN WRITE ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES,
ed. by John Preston;
DIFFERENT DAUGHTERS: SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LESBIANS TALK ABOUT THEIR LIVES
by Louise Rafkin;
ALL THE WAYS HOME: PARENTING AND CHILDREN IN LESBIAN AND GAY COMMUNITIES,
A Collection of Short Fiction edited by Cindy Rizzo et al, present important perspectives on gay and lesbian families.
LITERATURE AND HISTORY
Useful literary anthologies include:
THE PENGUIN BOOK OF LESBIAN SHORT STORIES,
ed. by Margaret Reynolds;
THE FABER BOOK OF GAY SHORT FICTION,
ed. by Edmund White;
THE PENGUIN BOOK OF GAY SHORT STORIES,
ed. by David Leavitt and Mark Mitchell;
GAY AND LESBIAN POETRY IN OUR TIME,
ed. by Carl Morse and Joan Larkin;
THE PENGUIN BOOK OF HOMOSEXUAL VERSE,
ed. by Stephen Coote;
THE PENGUIN BOOK OF INTERNATIONAL GAY WRITING,
ed. by Mark Mitchell.
History books include:
OUT OF THE PAST: GAY AND LESBIAN HISTORY FROM 1867 TO THE PRESENT
by Neil Miller, a readable secondary source survey;
BECOMING VISIBLE: A READER IN GAY AND LESBIAN HISTORY FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
by Kevin Jennings, a documentary collection and curriculum for high school history classes;
MAKING HISTORY: THE STRUGGLE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CIVIL RIGHTS, 1945-1990,
An Oral History by Eric Marcus,
a collection of readable interviews with many important figures in the gay rights movement;
GAY AMERICAN HISTORY and THE LESBIAN/GAY ALMANAC,
both ed. by Jonathan Ned Katz, which contain exhaustive collections of primary and secondary documents;
SURPASSING THE LOVE OF MEN: ROMANTIC LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN WOMEN FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE PRESENT and ODD GIRLS AND TWILIGHT LOVERS: A HISTORY OF LESBIAN LIFE IN TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICA,
important works on the lesbian experience;
STONEWALL
by Martin Duberman, which details the events leading up the 1969 riots generally considered the beginning of the modern gay liberation movement.
COLLECTIONS ADDRESSING DIVERSITY
Numerous publications now address the diversity of the gay and lesbian community, including:
TWICE BLESSED: ON BEING LESBIAN OR GAY AND JEWISH,
by Christine Balka;
IN THE LIFE: A BLACK GAY ANTHOLOGY, ed. by Joseph Beam;
BROTHER TO BROTHER: NEW WRITINGS BY BLACK GAY MEN, ed. by Essex Hemphill;
PIECE OF MY HEART: A LESBIAN OF COLOR ANTHOLOGY. ed. by Makeda Silvera;
LIVING THE SPIRIT: A GAY AMERICAN INDIAN ed. by Will Roscoe;
A LOTUS OF ANOTHER COLOR: AN UNFOLDING OF THE SOUTH ASIAN GAY AND LESBIAN EXPERIENCE, ed. by Rakesh Ratti;
COMPANERAS: LATINA LESBIANS, by Juanita Ramos;
AFREKETE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF BLACK LESBIAN WRITING ed. by Catherine McKinley et al;
EYES OF DESIRE: A DEAF GAY AND LESBIAN READER ed. by Raymond Luczak.
FILMS
FRAMELINE,
a San Francisco-based distributor, maintains a large catalog of gay films (415-703-8650)
YOUTH FILMS INCLUDE:
RESPECT FOR ALL: PREVENTING HOMOPHOBIA AMONG
SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN,
a collection of four videos that look at how to educate K-6 students on gay and lesbian issues, available from Women's Educational Media (415-641-4616);
BOTH OF MY MOMS' NAMES ARE JUDY,
aimed at young children of gay and lesbian parents and their experiences available from the Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition 202-583-8029); Gay Youth (40 minutes) is an excellent documentary on the topic ($60, from Wolfe Video, P.O. Box 64, New Almaden, CA 95042);
WHO'S AFRAID OF PROJECT 10?
(23 minutes),
a profile of one of the nation's first in-school gay youth groups (from Friends of Project 10, 7850 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046);
THE DISCO YEARS
(30 minutes),
a gay teen story told in an "After School Special" style (Select Media 1-800-707-MEDIA);
THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURE OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE,
a feature depicting a coming-of-age romance between two young lesbians (not yet commercially available on video).
DOCUMENTARIES INCLUDE:
BEFORE STONEWALL
(90 minutes),
a history of the pre-Stonewall gay community;
LAST CALL AT MAUD'S,
which examines pre-liberation lesbian life by studying a well-known lesbian bar in San Francisco;
COMING OUT UNDER FIRE: GAY MEN AND LESBIANS DURING WORLD WAR TWO
(75 minutes),
which shows how this event was a seminal moment in creating the modern gay community and movement;
THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
(90 minutes),
the 1984 Academy Award winner profiling the life and assassination of the first gay man to be elected to public office in the U. S.;
COMMON THREADS: STORIES FROM THE QUILT
(85 minutes),
the 1990 Academy Award winner which tells the human and political history of the AIDS epidemic through stories behind panels of the NAMES Project Quilt;
VOICES FROM THE FRONT
(90 minutes),
which details the history of AIDS civil disobedience movement led by ACT-UP.
FEATURES INCLUDE:
THE WEDDING BANQUET,
a comedy which tells the story of a gay Chinese man whose sexuality is revealed when he attempts a "green card" marriage;
DESERT HEARTS,
the love story of a woman who falls for another woman awaiting her divorce in Nevada;
GO FISH,
a portrait of life among some twenty-something lesbians;
PARTING GLANCES,
24 hours in the life of a gay New York couple and their best friend, who has AIDS;
MAURICE,
the Merchant-Ivory film based on Forster's novel;
TORCH SONG TRILOGY,
based on Harvey Fierstein's Tony-winning play.
