Sexual Diversity In Schools

The United States has made great progress in achieving social justice in regards to sexual diversity within society; however, multiple barriers continue to exist for educators and students alike. The main barrier is that sexuality is a topic often avoided or constrained within educational policy due in part by conservative discourse. Dewey (1927) believed that “…the public has no hands except those of individual human beings” (pp. 82). Therefore, he believed it is the wayward, elected individuals who act upon their own interests on behalf of the state who are the ones who create acts where progress ebbs and flows. However, schools do breed sexuality and conservatives cannot do anything about it exclaims Kelly (1992). Epstein and Jonson (1998)

In 2013, the Pew Research Center found that Canada has progressed on queer inclusion with 80% of the population accepting ‘homosexuality’, but the United States continue to falter in this area with only 60% of citizens being accepting. The United States did, however, match the growth in acceptance percentages of Canada from 2007 to 2013, with 49% to 60% and 70% to 80% respectfully (Pew Research, 2013). The United States ranked second in terms of acceptance growth globally with Canada coming in third (Pew Research, 2013). Age tends to play a factor in acceptance rates (Pew Research, 2013). In the U.S., acceptance rates ranked as: 18-29 years olds had a 70%; 30-49 year olds has a 64%; and 50+ year olds had 52% (Pew Research, 2013). Comparably, Canada had higher rates at: 18-29 years olds had a 87%; 30-49 year olds has a 82%; and 50+ year olds had 75% (Pew Research, 2013). Additionally, O'Neill (2012) found that males who are older and often less educated living within a rule areas were typically exhibited negative beliefs against queer individuals. Furthermore, beliefs were also associated with authoritarian personalities, individuals who hold conservative religious beliefs, and those who support traditional gender roles. None-the-less, Canadian acceptance of queer individuals has excelled in comparison to the

falters in comparison to Canada is the decriminalization of sodomy and employee non-discrimination. First, the Supreme Court ruling on Lawrence v. Texas decriminalized sodomy laws nationally in 2003. However, Canada achieved this in 1969 (O’Neill, 2012). The second significant legislative difference is that employs can still be discriminated against in the U.S. Although the U.S. Senate passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in 2013, which prohibits the discrimination of queer and trans* persons in the work force (Human Rights Campaign, 2013), there is strong opposition to the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. Therefore, queer people can still be fired in 29 U.S. states (Short, 2014). Again, Canada achieved success here by establishing The Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and the Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act which allows for the non-discrimination queer individuals, protecting educators and students