Schools are meant to be a place where youth can go to learn and get the education that will help them become successful in the future. It is important that teachers and educators create a space where students not only feel like they belong, but also feel like they are supported and safe. For many students, this welcoming environment is a reality; however, there are still students that do not have this luxury, particularly the gender and sexuality diverse students. In the article, Teaching in the Cracks: Using Familiar Pedagogy to Advance LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum, by Michelle L. Page (2017) highlights the importance of including the LGBTQ community in the curriculum. Many gender- and sexually diverse students experience bullying or are treated like they are invisible almost every day. By not including them within the curriculum and classroom silences their struggles and even adds to problems by creating “’stigmatizing messages’ that these students are not valued” (Page, 2017, p. 678). In order to disrupt these experiences and help our LGBTQ students, Page has suggested some ideas that educators can use in order to help all students feel like they are included. One of the options she goes over in the article is to use queer young adult literature in the classroom. She states that using the resources of “queer literature includes LGBTQIA youths in the curriculum and shows them that they are not alone; the silence become thunderous” (Page, 2017, p. 678). The impact of one small gesture has the ability to change the atmosphere and allow gender and sexually diverse students feel more supported and comfortable while learning. 

Page suggests that if educators truly care about inclusion and fairness to all, then the books and information we use to meet the curriculum do matter (Page, 2017, p. 679). However, some teachers are intimidated by using such literature due to the potential backlash from the parents. However, those teachers who are allies of the LGBTQ community need to take a chance and stand up for what they believe in. By only using literature that showcases the majority of the student population, creates the potential for other students to feel like they are not of equal value. Page states that that in order to work toward equity for all students, educators need to “identify the cracks [within the curriculum] and then do what we can in that space” (Page, 2017, p. 679).

My next steps in exploring this topic will be using other articles that support the idea of inclusion of the LGBTQ community in the curriculum. I will further explain the benefits of inclusion as well as how educators can begin to include gender and sexually diverse students into their classroom and curriculum.