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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1990)
Lesson Plan: Controversy P are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers; they may account for up to 30 percent of youth suicides annually. This high suicide rate may be the most drastic — but not the only — risk faced by gay and lesbian teens , Gibson said. Such youth are more likely to suffer other problems such as substance abuse, depression, school failure and relationship conflicts. They may be at high risk for AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases; many are forced to leave their families and survive on their own at an early age. ublic school cumculum offers yet another heavy silence on gay and lesbian issues. Congressional legislation has prohibited schools from using federal funds for programs "designed to promote sexual activity,” and such rulings often result in a clamp on the entire subject, an attitude of “just say nothing.” As a result, students learn no facts that could correct their fears and misconceptions about gay and lesbian life. The subject is absent not only from “family life” or “diversity” curricula but from discussions of important contributions in art, politics, literature, music and science. In the silence, Many gay male teenagers stereotypes thrive. But including material on gay men and are able to form close lesbians in student course work is a friendships with heterosexual controversial notion — even more so than making room on school library shelves for girls, while lesbians are books with gay-positive themes. One possibility is to “begin with the so- often rejected by classmates called ‘diversity’ curriculum, that part of the of both sexes curriculum that aims to instill an appreciation for differences,” said a member of the task force who did not want to be named. “The next step is infusing the entire curriculum — “One of the greatest risk factors in the making the point that gays and Jews and problem gay youth face is the wall of silence blacks and Asians etc. have all contributed surrounding the subject,” the report said. mightily to the artistic fabric of our Gay youth often feel they have two community.” unsatisfactory choices — to conceal their Taylor, director of curriculum, expressed sexual identity or to risk the harassment that doubts about this idea in a recent telephone comes with disclosure. “Many gay youth interview. While teachers do highlight the choose to maintain a facade and hide their true contributions of women and plan lessons to feelings and identity, leading a double life,” coincide with Black History Month, “we don’t Gibson wrote. “They live in constant fear of necessarily do that for all particular groups,” being found out and recognized as gay.” Taylor said. ‘I ’m not willing to say that’s While heterosexual teens may turn to their something we need to do. That might families or communities, gay teens are often overshadow our other curriculum because rejected by those closest to them. Gibson there are so many groups we would need to estimated that gay male, lesbian, bisexual and mention.” transsexual youth comprise as much as one- fourth of teens living on the streets in this Gay Youth — At High Risk country. Local and state statistics paint an equally ith the formation of the task force, sharp picture. Suicide is the second leading Portland joins the growing list of cause localities nationwide addressing issues for gay of death among Oregon adolescents; and lesbian teens. The need for attention to 648 teenagers attempted suicide in 1988, and 35 died. A Multnomah County study of street sexual minority youth has begun to earn print youth showed that 25 percent of respondents even in mainstream publications such as the identified as gay or lesbian. Journal of Counseling and Development The risks are higher for gay teens who are In an article in that journal’s fall 1989 also members of ethnic minority groups. The issue, two Minneapolis researchers said that double burden of racism and homophobia addressing the concerns of gay/lesbian/ drives even more of these adolescents to bisexual youth and their families “is no longer desperation; racial/ethnic minority gay males an option but an imperative for every are 12 times more likely to commit suicide counselor working with young people.” than their heterosexual peers. Some of the most powerful prose on the Such numbers have shocked school issue of gay and lesbian teens came from the districts and community groups into action. federal government, in a 1989 report from the Following the release of the Health and Department of Health and Human Services on Human Services report on youth suicide, the youth suicide. president of the Federation of Parents and A section of that report written by Paul Friends of Lesbians and Gays called the Gibson, a San Francisco therapist and treatment of gay and lesbian adolescents “a researcher, noted that gay and lesbian youth W CHIROPRACTIC C A R L gently treating stresses within the body Fbrtland C en ter H aza, S u ite 2 -H 2075 S.W. First Avenue Fbrtland, O regon serious national child abuse problem.” Paulette Goodman noted that P/FLAG chapters around the country include many parents whose children have attempted or committed suicide. “Not many of us could grow up with the burden of being called ‘sick’ by the medical profession, ‘criminal’ by the law and ‘sinful’ by our churches, without suffering serious emotional damage,” she said. School districts in major urban centers such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York have been the first to respond. In San Francisco, a teachers’ group called the Bay Area Network of Gay and Lesbian Educators (BANGLE) launched an annual scholarship for a gay or lesbian high school student. The gay and lesbian community center in Palo Alto sends speakers to high schools; the Heterosexism/Homophobia Educators Program in Amherst, Massachusetts has developed a “name-calling” curriculum to raise students’ consciousness about racial, ethnic and sexual slurs and their impact. And a high school in a Chicago suburb recently added “sexual orientation” to the list of groups protected by the school’s “human dignity and diversity” policy. In New York, the Hetrick-Martin Institute provides services to gay youth between 12 and 21. As part of a campaign to boost visibility and reduce isolation for gay teens, the institute published a series of comic books called ‘Tales of the Closet.” A poster also produced by the group shows a typical crowd of adolescents with the caption: “You are not alone. There are millions of gay and lesbian teenagers in the world. Gay people come in every size, shape, color, background, religion and race.” Project 10 he best-known of the school-based programs is Los Angeles’ Project 10, begun in 1984 by teacher and counselor Virginia Uribe. The project, whose title refers to the estimated 10 percent of the general population that is gay or lesbian, aims to reduce harassment of gay students, keep them in school and educate non-gay students. As part of the project, Uribe has counseled more than 400 students, sponsored workshops for administrators and school staff, offered outreach to parents and worked with health care providers for teens. The project has drawn praise from gay advocates and educators; the National Education Association called for the development of similar programs in districts around the country. It also has drawn ire from conservative parents and politicans, including U.S. Rep. William Dannemeyer (R- Califomia) and Sen. Gordon Humphrey (R- New Hempshire). During debate in the House of Representatives last August on appropriations that included the money for Project 10, T J. Z In Portland, task force members express tentative optimism about the group’s progress. While they are pleased with the intitial reception from school administrators, they caution that it is too soon to say how many of their recommendations will be translated into action. Prophet’s response during a meeting on the issue was “encouraging,” said a member of the task force who did not want his name used. “He didn’t make any clear commitments. But even the meeting taking place would be controversial to some people.” Taylor, the curriculum director, said he is aware that any steps toward boosting support for gay and lesbian students may be controversial. “We realize there will be detractors, people who say that’s not our business, that we should be spending our money in better ways. But that’s not going to stop us. It needs to be a real pro-active approach.” W BRADLEY J. WOODWORTH ATTORNEY AT LAW 920 CROWN PLAZA • 1500 S.W. FIRST AVENUE PORTLAND, OREGON 97201 (503) 273-9146 HI-9659 STRUCTURE: Dannemeyer criticized the program, describing it as one intended to “provide instruction to the kids in that school district into the activities of homosexuality.” In his discussion of Project 10, Dannemeyer made clear his feeling that nothing less than the future of the country was at stake. “One of the major political issues of the 1980’s and ’90s will be whether or not we in our American culture accept and equate homosexuality on a par with a heterosexual lifestyle,” he said. During similar debate in the Senate, Alan Cranston (D-Califomia) countered the criticism about Project 10. Such programs “are not about converting people, as some may misunderstand them to be; they are about acceptance, helping gay and lesbian youth accept themselves, as well as helping their peers and teachers accept them.” In California, the debate continues. In January, the education committee of the California Senate rejected a bill that would have required parents’ permission before students could get instruction on issues including homosexuality and AIDS. The sponsor of that bill, state Sen. Newton Russell, withdrew a second bill — clearly aimed to thwart Project 10 — that would have prevented school staff from counseling students without their parents’ consent. Fret Initial Consultation call fo r a no charge consultation SERVING THE LEGAL NEEDS OF OUR COM M UNITY IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: e l d a W eisöart • ACCIDENTS & INJURIES (NO RECOVER Y, NO FEE) • CRIM INALLAW & DUII • DIVORCE AN D CUSTODY • • • • WILLS ESTATES BUSINESS LAW A N D LITIGATION REAL ESTATE LITIGATION IN ALLSTATE AND FEDERAL COURTS just out V 17V March 1990