There are many ways that the
world permeates homophobia and heterosexism and it begins with a world in which
children cannot get enough of and parents encourage and that is Disney. My room swarms with conversations of
Princesses and Cars, and now the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power
Rangers. As a matter of fact this past
week a child asked if she could play Ninja Turtles with the boys and they said
yes you can be April which is the only girl character in the show, when I asked
if she could be Leonardo or another turtle all the boys yelled no because they
were boys (characters). We live in a
world still today that emphasizes roles of gender, heterosexism, and
homophobia. Disney family movies consist
of nuclear families such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids or even more recent movies
Brave. The fact that the family park is
based on a theme of the 20’s is evident still today as they do not speak about
homophobia in the forefront but the message is clear in their programs, movies,
characters, and toys. It is our job as
teachers to be aware of cultural norms however, it is our duty to instill
practices that there is not gender biased or depict personal biases. The game Stereotype is an excellent and
informational way to teach children of the myths and facts surrounding
homophobia and heterosexism (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b).
I found the question of avoiding materials depicting
gays or lesbians to be very thought provoking in my recent career. I work as a preschool teacher on a federal
installation surrounded by Marines and Sailors and a swarm of homophobia. Although, the president deemed that
homosexuals could freely be open in the military the stigma of cultural
preferences is still prevalent. It is an
unspoken language in which I have been told by some of my parents that it is
fine to be homosexual, but I do not want my children being influenced by
it. In other words, they have some
personal bias issues. However, I do not
and walk a very thin line on the issue when I discuss families in the
classroom. I believe just like the video
Start Seeing Diversity that although
families may be against the discussion children still need to be aware and
respectful of other families that are different from their cultural norms
(Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b). I have
had some backlash for discussing same=sex families by some parents, but I also
tell those parents that what is different is not wrong and you would not want
someone to stereotype their family.
Families are people who love each other and their not define by blood or
any other stereotype based on cultural norms but the feelings of the
heart.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).
(2011b). EDUC 6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning [Webcast]. Start Seeing Diversity: Gender.
Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2651072_1%26url%3D
