Annotated Bibliography

LITO MORONA
WR 13300

Overview
Recent trends and legislation by the Trump administration are possibly dangerous to LGBTQ
youth, and that hits them the hardest in the public school system. While equitable learning envi-
ronments are far from existing, and have never really occurred in this country in any capacity,
the disparaged minority has not gone away, but just shifted over the years. Aside from govern-
ment sponsored (and lack of action from the government to further protect these groups) dis-
crimination and disparity, bullying from peers, and in some cases, educators discourage LGBTQ
students from feeling safe in schools. The reason for this is rather unknown, but is due likely to
widespread transphobia in this country, which itself isnt really rooted in anything. There is no
data showing that transgenders have any lesser skills, are more likely to be violent, or any reli-
gion that explicitly bans the practice. In this paper, Id really like to analyze trends over time to
see why there seems to be discrimination in schools.

Sexually Marginalized Youth in the South: Narration

Strategies and Discourse Coalitions in Newspaper
Coverage of a Southern High School Gay-Straight Al-
liance Club Controversy
Lauderdale, Skyler. "Sexually Marginalized Youth in the South: Narration Strategies and Dis-
course Coalitions in Newspaper Coverage of a Southern High School Gay-Straight Alliance
Club Controversy." Queer Youth and Media Cultures. Hampshire: Palgrave McMillan, 2014.
86-97. Print.

This brief article (apart of a larger anthology) denotes the struggles that a North Carolina high
school student went through to create a gay-straight alliance at her high school. In this article,
the author denotes the importance of such groups in public schools, including inciting public dis-
courses about issues faced by sexually marginalized youth. In a world where LGBT youth often
feel alone due to being closeted, a GSA can provide that key to unlocking that closet door, ac-
cording to the author.
Despite this, many groups strongly oppose their tax dollars supporting such organizations. First,
many believe that such groups promote a homosexual lifestyle, much like the US military. This
claim was directly refuted because no one was forced to join this club, as the purpose was to
promote tolerance, not the gay lifestyle. Another individual refuted this because heterosexual
youth would also be exposed to gay students, with or without a club. Others supported or dis-
avowed the club for basic politics; local officials felt like they would get reelected based on their
stance on the issue.
In the end, the club was approved by CCHS, but with stipulations from the district that now ap-
plied to every club that was non-curricular. The amendments added basically ban clubs from
discriminating against who joins, cannot use the high school name, participate in yearbook, de-
posit funds into a tax-exempt school account, and must have a school employee attend meet-
ings. One major stipulation may have impacted membership: requiring parental permission to
join any non-curricular club. This bars anyone who hasn't told their parents about their sexuality
from joining, ironically, because such a club could prompt that situation.

LGBT Youth in Americas Schools

Cianciotto, Jason, and Sean Cahill. LGBT Youth in America's Schools. Ann Arbor: U of Mi-
chigan, 2012. Print.

This article contains why the LGBT community is a population worth considering. First, its a
hard population to gather data on, due to the stigma associated with being gay. Many people do
not identify as gay or lesbian because it tacks on the culture associated with those groups;
theyd rather identify as homosexual, or having same-sex attraction. The transgender com-
munity is even harder, due to transgender being an umbrella term. The term can be used to de-
scribe transsexuals, cross dressers, and men and women who appear perceived as gender
atypical. According to the article, transgenders were about 20% more likely to suffer physical
harassment than other members of the LGB community. Most anti-LGBT harassment is actually
rooted in gender nonconformity, which is what makes it even harder for transgenders. For peo-
ple of color, its even worse, as well as those in poverty.

The It Gets Better Project: The Study in and of White-

ness - in LGBT Youth and Cultures
Johnson, Michael, Jr. "The It Gets Better Project: A Study in (and Of) Whiteness - in LGBT Youth
and Media Cultures." Queer Youth and Media Cultures. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillian, 2014.
278-91. Print.

The It Gets Better Project was a social media movement that happened around 2010. Basically,
creators Savage and Miller denoted how they went through years of bullying and violence be-
cause of their sexuality, and how later in life, it got better. LGBT youth will eventually reach
higher levels of happiness if they can just get through their teen years. The movement is criti-
cized for their lack of people of color in their videos, however, implying that it only gets better for
white LGBT youth. Also, this tries to keep being an LGBT youth a pure subject, distancing itself
from people of color. In videos where white narrators narrate scenarios without any POC in the
background or foreground, it shows that racial discrimination is invisible or less of a threat than
homophobia. With this limited discrimination, it shows that they believe that there are few or no
LGBT ethnic minorities, and that the discrimination they face for their sexual minority status is
more dangerous to them than their racial status, and that the dangers that queer youth of color
will eventually go away, even though they don't when they are in poverty. (Being gay wont fix
the cycle of poverty.)
Creating Inclusive Climates
Zalaznick, Matt. Creating Inclusive Climates.

This article denotes measures that should be taken to make transgender youth, who are subject
to some of the highest levels of hostility in a school environment, are made feel welcome in pub-
lic school. Some of these measures include calling them by their preferred pronoun (he, she, or
they), or let them decide on which sports team to play on. From a curriculum standpoint, teach-
ers should assign readings that explain the experiences of LGBT students, as it makes the en-
tire classroom more accepting, and makes the LGBT student feel more connected to the school
environment. Administrators should also provide immense support for bullied students, as well
as enforce appropriate discipline. According to the article, there is zero evidence that other stu-
dents are unsafe with transgender students in their bathroom, yet there is evidence for the re-
verse. This article could be a great guide to educators who wish to be more accepting to current
or future transgender students.

You can't break...when you're already broken: The

importance of school climate to suicidality among
LGBTQ youth
Tracey Peter PhD, Catherine Taylor PhD & Christopher Campbell MA (2016) You can't
break...when you're already broken: The importance of school climate to suicidality among
LGBTQ youth, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 20:3, 195-213, DOI:
10.1080/19359705.2016.1171188

Suicide has been a huge problem among sexual and gender minority youth in Canada. Accord-
ing to this article, there is a direct link between suicide rates among youth and school climate.
First, the article uses 15-year old Jamie Hubley of Ottawa as an example. He hosted an online
blog that documented his tendencies to self-harm himself, his depression, and the effects that
bullying had on him. Eventually, Jamie committed suicide. It was all too much for him. And in
Canada, he isnt the only one. According to the article, homophobia, transphobia and other envi-
ronmental factors increase that risk of suicidal behaviors. Suicide is the second leading cause of
death after car crashes and accidents in youth aged 15-24.
While this article is about Canada, the same sort of thing happens in the United States. These
numbers may not be 100% the same in America, but the parallels are there (LGBT teens still
commit suicide because of bullying).

Transgender Youth and Youtube Videos

O'Neill, Matthew. Transgender Youth and Youtube. Queer Youth and Media Cultures, Palgrave
Macmillian, Hampshire, 2014, pp. 3443.
According to the article, adolescents search for identity as much as they seek an environment
in which they can articulate their identity. (ONeill, 34) According to the author, Youtube is the
ideal environment for this, because it is a platform for creative work and resolving issues of
identity. The article also contains research that points to that children are more aware of their
gender identity at an early age than previously thought, as supporting evidence that young peo-
ple need a way to express themselves artistically, that medium being YouTube. Youtube allows
trans youth to find ways to self-express their gender identity and make them feel like they mat-
ter. Last, the more that trans youth express themselves, the more people are able to see them,
thereby debunking previous stereotypes. Since most school children use Youtube, this is a great
way to make students in schools less bigoted.

Random sites that I used

http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/02/130-examples-cis-privilege/

Pica-Smith, Cinzia, and Timothy A. Poynton EdD. "SUPPORTING INTERETH-

NIC AND INTERRACIAL FRIENDSHIPS AMONG YOUTH TO REDUCE PREJU-
DICE AND RACISM IN SCHOOLS: THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR."
Professional School Counseling, vol. 18, no. 1, 2015, pp. 82-89, Social Sci-
ence Premium Collection, http://proxy.library.nd.edu/login?url=http://
search.proquest.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/docview/1654434614?
accountid=12874.

Petrosino, Vincent J. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Adult and

Youth Perceptions of School Safety in Central Pennsylvania. Temple Uni-
versity, Proquest Information and Learning Company, 2007, pp. 1222.

Berry, Susan. Transgender Politics: Controversial 'Gender Identity' Bill Set

for N.H. Statehouse Vote. Breitbart, 2 Mar. 2017, www.breitbart.com/big-
government/2017/03/02/nh-transgender-bathroom-bill-set-state-house-
vote/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2017.

Finch, About Sam Dylan. 130+ Examples Of Cis Privilege in All Areas of
Life For You To Reflect On and Address. Everyday Feminism, 29 Feb.
2016, everydayfeminism.com/2016/02/130-examples-cis-privilege/. Ac-
cessed 9 Apr. 2017.