Talking Points # 3

Dennis Carlson's "Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community"

1. "Nevertheless, normalizing texts systematically exclude and neglect the culture of those outside the norm for the purpose of ratifying or legitimating the dominant culture as the only significant culture worth studying."

This is definitely true because I have had many teachers who skip over the discussion of homosexuality whenever possible. I believe they did this to avoid not only opposition, but the tension that enters the room when talked about. It is that same tension that you feel when people are faced with the discussion of racism. Everybody wants to avoid any discussion of something that may be new, or never looked at before. People fear change and being "different".

2. "...signing into law of a Minnesota bill that makes it illegal to discriminate against lesbians and gay men in employment and housing. Yet what got ignored in all the celebrating was a provision in the bill that prohibits teaching about homosexuality in the public schools."

This is something I never realized and really struck me when I read it. It is like giving people some hope, but not all. I don't understand how people can have some rights, but not all. I do not understand the big deal about teaching homosexuality. I'm not saying that we should have a whole subject dedicated toward it, but don't ignore it's existence because the more you ignore it the more it is ever present.

3. "...it is likely to be in the health curriculum, where it is associated with disease."

The only association that seems to be made toward homosexuality is disease. I hope that this is not true because if so, that is sad. Why does it have to be seen so negatively. I don't have to be a lesbian to respect the choices the others make. Why do people care so much what other people do with their lives. This never seemed to make sense to me.

4. "Don't ask, don't tell." (Sorry I had to add one more.)

It should not be like this. This just promotes the idea of homosexuals being silenced. People should not have to be afraid to come out. I really don't like this saying because it brings about discrimination. To me it is like saying, "I like you and accept you as long as I believe you are not gay." That's wrong and it should not be a big deal what people's sexual orientation is.

I am glad to say that in my high school it was a lot better then others. Of course there will always be those opposed to the life styles of homosexuals, but when I attended Attleboro High, the teachers did talk of homosexuality. I remember talking in my English class about Emily Dickinson and how many people believe she might have been a lesbian. As a class we analyzed her poetry and had in-depth conversations about it. My school also had "A Day of Silence" where students would sign up and receive a pin that they would where for the entire day to show respect to all homosexuals who are fighting to come out of the closet. It was a day to show respect. When wearing the pin you were not allowed to talk and none of the teachers could call on you. This was so you could show respect and feel like homosexuals feel, silenced, before they come out. I was fortunate that my school was like this, but I have seen many that are not.