LGBTQ+ Acceptance at Howard High
Alexis Schuster ‘21 Staff Writer
In light of a presenting name option appearing last month on Canvas and Synergy, as well as the Gender and Sexuality Acceptance club (GSA) meetings, it is clear that the Howard High community is taking steps to foster inclusion of LGBTQ+ students.
Senior Lena Stipek Sherbert identifies as a cisgender, asexual lesbian, and goes by she/her pronouns. When asked her about her personal school life and whether she faced discrimation from peers, she answered, “I didn’t face discrimination based on my sexuality [but] some dudes were weird around me, saying that I ‘looked sexy today’ knowing it made me uncomfortable, and they only got a seminar that told them to not do that as |
punishment.” She feels students have less power than staff when it comes to reporting these issues, especially minority students. Stipek Sherbert recalls an experience in freshman year when she spotted cards lining the walls of Student Resources talking about the Day of Silence, a day where students take a vow of silence for LGBTQ+ people who have lost their voice through shame and violence. She says that the school “hadn’t overly announced it, nor announced the GSA through the club screens. It’s like they don’t mention it.” She said students need more power and agency, especially when reporting instances of discrimination on school grounds, and the school needs to implement more rigid disciplinary actions for discrimination.
Stipek Sherbert would like to see queer education implemented, especially when it comes to sexual education. “We know that both gender and physical sex is not a binary, but we are still being taught that it is so!” comments Stipek Sherbert. As asexuality is a part of her identity, she would like to see more asexuality awareness. She also comments that “some people need to be taught that no means no, and that you can’t turn people’s sexualities.”
An anonymous student who is a trans bisexual male and goes by he/him pronouns said, “An art student mocked me for a perceived homosexual relationship, and I was called a ‘tranny’ ’by a former friend.” This incident was not reported, but the student points out that bystanders did nothing: “While I didn’t report it, I thought someone else was going to come up and say ‘hey man, that’s not okay,’ you know?” He did wish to not comment further about his experiences, but he feels the school does the bare minimum when handling LGBT topics: “It’s enough to feel safe, but not enough to always feel comfortable.” What would help with feeling accepted is proper student avocation and correct materials, as he recalls a time where a video was broadcasted that labeled trans people as “transsexuals,” an offensive term used by Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) and others who do not represent the trans community directly.
Both interviewees felt that Howard High was not doing enough to welcome and accept LGBTQ+ students, and that there should be a more rigid disciplinary system when it comes to discrimination based on identity. They also believe that the school doesn’t represent the LGBTQ+ community, and should reference materials provided by representatives of these communities rather than promoting heterosexual cisgendered identities as the source for understanding all others. Howard High hosts inclusive activities, such as Trans Awareness Week last year, and lists the GSA as a club.
However, little else is done to observe or promote these safe spaces. These empty demonstrations with improper materials and pejorative term use make students feel like a diversity statistic. Using proper terms and having a stricter discipline ladder when it comes to discrimination would help students feel valid and safe at Howard High.
Stipek Sherbert would like to see queer education implemented, especially when it comes to sexual education. “We know that both gender and physical sex is not a binary, but we are still being taught that it is so!” comments Stipek Sherbert. As asexuality is a part of her identity, she would like to see more asexuality awareness. She also comments that “some people need to be taught that no means no, and that you can’t turn people’s sexualities.”
An anonymous student who is a trans bisexual male and goes by he/him pronouns said, “An art student mocked me for a perceived homosexual relationship, and I was called a ‘tranny’ ’by a former friend.” This incident was not reported, but the student points out that bystanders did nothing: “While I didn’t report it, I thought someone else was going to come up and say ‘hey man, that’s not okay,’ you know?” He did wish to not comment further about his experiences, but he feels the school does the bare minimum when handling LGBT topics: “It’s enough to feel safe, but not enough to always feel comfortable.” What would help with feeling accepted is proper student avocation and correct materials, as he recalls a time where a video was broadcasted that labeled trans people as “transsexuals,” an offensive term used by Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) and others who do not represent the trans community directly.
Both interviewees felt that Howard High was not doing enough to welcome and accept LGBTQ+ students, and that there should be a more rigid disciplinary system when it comes to discrimination based on identity. They also believe that the school doesn’t represent the LGBTQ+ community, and should reference materials provided by representatives of these communities rather than promoting heterosexual cisgendered identities as the source for understanding all others. Howard High hosts inclusive activities, such as Trans Awareness Week last year, and lists the GSA as a club.
However, little else is done to observe or promote these safe spaces. These empty demonstrations with improper materials and pejorative term use make students feel like a diversity statistic. Using proper terms and having a stricter discipline ladder when it comes to discrimination would help students feel valid and safe at Howard High.