Teaching about LGBT families in schools

Teaching about LGBT families in schools

ILGA Europe Annual Conference Zagreb, 24 October 2013

Civil rights education in the absence of rights: LGBT families in Italian schools

Famiglie Arcobaleno, Italy

Associazione Genitori Omosessualiwww.famigliearcobaleno.org

TEACHING ABOUT LGBT FAMILIES IN SCHOOLCivil rights education in the absence of rights

Famiglie Arcobaleno: born in 2005

• Exchange and comparison between parents and would-be parents

• Promote a relationship between children of LGBT families



Numbers - 2013

• 800 members

• 500 women

• 300 men

• 260 children



Famiglie Arcobaleno today

• Advocacy to obtain civil rights

• Promoting the visibility of same-sex parent families

• Exchange and comparison between parents and would-be parents

• Promote a relationship between children of LGBT families



Rights of LGBT people and couples

• No marriage

• No civil partnership

• No stepchild adoption

• No adoption



PARENTS

CO-PARENT

LEGAL PARENT

RIGHTS DENIED



No rights or obligations for the co-parent

The co-parent cannot

• take health care decisions

• take leaves from work for family reasons

• pick up children at school

• vote for or be elected in the school council

• claim contact order after separation from partner

The co-parent has no obligation to

• sustain children economically

• assist children

• provide education



No rights for the children

Children have no right to

• be supported financially, assisted, educated from the co-parent

• be granted contact with the co-parent, in case of separation or death of the legal parent

• kinship with the legal parent’s family

• Inherit from the co-parent and from her/his family



Equality law: necessary but not sufficient

What can be truly done without laws?



How to survive without laws

“ How to do miracles with the support of the private law ” cit.

Speak to the heart:

-everyday life

-Institutions

-School



Working in schools

• Starting from the school: FA was born also to help associates to deal with their kids beginning school

• Our children’s well-being is highly dependent from the acceptance from peers and from an inclusive educational environment

• To make our diversity visible, in a positive way



Issues

• Homosexuality, LGBT parenting, denied rights

• Prejudices and stereotypes on LGBT people and families

• The building of one’s sexual and gender identity

• Homophobia and bullying

• Education to differences. Gender and family roles

• Best practice at school



Training courses

1. Make prejudice emerge2. Prejudice decostruction3. Operative proposals

Kindergarten/primary schoolIntermediate/high schoolsUniversities

• introduce the new ‘non-traditional’ families;• deconstruct prejudices and stereotypes against LGBT parenting;• enhance skills to fight social exclusion and discrimination or

homophobic bullying;• ameliorate education practice to make them really inclusive of children

living in non-traditional families; • stimulate teachers to reflect upon best practice of welcoming and

inclusion



Methods

thematic modules focus group team work, debate, discussion and practice on real school experiences role playing, communication facilitation techniques video screening presentation and discussion of materials for teachers materials lab, children’s textbooks and literature lab Forum theatre, theatre shows



Some training courses in Italy

torinotorino

romaroma

ferraraferrara

bolognabologna

The courses followed three main lines:

•Introduce LGBT families

•Fight homophobia

•Fight stereotypes

Support from local institutions, collaboration with other associations, collaboration with experts and university professors

veneziavenezia


Training courses: Bologna

“Teacher, I have two mums. And I have two dads. Get to know LGBT parenting.”

Course targeted to pedagogists, educators, teachers and school personnel from kindergarten to secondary school.

Both aimed to introduce non-traditional LGBT families, to overcome prejudice and to stimulate inclusion

“Same-sex families in Italy – a reality of our times”.

Three days training. Course targeted to pedagogists, educators, personnel of game rooms and documentation centre for children

One day training. Course targeted to educators of kindergarten in the City of Bologna

Focus: knowledgeFocus: knowledge



Training courses: Bologna

Focus: stereotypesFocus: stereotypes

“How many in the house: getting diversity training”.

Equal opportunity and diversity training. Fight stereotypes and their identification in children’s literature

7 days training with kindergarten and primary school educators



Training courses: Ferrara

Courses against homophobia in two technical high schools since 4 years.

2013: “Educate to family diversity to fight homophobia”, course targeted to kindergarten and primary school teachers, social cooperatives and communities for minors educators. 150 people followed.

Focus: homophobiaFocus: homophobia



Training course: Torino

Look how many parents!

2013: Course for 8 primary

schools, conducted with the City

Education Services, Famiglie

Arcobaleno, Centro Studi Sereno

Regis, Coordinamento Torino

Pride LGBT

Introduce same-sex parent families to ease the arrival of children of lesbian mothers or gay fathers in primary school, to guarantee that they will be able to adapt to school life and to talk about their families without fearing prejudice.




Training course: Torino

Stop Homophobia, Val di Susa

Course targeted to kindergartens,

conducted with

Coordinamento Torino Pride

LGBT

Stop Homophobia, Nichelino

Course targeted to primary

school, conducted with

Coordinamento Torino Pride

LGBT, 3° edition

Focus: homophobiaFocus: homophobia



Training course: Roma


Training events in kindergarten

and schools where there are

rainbow children

2011

Two days training course targeted

to kindergarten and primary

school teachers. 300 people

followed.



7 days training with kindergarten and primary school educators (60 people)

4 modules with video screening and role playing on real ‘embarassing’ cases

In collaboration with professors of the Masters in ‘Minors, rights and protection’ of the University of Ferrara

Training course: Venezia



Get to know LGBT families



Lessons learnt

• Testimonies create empathy but are not enough. To eradicate homophobic prejudice, interaction is fundamental (role playing, etc). It is important to involve and emotionally activate the participants

• The collaboration with university teachers, especially training experts, is very useful and provides the necessary scientific background



FA School Workgroup

• The group aims at creating an archive of all training experiences done in these years (conventions, training courses, events..)

• Prepare training and information materials for teachers regarding LGBT parenting

• Provide information and advices to members regarding their children entering the school (relation with teachers, essays to read..), provide support and help to develop strategies in critical moments

ILGA Europe Annual Conference Zagreb, 24 October 2013

Thank you for your attention!www.famigliearcobaleno.org

[email protected]

Documents

Teaching about LGBT families in schools