Gay Students, Teachers Can Feel Excluded in Classroom
By Andrea Flynn
Daily Orange (Syracuse U.)
02/25/2002

(U-WIRE) SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Rachel Mutter-Leonard hears her students tease one another and joke around as most children do. But when they say things like "this is so gay," or use words like "faggot," she doesn't sit back like some teachers might. She tells them why the words are inappropriate.

Leonard, who has identified as a lesbian for a year now, is a senior and practicing student teacher in Syracuse University's education program.

The classroom is a place where she can teach open-mindedness and acceptance of diversity, but it can also be a place where she and other gay and lesbian students are silenced, she said

Addressing the issues with her students is not always easy. Leonard has not come out in her classroom, but assumes her students know she is a lesbian.

"It's hard because it's always looked at negatively," she said.

Margaret Himley, director of the writing department at Syracuse University, has witnessed the discomfort of many gay and lesbian students in the classroom. Often, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered students get left out of classroom conversations because of the heterosexual focus.

These actions automatically place an assumed heterosexuality on the entire class and leave gay and lesbian students "marked by silence," Himley said, adding that part of the problem is that "gay bashing" is still accepted by many people.

Himley said when gay and lesbian students cannot speak of their experiences freely in the classroom, it affects their academic experience.

"It breeds panic and hysteria," Himley said.

Himley also said the pressure to conform is enormous, particularly on the SU campus. This leads to what she calls an "economy of visibility." In this case, heterosexuals are constantly visible, but anyone who identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or questioning is not seen.

Leonard, now in her fourth year at SU, said professors assume sexual preference all the time.

"It is all centered on a heterosexual society. We are taught that being gay is wrong," Leonard said.

Leonard doesn't believe that gay issues should be forced on people, but thinks it is useful when professors make a space for the discussion of sexuality when it arises.

She has had some professors, both gay and straight, use the term "significant other" or "partner," instead of "boyfriend" or "girlfriend." In classes where professors use gender-neutral terms, Leonard said the students felt more comfortable.

It is important for gay and lesbian professors to be open with their students, she said. In her time here, she has had at least two professors come out to their classes. Leonard said this made for a more honest and comfortable class environment.

Andrew Berman, a senior music composition major at SU, feels comfortable outing himself as gay in the classroom, but admits that the assumption of heterosexuality is not only true in the classroom, but life in general.

"We have all grown up seeing heterosexuality everywhere," he said.

Berman has one professor this semester who came out in class. "He doesn't make it the subject of every class, but once or twice a semester he tells a story about his partner in class. He has been an excellent role model for me," Berman said. "It definitely makes me feel more comfortable with my sexuality in his class. Hearing his stories about his partner gives me hope," he said.

Berman believes professors should be open about their sexuality and not feel obligated to act straight to avoid confrontation.

"I think a teacher should take every effort to be him or herself in class. I don't think it's necessary for them to announce it or let it set the mood of the classroom. But I do think they should feel free to share personal experiences that touch on their homosexuality in class if they are relevant," Berman said.

"And it furthers the GLBT cause to have out members of our community in prominent positions. It makes them more visible and lets people know that we're out there and we're capable, productive human beings and we're no different from everybody else," he said.

For students like Leonard and Berman, feeling safe about their sexuality in the classroom is an important aspect of college life.

If students don't feel safe in the classroom when they are trying to come out or identify as gay or lesbian, Leonard said, "it hinders the process."

Leonard, like the many GLBT students and faculty at SU, finds the campus environment to be hostile. The simple act of putting up "safe space" stickers — something GLBT members and allies (those who are supportive of GLBT individuals) do — has brought her grief.

Months ago a group of men saw the sticker on her bedroom window late at night and began banging on her window, yelling and screaming derogatory slurs at her. She has a sticker on her car too and said she has received several comments about it. The Pride Union's house cannot leave their rainbow flag hanging outside for fear the house will be vandalized, Leonard said.

"It is not accepting at all [here]," she said.

Though Berman does not feel as strongly about the negative environment at SU, he admits to feeling unsafe at times.

"Being gay on this campus hasn't benefited me except for the freedom and happiness I feel from being out in general," Berman said. "There have been times that I felt genuinely afraid to be a gay man on this campus, such as walking home from the chalkings that night [last year]," Berman said.

Both Leonard and Berman said that moving discussions of sexuality into the classroom would foster a more accepting campus.

Himley is one professor who ardently supports moving such discussions into the classroom. She said disciplinary and social knowledge are at the heart of the problem. For this reason, she said, gay and lesbian studies should be integrated into academia.

"Questions about social justice are part of disciplinary work," Himley said, adding that understanding such things are crucial to making GLBT students feel welcome in the classroom.

Copyright ©2002 Daily Orange via UWire

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