| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | |
| How can you tell if someone is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? |  Top |
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| You can't. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people may be found at every level of society and with lifestyles as diverse as those of heterosexuals. | |
| What percentage of the population is lesbian or gay? | Top |
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| Most researchers accept that about 10% of men and woman are predominantly or exclusively homosexual. | |
| Are homosexuals more likely to be child sexual molesters? | Top |
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| No. Around 97% of all reported sexual abuse of children is carried out by heterosexual men. | |
| No-one in my school complains about sexuality discrimination and harassment. Does this mean it isn't a problem? | Top |
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| This form of harassment is not often reported because those who experience it fear that their complaint will not be taken seriously, that there isn’t the will or capacity to rectify the situation, or that the situation will worsen. Students will only begin to report homophobic harassment if they feel safe enough to talk about what they have experienced, and believe that their action will make a difference. | |
| How many students are affected by sexuality discrimination and harassment? | Top |
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| 11% of Grade 7 to 12 students surveyed by La Trobe University academic Lynne Hillier for a study of student sexual health did not identify as heterosexual. Other recent national student sexual health surveys have found similar percentages. When some students are harassed because they are, or are perceived to be, lesbian, gay or bisexual the morale and cohesion of the entire school community suffers. | |
| Isn’t there a danger of promoting and encouraging homosexuality if we discuss it? | Top |
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| The goal of discussions should be to reduce the levels of unfair treatment and make school safe and supportive for all students. It is not about promoting a particular sexuality or gender identity. An individual’s sexuality is deeply entrenched. People with either same sex attraction or opposite sex attraction cannot be persuaded to adopt the other. This applies equally to conversations you will be having with your children in the home. Talking about sexuality does not encourage it to happen but rather will open yourself up for more honest and open discussions with your children and ensure they have the support and information they need to make informed and safe choices. You cannot make anyone gay by talking to him or her about the issues. However, by teaching kids the truth instead of the old negative myths you can make them better informed, more understanding, and more comfortable with their own sexuality | |
| How do I know there are lesbian, gay or bisexual students in my children’s school? | Top |
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| Just because there are no openly lesbian, gay or bisexual students in a given school community doesn't mean they are not there. In Victoria a small minority of lesbian, gay and bisexual students are open about their sexuality, but most are not because they may be uncomfortable with their sexuality, or fear the hostility of others. Before these students disclose their sexuality to others they must feel at ease with themselves and supported by their school environment. | |
| When is it appropriate to introduce these issues? | Top |
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| Many teachers know that derogatory name-calling including words such as 'poofter' and 'lezzo' begins in the early years. Long before they grasp the meaning of the words, students have been exposed to negative images about being lesbian, gay or bisexual. What a school can do is create a safe environment for students to ask questions, consider what they are hearing and seeing and be given accurate information. | |
| Should schools be teaching young children about gay sex? | Top |
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| Think about all the stories children read about mothers and fathers. Just as these stories are not about heterosexual sex, lessons about lesbian, gay and bisexual people are not about gay sex. What schools can do -in the context of lessons about families, current events, literature or civil rights -is incorporate ways to acknowledge that lesbian, gay and bisexual people are amongst us and to prevent harmful stereotypes, prejudices and name calling. | |
| Doesn’t the bible say that homosexuality is a sin? | Top |
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| This is highly contested and complex, and there are different interpretations of the Bible. Most people opposing homosexuality quote Leviticus (18.22-23). ‘Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind’. What is not quoted by these people is that this crime is written about in the same section that condemns: eating the fat of cattle, sheep and goats, planting one’s field with two different sorts of seed, wearing cloth woven from broth wool and cotton and eating rabbits. Homosexuality was punishable by death but so was adultery, having sex with a woman during her period, and cursing your father or mother. For more information refer to What the Bible Really Says Abut Homosexuality, by Daniel A. Helminiak,2000. | |
| What is the meaning of 'transgender'? | Top |
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| Someone whose gender identity or behaviour falls outside of stereotypical gender norms. The term describes people whose physical attributes at birth do not match the gender with which they identify. It is possible through gender reassignment therapy and surgery to have physical gender attributes changed, although not all transgender people choose surgery. A person's gender identity is not necessarily related to their sexual identity. For example, it is possible to be born with the physical attributes of a male, identify as a female, and be attracted sexually to other women. | |
| Is transgenderism the same as homosexuality? | Top |
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| Transgenderism is a function of gender identification. Gender identification is distinct from sexual orientation. Gender identity is about someones innate sense of maleness or femaleness, whereas sexuality/sexual orientation is about who someone is attracted to. | |
| Can a transgender/transsexual person be 'cured' of their transgenderism/transsexuality? | Top |
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| No. Some people claim that a transgender/transsexual person can be cured but this is based on the assumption that it is an illness. There is no reliable or conclusive evidence to indicate that it is possible to turn a transgender/transsexual person into a non-transgender/transsexual person or vice versa. | |
| What is 'coming out'? | Top |
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| It is the process of accepting one’s lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender identity. People may come out at certain times and in certain situations, depending on how safe they feel to do so. | |
| What can schools do? | Top |
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| Schools need to support and enhance the self-esteem of all students, regardless of their sexual or gender identity. Schools can: • provide accurate information on sexuality and gender identity. Silence on these issues communicates values just as loudly as responding. • challenge homophobic behaviour. • learn about and refer to community organisations. | |
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| Parts of this content is taken from: Talking Out: An information bulletin for teachers, from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Reference Group, Edition 1, published by the Equity Standards Branch of the Department of Education Tasmania. | |