Troubling Intersections of Race & Sexuality

Queer Students of Color &

Anti-Oppressive EducationEdited by Kevin K. Kumashiro

Introduction

This is the first national examination of race/ethnicity and sexual orientation during adolescence.

Personal accounts: The Latin-, African-, and Asian-American experiences.

Educational approaches towards a solution.

The Latin-American Experience

“¿Eres maricón? ¿Mande? ¡¿Eres maricón?!”

Queerness a foreign disease

La familia

The African-American Experience

“They don’t see me as a mixed guy…they see me as Black.”

“We’re tied to the church…”

The Asian-American Experience

“…it seems as if coming out to one’s parents is as necessary and common a rite of being queer as one’s first date or kiss.”

“...it would have been a lot ‘easier’ to be queer in America.”

Educational Approaches Toward a Solution

Quantitative data testing GPA against sexual orientation by race

Factors needing change

What can we do?

GPA and Sexual Orientation by Race/Ethnicity

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

2.9

3

Total* White* Black Asian Hispanic

Race

GPA Same Sex Attraction

No Same Sex Attraction

Factors Needing Change

No social connectedness

Not feeling part of the school

Low social acceptance

Overall unhappiness at school

What Can We Do?

Teachers must be leaders in creating tolerant atmosphere

Enforcing anti-harassment policyMore quantitative dataInclude broader perspective in queer

studiesAffirmative action or active recruiting?

The End!