Washington state just became
the seventh state in the U.S. to ensure LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public schools! Following on the heels of lawmakers in Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey, state legislators in Washington passed a law that will require public schools to include information about LGBTQ+ history.
This is especially important since many other U.S. states are currently banning teachers or students from even mentioning that queer people exist, stigmatizing and erasing an already-marginalized population.
More U.S. states must do the right thing and require inclusive curricula too, to counteract right-wing homophobia and hatred. Sign the petition urging New York to become the eighth state to uplift queer communities!Incorporating information about LGBTQ+ "histories, contributions, and perspectives" in classes is incredibly important. Right now, across the U.S., only around 16% of queer students say they've seen overtly positive representation of LGBTQ+ people at school - and that has a huge impact on kids' mental health and self-view.
Queer kids are one of the most at-risk populations when it comes to suicide and self-harm. This is largely due to the shame and hatred that queer and trans people face in society, in schools, in peer groups, and sometimes even in their own families.
By contrast, in schools where classes utilize LGBTQ-inclusive curricula, students in this community have reported feeling significantly safer, and also reported enduring less school-based harassment, according to a GLSEN survey.
Many states in the U.S. right now seem intent on demonizing queer and trans children and turning them into easy scapegoats, in order to avoid talking about real problems in society like income inequality and gun safety. And all of that comes at the cost of children's mental health and safety. We can't let that continue.
Sign the petition to urge New York state to pass similar legislation to that in Washington, requiring all public schools to teaching LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula! Sign the petition to stand up for children's wellbeing.