This document contains an assignment for a social justice class. It includes two assigned articles about discrimination faced by LGBT youth and a series of questions for reflection. The student provides thoughtful responses discussing the emotional impacts of discrimination, a personal experience with bullying, common phrases that can negatively impact marginalized groups, and organizations working to address discrimination.

1. Name: Chantal Jackson
Date February 13, 2013
SL Assignment #2 - Discrimination
Michaelson, M. T. (2008). Inclusion and social justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of the
learning community in Queensland State Schools. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 18(1), 76-
83.
Earls, M. (2005). GLBTQ youth: The facts. Retrieved from
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php/component/content/article/424-glbtq-youth.html.
After reading the articles, answer the following questions honestly and completely in short answer form
between 150-500 words each (Answers not in this range will not be graded and credit will not be given).
Collegiate level writing is expected with appropriate supporting evidence for your statements that
should reflect critical thinking. Each question should address the information in the article, content
from class, and your reflections of the material. Your answers are for your own reflection and will only
be viewed by your instructors.
1. A. The article discusses some of the emotional affects that students that are discriminated
against experience. Discuss the impact on students who are victims of discrimination AND your
thoughts about the implications discrimination has on others.
It is obvious before reading these articles that students who are discriminated against because
of their sexual orientation are most likely to drop out of high school or commit suicide. I think
that most GLBT students are afraid to come out because of the discrimination decide to stay
hidden when they can be helping other GLBT students who have already come out. Every
GLBT student needs someone to talk to that has gone down or is going down the same path.
No GLBT student should ever feel alone. Discrimination not only affects the victim but
everyone in the entire school. Students who stand by and watch the harassment could start to
think that it is acceptable to bully the GLBT students. GLBT who have yet to come out hide
their true selves which can give them anxiety, stress, depression, or thoughts of suicide all
because they feel the school is not a safe place for them.
B. Share an example of a time you were picked on or discriminated against. (Consider: How did
it make you feel? What affects did it have on you, your views, your behavior, etc? Did you have
access to a safe environment and/or someone to help?)
For a short while in the sixth grade, I was bullied for being friends with the big girl. Students
started to call me the same rude names they called her like “Big Bertha”. That did hurt my
feelings to the point of tears. That’s when I first started becoming self-conscious about my
looks. I was the tallest girl in the sixth grade but certainly not the heaviest so I always
wondered why they were calling me fat names. Luckily, I was smart enough to not take the
bullying for very long before I told the school principal. I knew the teacher heard those
comments toward me in the classroom and never once intervened so I went straight to the
principal. He was kind and acted immediately. The bullies where put in after school detention
and they never picked on me again. I knew I was going to be labeled the tattle tale but I knew
I did not deserve the emotional pain they were giving me.

2. 2. Identify and discuss common words, phrases or slang that you or the people around you use
regularly that may negatively affect a marginalized population or group? What can you do as an
individual to reduce this type of negative effect on others?
I remember several years ago when I was in high school, I use to say the phrase “that’s gay.” It
was just a phrase me and my friends used and meant it like “that’s stupid.” Then junior year
came around and that’s when our best friend Craig told us he was gay. He was happy it was all
out in the open and we still loved him because, after all, he was still the same person. One
day, I said “that’s gay” and Craig asked me what I just said. I corrected myself immediately
and have never said that phrase since. As a future elementary teacher, I plan on taking action
when I hear discriminating phrases by telling students that was not a nice thing to say. As an
aunt, I do plan on having a long talk with them about how hurtful words can be. Luckily one
day my niece did come up to me telling me stories about students who are bullying others.
We did have a long talk about being bullied because of body image, special education, and
sexual orientation. She knows all is wrong and that she will get more respect for accepting
everyone for who they are.
3. Go through the “What, So What, Now What” process, analyzing pertinent information from the
assigned article(s)/material, lessons and discussions in class, and your experience during your
service. Refer back to the Critical Reflection guidelines provided in class. (You will be graded
separately in each of the 3 areas, and your answer in each section should be between 150-500
words.)
What – Discuss the most significant information from this article to consider that relates to your
service to the community and our lessons in class? Explain in depth. {Consider: What type of
discrimination does or could the population you serve face? Why may they be subject to
discrimination, by whom, and?}
The most significant information I remember from this article is that most teacher ignore the
problem because they are more concerned with the “maintenance of the power structure
than with creating a more socially just school.” I also think back to when I was bullied in class
when the teacher was present and she too never got involved. Working with mostly
elementary students at the Boys and Girls club, I have yet to hear any type of discrimination
towards other students. When I do hear something discriminating, I do plan on kindly telling
them that what they said was not nice. If they continue, I plan letting my supervisor know and
maybe schedule time for all of us to have a talk. Unlike my sixth grade teacher, I do not plan
on ignoring discrimination. I can have a full of list of things to do but I will never put bullying
at the bottom of the list because a student being emotionally or physically abused should
always go straight to top priorities.
So what – Why is your “what” analysis important or significant to you and to the community?
(Discuss the implications of the topic on you and the community at large.)
Let me start with a scenario where I know there is discrimination going on but I decide to get
to it later because I think I have other important things to do than deal with this bullying

3. issue. Soon after, the student drops out of school or even worse, commits suicide. None of
that could have happened if I just made the bullying a priority by having a talk with the victim
and the offender to let them know that what is going on is wrong. That is the worst case
scenario and I hope I will never have to find myself in that situation. I am only human so of
course there can be discrimination going on right under my nose but I just do not see it. My
plan is to confront every situation I see when it comes to discrimination whether it is a simple
comment or scheduling a meeting with the parents. I would never want to ignore it.
What now – Who is already doing work to fight discrimination?
1. Research at least 3 organizations, speakers, writers, etc., who are currently taking action to
alleviate discrimination of any kind. Include the following for each:
• Organization name: There’s No Excuse for Peer Abuse
• Organization website: antibullyingprograms.org
• The type of discrimination the organization or person is addressing: bullying, cyber,
social, physical, emotional, bias based.
• Brief description of the program/activity/action the organization is doing to alleviate
discrimination: Becoming a positive bystander without putting yourself or anyone else
in danger, internet safety, difference between ratting and reporting, how to create a
bully free environment.
• Organization name: Fighting Discrimination
• Organization website: humanrightsfirst.org
• The type of discrimination the organization or person is addressing: hate or bias crimes
• Brief description of the program/activity/action the organization is doing to alleviate
discrimination: Promoting inclusion and combating hate crime as a serious human
rights violation.
• Organization name: Healthy Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students Project
• Organization website: http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/programs/hlgbsp/index.aspx
• The type of discrimination the organization or person is addressing: lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and questioning youth
• Brief description of the program/activity/action the organization is doing to alleviate
discrimination: Goal is to help schools, families, and communities promote the
healthy growth and full development of LGBQ youth.
2. Then, comment on how YOU can take action to alleviate discrimination.
The best way to alleviate discrimination is by setting examples myself, even when no one
is looking. Students look up to me as a leader and I would never lead them down a path
to discriminating other for being different. It is what makes them unique. Like the article
said, children are the future and children who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender are equal contributors in that future. It is also best to teach students that
every single person is equal. They deserve equal rights and deserve equal respect. As
mentioned earlier, I plan on never setting a discrimination situation aside for later. I will
always make it a top priority whether it is correcting a student by saying what they said
was rude or wrong. If I have to I will set a meeting with offender, victim, and their parents
to confront the issue. I will never ignore or try to avoid the problem.