Through outreach and conversations on social media, I was able to gather stories from Michigan's queer community. From their writing, it is clear to see that inclusive education could have greatly improved their emotional well-being and self-image.
Hi! I’m a lesbian, I’m fairly young (12 years old lol) and I live in Michigan. I’m pretty sure you would like me to write about lgbtq inclusivity in our curriculum, so I’ll do just that.To be fair, I am only in 7th grade, so maybe i just haven’t gotten to the grade where they teach about all that stuff yet, but there is very little inclusivity. I’ve not been taught a single thing about lgbtq history, in fact most of my teachers haven’t even brought it up except for my ELA teacher who I absolutely adore. She recommends books to us about being lgbtq and lgbtq history and has emphasized to us that it is hard being a gay teenager which I really do appreciate. It’s really important to have more teachers like her. Recommending that book to us really was so thoughtful, the book was about a kid that’s gay in highschool and him facing lots of bullying. If someone were to read that book who might’ve been a bully to gay people before or just a homophobe in general, it would teach them not to. Something that i’ve heard about from higher grade levels is that Michigan’s curriculum only teaches straight sex-ed, which is DEFINITELY a problem. How is that fair? If a gay person can sit through straight sex-ed without getting uncomfortable or causing a scene, why can’t a straight person do the same? They’re all cowards. They’re scared of gay people so they pretend it doesn’t exist, even if that means people suffering with stds because they were never taught how to have safe sex. Some improvements I think we could implement into our curriculum? Teaching lgbtq+ history and making it mandatory to teach lgbtq sex-ed. I’m not trans, so I don’t know the specific problems they face, but I do know they face a LOT of discrimination. So any problems that they face should definitely be fixed. It’s ridiculous how much discrimination people in the lgbtq+ community face in this world, and for us to ALSO be discriminated against in school? It’s disappointing. Changes need to be made ASAP. There’s no question about it.
-Alethea McArbor
-Alethea McArbor
"I graduated in 2020 from the interlochen arts academy, which is an arts boarding school located near grand traverse county, we have a super huge queer community and if you’re wanting art from queer kids learning in michigan, I think it’s the perfect place for you to look! I went there sophomore-senior year for academy, loved loved it there."
I would love to hear about your experience! How did having a big community and inclusive environment impact you?
"Oh my god it was kind of incredible. I was an acting major and while I can’t speak to other majors experiences, I felt incredibly safe as welcome as someone with a queer gender identity and as a lesbian. I was allowed to audition for roles regardless of gender, did scenes in class regardless of gender, and felt incredibly cared for. I actually got to collaborate with my director the show i was in second semester last year to kind of create a queer interpretation of the play (shakespeare’s as you like it). we weren’t able to perform it in person due to covid but we did an online audio performance and created a website filled with essays, visual art, poetry, cast interviews, etc. about the process."
- Noelle
I’ve learned nothing at my school about lgbt+ history, and I think that it [inclusive education] is important! I think that all students enrolled in a history class should learn about the history of the F slur, and why it’s so offensive. I also think that students should learn about gay sex in health class. And lastly I think that students should learn about the importance of taking your time with your sexuality and understanding that there’s no rush to label your gender or sexuality since it’s all fluid.
- Annabelle Vollmar
- Annabelle Vollmar
"I’m 20 now and it took me until I would say around 15ish to figure out I wasn’t straight and another year to accept it and only really told my Dad when I brought home my girlfriend
Do you feel that an inclusive education may have made your experience coming out better?
Oh for sure. I didn’t hear about lgbt community in a positive light until after the Gay Marriage Act in 2016 I was told before when I was younger I was gay but it was 'wrong' or 'dirty'."
How might’ve a positive lgbtq+ educational experience impacted your self-esteem?
"Oh GOD okay. Well it would have at least been nice to hear about lgbt people like it’s normal. Like it isn’t this RARE or weird thing.
Did you have any positive experiences with peers or teachers in relation to lgbtq issues?
I came out to my class as Ace one day because everyone was sharing something personal. I thought ace was really weird and rare. After though, three different people came running to me talking about how they were also on the Ace spectrum! It was a really nice thing. It was big for me too, because I felt it was something I had to hide. Also, whenI was about 10ish in a different school I had about six very very close friends. I loved them so so much but I moved the next year. We’re all on the lgbt spectrum in one way or another, every last one of us. And I think it was kind of a sweet surprise knowing I wasn’t alone and the people I loved even at so young had this special bond with me."
Oh that’s so wonderful!!
"I know it was so weird but cool to see! We all came out at different points as well."
Is there anything else you want to add?
"Yeah!! It took FOREVER to figure out but hey I’m in a loving relationship now so I guess the only thing I want to add is: just know that even if you aren’t in a situation to come out now, that’s okay. You’ll eventually be in a place you are. And don’t be afraid to label and RElabel yourself!!! You aren’t hurting anyone by changing."
- Alayna Taber
I recall my seventh grade year crying in my bathtub. i realized i liked girls. i hated myself so much for it. i didn’t understand what it meant, i barely knew the lgbtq+ community existed. i just knew i liked girls. for years i’ve so badly wanted to be represented, not resented. it’s been almost two years since that night i cried in the bathtub, i’m so much happier now. i don’t hate the fact i like girls, i embrace who i am. its so hard learning on your own how to embrace it. it took me about two years to fully accept myself, and i wouldn’t change a thing about myself or my journey through it all. the thing that honestly helped me the most, was people online & people like me, people who understood my fear, who understood how i felt alone. im beyond grateful for the amount of representation we have in social media’s, but i feel if we had more representation in schools it’d become more normalized.
- Liv Michaelis
- Liv Michaelis
"I'm from northern Michigan and I live in a yeeyee trumpie hick town, I'm bisexual, I moved schools as a result from harassment from that school.
Well my sister, who's now out of highschool came out as trans at 15 has gone through so much all because of idiots. the school system refused to respect her pronouns and called her by her dead name."
How do you think she would have benefited from a more supportive school system?
"I think it's important that students learn how being transgender works. they don't understand that it's literally not a choice. somethin happens and it causes a situation for a female brain to be developed into a male body. its something they are born with and that's ok. my sister dressed up in dresses and wore wigs alllllll throughout her childhood. The science behind being transgender needs to be taught. the difference between gender and gender identity needs to be taught. the fact that you can literally change your biology needs to be taught. All of it needs to be normalized. Smaller kids in kindergarten-3rd need to be taught that pronouns aren't just He/She. Gay history needs to be taught cus there are so many important historical figures that were literally bi or gay. and at the beginning of EVERY year when you start a new class everyone should have to fill out a little paper writing their prefered name and pronouns and the teachers should be required to use them."
- Ryanne Briley
Well my sister, who's now out of highschool came out as trans at 15 has gone through so much all because of idiots. the school system refused to respect her pronouns and called her by her dead name."
How do you think she would have benefited from a more supportive school system?
"I think it's important that students learn how being transgender works. they don't understand that it's literally not a choice. somethin happens and it causes a situation for a female brain to be developed into a male body. its something they are born with and that's ok. my sister dressed up in dresses and wore wigs alllllll throughout her childhood. The science behind being transgender needs to be taught. the difference between gender and gender identity needs to be taught. the fact that you can literally change your biology needs to be taught. All of it needs to be normalized. Smaller kids in kindergarten-3rd need to be taught that pronouns aren't just He/She. Gay history needs to be taught cus there are so many important historical figures that were literally bi or gay. and at the beginning of EVERY year when you start a new class everyone should have to fill out a little paper writing their prefered name and pronouns and the teachers should be required to use them."
- Ryanne Briley
My coming out experience started in my freshman year and it took about six months for me to finally come to terms that I was attracted to both boys and girls. I had started to build a support net of friends but I wasn’t able to come out until the end of freshman year to my best friend and she accepted me with open arms. My school however had a history of open bullying of LGBT students and so I was absolutely petrified of the thought of being disliked and picked on for my sexuality at my school. I finally had the courage to actually come out to my school at the end of my junior year after months of rumors circulating that I was talking to certain guys and other rumors that others made up about me, and I thought that things were changing for the better. On the surface it seemed like no one really cared about me coming out and that they all accepted me, or at least didn’t care. Then came cruel pranks, phone calls, incognito Snapchat’s, all in efforts to try and expose me or humiliate me in front of the entire school. The cherry on top is my senior year when I painted my school rock with some friends for trans visibility month and a bunch of trump supporters and homophobes vandalized it. They wrote awful things like all lives matter and destroyed our entire mural that we put up on the rock which was really upsetting to minority communities in my school, especially other lgbt students. We had decided to paint it back and stake it out to report whoever vandalized it to the principal. They brought baseball bats, spray paint, rocks, and water guns and verbally harassed the students including me who wanted to protect the rock for our school wanting to push their own political agenda and be outwardly homophobic. We got spray painted, squirted with water on a 35 degree night and all over a mural of a trans flag and the protection of our schools lgbt community. Needless to say no one was actually physically harmed but the damage wasn’t on the surface. They knew that I was orchestrating the painting of the rock and egged some of my friends cars, and it created a stand-off between people who supported the lgbt community and people who were homophobic and the standoff lasted two weeks. My school didn’t do anything about the threat that I received, the names I was called, the things that I went through, along with many other lgbt students like me. I am really lucky to have built a strong support system but it was a scary time to go through. Currently I am trying to start a LGBT club for students across macomb county, one that provides a safe space for students to be themselves, to create friends, to learn about the community, and fundraising and volunteer opportunities as well as help with our county pride parade and other events. I don’t want anybody’s school to be complacent and a bystander to the harassment and bullying of queer youth. The things that my school has covered up is despicable and I don’t want that type of behavior to go unnoticed as well as never happen again.
- Noah Taylor
- Noah Taylor
"One thing that I think could bring real change is including lgbtq topics in sex ed and health education.
(classes such as transitioning , same sex attraction etc.)
I did a project on it last year and we also came up with an idea that parents who disagree can opt out their children until the legal
consent age of sex so 16 in this state I believe."
Definitely! In what ways do you think this inclusion can help the lgbtq community in Michigan?
"It can help educate teens that what their feeling is common and also help them realize same sex attraction can affect our sexual and mental health and where to get help if you are suffering from depression with these issues and what therapists can help educate you and your family. This would help to start bringing down the teen suicide rate in the lgbt community if we can educate people while they are still learning about themselves. Me and my friends were never taught about transition or same sex attraction until we taught ourselves. The resources we can give teens will help them be educated, safe, and healthier while they are exploring their identity and sexuality."
- Kaitlyn Green
(classes such as transitioning , same sex attraction etc.)
I did a project on it last year and we also came up with an idea that parents who disagree can opt out their children until the legal
consent age of sex so 16 in this state I believe."
Definitely! In what ways do you think this inclusion can help the lgbtq community in Michigan?
"It can help educate teens that what their feeling is common and also help them realize same sex attraction can affect our sexual and mental health and where to get help if you are suffering from depression with these issues and what therapists can help educate you and your family. This would help to start bringing down the teen suicide rate in the lgbt community if we can educate people while they are still learning about themselves. Me and my friends were never taught about transition or same sex attraction until we taught ourselves. The resources we can give teens will help them be educated, safe, and healthier while they are exploring their identity and sexuality."
- Kaitlyn Green
Hi! In regard to your LGBTQ+ at Michigan TikTok- I work for the Spectrum Center (the lgbtq+ resource center) at the University of Michigan. I think I could help!
Wow amazing!! I’d love to hear about how this program supports queer students.
Of course! The center offers a ton of resources to queer students on campus like identity based peer lead groups, groups for incoming freshman, career resources, gender inclusive housing, and community events on campus and off. We also work with a lot of student staff.
Why do you feel these programs are important for queer students?
They build a sense of community especially for new students, provide community specific resources, and gives them people to talk to who have shared experiences which can make them feel so much more comfortable.
Why did you decide to work for this center?
I really want to be able to help create an inclusive safe space for folks, especially students. And to help educate the adults in their lives on how to be ally’s and keep their spaces safe.
Yes! That’s so wonderful. Do you have any positive experiences with education growing up as an lgbtq person?
I really didn’t until this job. There wasn’t any representation in any of my teachers or professors. And the curriculum was all very heteronormative. That’s one of the reasons I was so excited about your project.
Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?
I can't think of anything else. I hope your project goes well! Best of luck!
Thank you so much!!
- Alyssa Garcia
Wow amazing!! I’d love to hear about how this program supports queer students.
Of course! The center offers a ton of resources to queer students on campus like identity based peer lead groups, groups for incoming freshman, career resources, gender inclusive housing, and community events on campus and off. We also work with a lot of student staff.
Why do you feel these programs are important for queer students?
They build a sense of community especially for new students, provide community specific resources, and gives them people to talk to who have shared experiences which can make them feel so much more comfortable.
Why did you decide to work for this center?
I really want to be able to help create an inclusive safe space for folks, especially students. And to help educate the adults in their lives on how to be ally’s and keep their spaces safe.
Yes! That’s so wonderful. Do you have any positive experiences with education growing up as an lgbtq person?
I really didn’t until this job. There wasn’t any representation in any of my teachers or professors. And the curriculum was all very heteronormative. That’s one of the reasons I was so excited about your project.
Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?
I can't think of anything else. I hope your project goes well! Best of luck!
Thank you so much!!
- Alyssa Garcia