School programme

Awareness raising about homosexuality

The aims of our program are:

• Raising awareness about homosexuality among young people, their teachers and educators.
• Representing gay identity through real life stories, increasing understanding of the problems faced by gay people.
• Acknowledgement of gayness as a social issue and the challenges it brings.
• Helping to develop positive attitudes, stressing the importance of collective responsibility for the exclusion gay people can be subject to.

What kind of issues and attitudes are covered by our program?

We clarify terms such as stereotypes, homophobia, hetero-, bi-, homosexual, transgendered, transvestism, gender identity, sexual orientation, rights and freedoms, coming out. We argue against and try to deconstruct misconceptions and prejudices regarding homosexuality (for example that homosexuality is a sin, an illness, not a natural state, or that it spoils society; all gay men are feminine, all lesbians are masculine; usage of the term "faggot" is not offensive, gay pride parades are provocative etc.) and encourage positive attitudes and behaviors from participants. We introduce the work of grass roots civil rights organizations and how to access their services. Our program seeks to raise awareness rather than to impose our viewpoints. While respecting different views, for example religious ones, on gayness, we explain how certain misconceptions can have an impact individually or collectively on gay people.

Methods

Sessions can last from 45 minutes to a few hours. They are led by two specially trained instructors, a gay man and a lesbian woman. Our most common methods: introducing a gay or lesbian person through their personal stories, feelings, thoughts, problems. We use a range of different tools (conversation, debating, film excerpts, role plays, group activities) to help participants confront their feelings and difficulties.

A typical lesson plan

1. Introduction
The instructors introduce themselves and the program.

2. "Ice breaker" game
Various motivational exercises to establish common grounds between the participants.

3. Clarifying associations, terms
Getting an idea of the students’ existing level of knowledge and finding out which topics they are most interested in.

4. Open discussions based on emerging questions
Even though participants can ask questions throughout the session, the instructors allocate time for having more informal conversations in response to specific questions based on concrete questions.

5. Forms of discrimination
Discussing the different forms discrimination can take, generally and specifically in the case of LGBT people. We use exercises and role plays to sensitize participants to the kinds of discriminations faced by gay people (in the family, in the media, on the street, in school: assault, exclusion, dismissal).

6. What can I do?
Students learn different ways to react when they see discrimination happening (for example mocking, verbal or physical humiliating, aggression).

7. Where can I turn for help?
Presentation of civil rights and support organizations.