GBLT history and teaching

[sparkindarkness]

So, California has passed a most excellent law requiring schools to include the contributions of GBLT people in history. And this makes me happy dance so much - and not just because all the hate groups are having the screaming meemies (but I do so like those meemies)


See, when I went to school I didn't know of a single GBLT person from history. Not one. Oh we looked at some people who I later learned were GBLT – but it's telling that even when we discussed Oscar Wilde there was nary a mention of his being gay. All so very carefully erased. And it was beyond annoying, it was painful, because I was already half convinced that I was one of the few gays in the world, a freaky aberration that struck some poor fools (y'know, normally stories like that come with super powers. I was totally cheated). Even as I learned that I wasn't the only one, I assumed there were maybe, oh, 500? Maybe? And they were all migrating between Soho and Brighton. Yeah it was ignorant and foolish – but it's an ignorant and foolish world and an ignorant foolish and prejudiced education system. And how can anyone believe they're normal and natural when they think they're the only one?

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Comments

[naraht]

As a historian I'm rather cautious about laws like these, because while there are obviously many, many LGBT people whose role in history deserves to be recognized, it seems like this approach could easily lead to a sort of reductionistic cherry-picking in order to meet the quota. I note from your linked article that California schools are also required to recognize the contributions of entrepreneurs throughout history. (?!?)

There are two main things that I wonder about this law:

1) What sort of highlighting is involved? Are teachers required to tell students that the people they're discussing were LGBT, or could they still set up a situation like you experienced when you were in school?

2) Who defines LGBT? Does J. Edgar Hoover count, for instance? And do the L, the G, the B and the T all have to be represented individually in lessons?

ETA: I think I've found the text here...

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_48_bill_20110714_chaptered.html

[twisted_times]

A minor point, but Oscar Wilde wasn't gay, he was bisexual.