Living in a Straight World:
Equality for Gays and Lesbians in
America
Lindsay Mohr
Education 200
Curriculum Project
April 30, 2004
The Classroom

Context
Magnet school
 8th grade social
studies classroom
 5 consecutive class
periods of 80 minutes


Demographics
16 students

8 female

8 male
 Multiracial
13-15 years old


Objectives
Students will:





Be able to define relevant terms: i.e. gay, lesbian, marriage, family
through Jigsaw II method
Sharpen critical thinking and debating skills necessary for living in a
democratic society through role play and writing from different
perspectives
Through Socratic seminars, “Engage in active deliberation about
conflicts over ‘the good’”-Amy Gutmann
Examine the issues that affect gays and lesbians everyday through
readings and handouts, and assess what changes could be made to
foster greater equality between homosexuals and heterosexuals
Challenge their current beliefs and opinions about gays and lesbians
through daily activities and reflective journal entries; taking other
opinions into account is an important feature of political and social
life in a democratic society
1.
Activities
Day 1
Stereotypes
Journal entry: web diagrams on
stereotypes: gay, lesbian, marriage,
family (20 Min)
Example:
3.
Class Discussion:
Sample questions:
do the definitions coincide with your
stereotypes and expectations?
where do your stereotypes come from?
(30 Min)
Disgusting
Sick
Happy
Gay
Love
2.
Sex
Men
Jigsaw II: 4 groups of 4, each member
becomes an expert on one word, experts
agree on one definition, members teach
their group the definitions to write in
journal (30 Min)
Homework
Journal Entry: If you had a choice, would
you rather be gay or straight in American
society? Why?
Day 2
Marriage Rights
Activities
1.
Exploring Equality and
Discrimination through role play
(60 Min)
a. Class separation: 2 groups
of 8
b. Defining terms: civil union,
domestic
partnership, 2nd parent
adoption
d. Assigning roles: All straight
couples: married? Divorced?
Kids?
e. Role play: Hospital
(visitation rights), Workplace
(sick leave, health insurance),
Gov’t (social security), Law
office (survivor’s rights)
2.
Class discussion based on role play
(20 Min)
a. Reactions to the activity
b. How would you feel if you
couldn’t visit your loved ones in the
hospital?
c. Is it fair that straight couples get
health insurance for free while gay
individuals must pay taxes on their
partners’ insurance?
Homework
Read “No Child Left Behind?”
by Sarah Tobias and Sean Cahill
Outlines the struggle of a woman who is dying
and her partner and daughter who do not
have access to the same rights as a
straight family such as health insurance
and survivor’s rights
Day 3
Marriage Rights and Family Values
•
2.
Activities
Socratic Seminar on article “No Child Left Behind?” (40 Min)
a. Review article
b. Why is this situation fair or unfair? The first time you speak, begin each
comment with “I, Lisa/Lynn/the daughter, believe our situation is fair/unfair
because…”
Speaker/s from the anti-gay viewpoint (40 Min)
a. Speaker/s will review position against gay marriage and 2nd parent adoption
b. Students will have the opportunity for Q&A with the speaker/s
Homework
Part 1: Journal entry: write from an anti-gay point of view
Why are gay marriage and 2nd parent adoption wrong?
Part 2: Think of questions or comments that a person from the pro-gay point of view
would say to a person with an anti-gay point of view
i.e. “if you think gays shouldn’t get married because they can’t reproduce, should people
who are infertile be able to get married?”
Day 4
Marriage Rights and Family Values
Activities
1.
2.
3.
Speakers from the gay/straight ally standpoint (40 Min)
a. From PFLAG, Love Makes a Family, other organization that promotes acceptance of
gays and lesbians and promotion of equality
b. Speakers will review the standpoint that supports gay marriage and 2nd parent
adoption
c. Students will have the opportunity for Q&A with the speakers
Partner debate: With a partner, each defend one position, either pro-gay or anti-gay,
and have a discussion about gay marriage and second parent adoption from that p.o.v.
Vote with your feet and defend your position: (25 Min)
1. No legalized union: gay couples should have no benefits that are attained through
marriage
2. Domestic Partnership: gay couples should have some benefits that are attained
through marriage
3. Marriage: gay couples should have access to all benefits that straight spouses have
access to through marriage
Homework
Journal entry: Do you want to get married some day? Why?
Day 5
Other
Issues
of
Discrimination
Activities
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
2.
a.
b.
c.
Presentation of additional issues
(20 Min)
Discrimination in the workplace: 36
States
Military: “Don’t ask, don’t tell”
Immigration: deportation and taxes
because same-sex couples are not
considered “family”
Boy Scouts: article about Bush
legislation
HIV/AIDS: statistics
Q&A (40 Min)
Issues that were discussed
Other questions, comments, concerns
Was this unit helpful? Would you
recommend it to be taught next year?
3.
Quiz (20 Min)
define the terms: gay, lesbian,
marriage, family, civil union, 2nd parent
adoption, domestic partnership
Homework
Journal writing:
a. Write definitions for the words gay,
straight, family, and marriage,
according to what you think they
SHOULD be and NOT necessarily how
they currently are defined
b. Imagine you are gay or lesbian, write
a paragraph about why you think it is
advantageous or disadvantageous to
be gay or lesbian in American Society
c. Look at your original web diagrams
and highlight all of the negative
stereotypes you thought of. Do you
still hold these views?
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated at the end of the unit
based on the following:
1.
Active participation in class discussions
especially those in the form of Socratic
seminars
2.
Completed journals containing all 7 entries
3.
Quality of entries proving thought, time, and
reflection based on activities and previous
entries
4.
Short vocabulary quiz
The End