Extended Comments Blog...GLSEN

Joe started his first paragraph of this week's blog saying,

"Today’s assignment was to surf the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) website. My original thought was, here we go, another special interest group organization. If minorities want to fit in and be like everyone else, why do they segregate themselves by forming “their” organizations? Why do we have BET? And Stonewall Democrats? These organizations seem to say, “Look at us, we’re different.”

There are many instances when I think about certain special interest groups and feel as though they are intentionally attracting the spotlight and receive the attention that they seek. Sometimes, it is "negative" attention. But, this assignment required us to look at GLSEN. Having a cousin who is a lesbian and a second cousin who is gay, I did not question or think negatively about what this website would be about. Instead, I thought about sharing it with my female cousin because she has a very difficult time dealing with acceptance and isn't true to others about her sexual preferences. While she hasn't dealt with many acceptance issues with those around her age, it is our older family members who she is uncomfortable with sharing her orientation.

This website is informational and educational. I think it is so wonderful that it promotes a "safe environment" in schools regarding more than just understanding and accepting others of different sexual orientations. It discusses and has endless links and lesson plans for addressing what I consider to be the biggest issue facing our youth today: bullying. This problem affects children from all backgrounds...biases regarding race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, "beautifulness", etc. are all causes that bring about bullying. Bullying causes many children to feel inferior, less self-confident, and submissive. It is unfair and is a form of injustice that we see in our schools all too often. The GLSEN website is an excellent tool that educators can use in their classroom to address this issue, educate children about the effects of bullying, and evoke the change that is necessary to rid our schools of bullying. As Joe said, "Their [GLSEN] mission is not to cater only to gays, but to work towards safer schools and prevent damage to young lives. Their motto is that ALL students are valued and respected."

I would like to close with my thoughts in response to the following quote from the website and Joe's blog. Danielle Smith, student advocate of the year, who said, “This isn’t a gay movement, this is a civil rights movement.” The natural rights of each human being, regardless of gender, sexual preference, race, or the choices they make in life, MUST be preserved, respected, and advocated for. We must remember that we are all connected in the circle of life. While we may have individual differences, we all share a common bond with this earth. There is no superior race. We are all created equal. These simple statements cannot be forgotten.