A Lesson Plan from Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit

Purpose: To get participants thinking about why they should care about homophobia and the concrete things that they can do to stop it

Time: 60 minutes

Materials: Newsprint and markers; Leader's Resource, Role Plays

Procedure:

1. Begin by posing the question, "Why is it important to take action when we see something happening that is discriminatory, either to us or to others?"
2. Say that we all need allies because we all have to confront distressing situations, times when we feel disrespected, unwanted, and/or rejected. Today, we are going to talk specifically about the disrespect and rejection experienced by the GLBTQ community. We are going to talk about being activists in regard to the rights and dignity of GLBTQ people.
3. Ask participants to brainstorm things that anyone might say if homophobic comments were being made in their presence. Write responses on newsprint or chalkboard, encouraging participants to keep their ideas both general and realistic.
4. Divide the participants into five small groups. Give the groups basic instructions:
   • "Each group will have 20 minutes to work out a skit for a role play that I will give you. The role play will show someone being treated with disrespect because of sexual orientation or gender identity/gender expression. You won't have a lot of time, so you must work quickly. We'll come back together after 20 minutes to perform the skits for one another."
   • Assign parts for the skit. Remind participants that: 1) more than one person can take action to stop disrespect; 2) each skit should take no more than five minutes to perform; 3) each skit should end on a positive (respectful) note. While the groups are working, circulate and offer help, as needed.
5. Call everyone together and ask for volunteers to go first. After each skit, ask the entire group:
   • What just happened in that skit?
   • How did you feel as you saw the disrespect and then saw the activist stepping up? How do you think the person who had been disrespected felt? How do you think the activist felt?
   • If this happened in a real-life situation, would it work out as well? Why or why not?
   • What else do you think someone could have done?
6. Conclude with the Discussion Questions below.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important for people to take a stand when they see injustices?
2. What did you see today that might not work as well as you would like when you are standing up for yourself and your peers?
3. What did you learn today that you could use in similar situations to stand up for yourself and your peers?

* Adapted and reprinted with permission of Gay-Straight Alliance Network of San Francisco, California.

Reprinted from Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit, Girl's Best Friend Foundation and Advocates for Youth, © 2005.

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