Making the Invisible Visible
By Dr. Kody Colvin
“Children cannot be what they cannot see, and it’s not just about children, It’s about all of us, we cannot be a better society until we see that better society. I cannot be in the world until I see what I am in the world.”
Yance Ford, Disclosure, 2017
For far too long, LGBTQIA+ individuals have been absent from the halls, curricula, and conversations of K-12 classrooms. The unfortunate truth is that, even in 2022, queer individuals remain de-centered in educational spaces. This de-centering makes it hard for queer youth to envision a world where they thrive. In society, we have allowed our educational spaces to remain unwelcoming, and often hostile, towards the LGBTQIA+ community because of our own discomfort and biases. For some queer youth, this act of hostility costs them their lives.
This piece draws attention to the article, I’m Here; I’m Queer: How One parent Advocates for Inclusion of Queer Youth, which celebrates the power of a single voice to bring about change in a conservative community. Queer youth and adults are not the problem, but their existence (along with increased media representation) sheds light on the impacts cis-heteronormative spaces have on our queer youths’ ability to thrive in school. The article guides readers through a narrative about one mother’s advocacy for her transgender child and her fight to make the school and district a safer space for all LGBTQIA+ students.
Additionally, this article sheds light on the opportunity for school administration to leverage their community to support the work of LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Building and district leadership hold great power in setting the tone for the school and district. When topics of educational equity occur and LGBTQIA+ identities are absent from the plan, equity work remains incomplete. As participants in educational institutions, we cannot continue to tout that we value all students when our actions say otherwise. This work should be shared with all stakeholders: employees, students, and families.
The catalyst for action in the article was a parent’s discovery that her child identifies as transgender and her advocacy for her child’s wellbeing to her school’s administration. This remains a common trend in our educational institutions – we react to concerns that arise. This article draws attention to the fact that most schools and districts do not have the necessary structures already in place to support their LGBTQIA+ community. As such, the onus is often put on queer youth, or their families, initiate change.
If you are a practitioner in K-12 schools or higher education and this post illuminates some opportunities for your school or institution, a great reference is the U.S. Department of Education, which provides a letter to schools addressing transgender students’ rights. The policy letter covers topics related to restroom and locker usage, name, pronouns, and student records, as well as the importance of respecting students’ gender identities.
Every student, and their family, deserves to feel love and respect regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Educational institutions owe it to their LGBTQIA+ stakeholders to make the necessary steps to ensure that their queer students thrive.
Resources:
Colvin, K., Edwards, S., & Eng, B. (2021). I’m Here; I’m Queer: How One Parent Advocates for the Inclusion of Queer Youth. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 15554589211033335.
Cox, Laverne (Executive Producer). (2020). Disclosure. [video clip] Retrieve from Watch Disclosure | Netflix Official Site.
Article details
I’m Here; I’m Queer: How One Parent Advocates for the Inclusion of Queer Youth
Kody Colvin, Sean Edwards & Britney Eng.
First Published July 22, 2021
DOI: 10.1177/15554589211033335
Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership
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