Lifestyles

Homophobia hurts everyone

 How Are We Different?
• After the video a book entitled It’s Okay to be
Different will be read aloud
• Have a class discussion on what it means to be
different, and how people are different
• The students could also write in their journal
“What does different mean to you?”
 Discussion and Vocabulary
• After watching this video ask the students:
– Have you heard these words before?
– Do you, or anyone you know use these words?
– Did the video make you feel uncomfortable?
– Has anyone been called one of these words?
• A list of vocabulary words will then be presented.
– Ex. Coming out, Heterosexism, faggot, fairy/flamer, etc.
• In groups the students would then research these
words and present their meanings to the class.
Students can facilitate discussion about their use,
their connotations, their appropriateness etc.
 Nature Vs. Nurture
• Ask the students what ‘Nature Vs. Nurture’
means:
– Are people born gay?
– Do they choose to be gay?
– Can you be taught to be gay?

– As an activity you could have the students

research this topic and then have a debate in the
classroom
 Think Before You Speak!
• As a class you would discuss this phrase
“that’s so gay”
• Ask the students if they, or anyone they know
use this phrase?
• Do they think it is negative or positive?
• Have they actually thought about the
implications and meaning of the phrase?
• How would they feel if someone used
something about them in a negative way?
 “That’s so hetero”
• Discuss how homophobia affects our lives
• As an activity, you could ask the students to go
and hold an opposite-sexed friend’s hand, and
then after a few minutes, ask them to hold a
same-sexed friend’s hand.
• Chances are, many students would snicker and
not do it. This could be the start of a class
discussion on how homophobia affects peoples’
lives.
– It dictates how you act and show affection for others
as well as many other things.
 You ARE Taught to HATE
• As a class a discussion on homophobia and
hate:
– What does homophobia mean?
– What is a phobia?
– What does everyone think the video is trying to
say?
– Why do you think people are homophobic?
– How can we prevent homophobia?
 HATE Crimes
• After reviewing the Matthew Shepard and
Lawrence King cases the class can discuss how
homophobia can lead to hate crimes:
– How did the video make them feel?
– What’s the difference between a regular crime and a
hate crime?
– Why do you think people commit hate crimes?
– What is a homophobic hate crime?
– Why do you think people commit homophobic hate
crimes?
– How do hate crimes affect the victims’ families?
 Homophobia is Gay
• As a class you could discuss:
– How the video made you feel
– How would you feel if you were treated this way?
– How can we begin to change our actions?
– How can we combat hate?
Help and Support – Don’t be Afraid
• www.kidshelpphone.ca
– 1-800-668-6868
• www.pflag.org – Parents Friends and Families of
Lesbians and Gays.
• www.gsani.com - Gay-Straight alliance

• Have a final discussion about what students have

learned from this unit.
• Journal entry- What have you learned from this? Have
your assumptions changed? Do you feel differently
about homophobia and the use of negative
words/phrases?
Videos used in the presentation (not in order)
Speak out against hate speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTdCa6vbvTk&feature=channel_page

Think Before you Speak Campaign – Wanda Sykes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJrw5ZZfRU

Think Before you Speak Campaign - Cashier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEpBYKOs3ys

Think Before you Speak Campaign – Hillary Duff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVicCD8FmMs

Stop the hate – homophobia can be cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxNigxTZr2E&NR=1
Videos used in Presentation (Continued)

Norwegian – Gay Help Line Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo8DwISxz0A&feature=related

Homophobia is gay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsFxkWxtGAY

Gay parents don’t have gay kids necessarily

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o4YUY4feys&feature=related

Tolerance PSA: “Dear Parents” – children talking to parents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLIW8JWk1RI

Dennis Sheppard’s courtroom speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkQysLewF4w

Homphobia – Gay Youth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCqDEEc_TOw&feature=related