You’ve been poemed
poemed (v.)
to be asked to listen with your heart to the words of the concerned.
This collection of poems was written in community solidarity for Queer youth this week of Trans Visibility Day 3-31. Advocates gathered, researched, brainstormed and wrote from the heart the importance of taking action to create a better and affirmative environment for Queer and questioning students as they have the highest rates of suicide compared to their cisgender and hetero peers and suicide is the leading cause of death for youth. School environments, as you know, play a major role in the lives of these students and abandoning or remaining silent about their identity is playing a complicit role in perpetuating their invalidation and negating their identity: creating unsafe spaces. There is never a wrong time to start or stop advocating and learning for and about marginalized youth and changing the conversation to one of healing over hurting. We are not calling here for major changes. Just small things that can improve the day-to-day at school for LGBTQ students and make space for them to explore their identity, consider it a daily edit in culture. It might save a life.
This is our message to you:
This time is dear to send a message that all are welcome here
Black, Brown, different and/or Queer
Queer is always here
Kindergarten
How do we talk about parents’ names
When Sam’s parents are Brittany and Jane?
First Grade
How do we draw a family tree
When Clover’s parents are Dylan and Billy?
Second Grade
How do we offer redirection
When Oliver uses a slur, an inappropriate vocabulary selection?
Third Grade
How do we teach grammar and pronouns
When their teacher is not referred to as “they” frowns?
Fourth Grade
How do we talk about not being a bully
When Sam is taunted for coming to school in a dress and the other boys prefer a hoodie?
Fifth Grade
How do we address Ivy
When Ivy’s name on the roster is Ivan?
Sixth Grade
How do we talk about crushes
When Susie talks to Sally she blushes
Seventh Grade
How do we enter open a conference about Ivy
When Ivy’s parents would convert Ivy back to Ivan?
Eighth Grade
How do we talk about healthy relationships
When Susie and Sally are getting cyberbullied for who they love?
Ninth Grade
How do we Get changed for gym
When Lee would prefer to share a locker with her and not him?
Tenth Grade
How do we teach Wilde and Whittman
When Dylan avoids the hallways for fear of a hitman?
Eleventh Grade
How do we have dances
When heteronormative choice dances dismiss queer chances?
Twelfth Grade
How do we talk about the news
When we see so many Queer people of color being abused?
As you can see
In the school, there is a place for the word gay to be.
You can not shove it in the dark
Doing so is an attack on Love
And safety for those with the queer spark.
For the Love
Do something every day
to affirm that it is ok to be gay
For affirming this will literally save a life
Schools are where Queer kids often face the most strife
Being affirming and kind will not cost a dime
But spending a little on staff training
On implementing pronouns and preferred names
Would be money well spent towards life saving.
Suicide is the leading cause of death in teens
And queer teens are 4 times more likely to die this way.
It doesn’t take much, researchers say
Education, affirmation and conversation
are indeed within a school’s means.
The time to start is today
The time to stop is never
It’s ok to say Gay
It’s ok to have an expansive gender
The Gender Bend in the River
Man and woman leaves no-inbetween
No space for non-binariy people to be seen.
To move beyond the binary
We must see gender with variety
Fluid like a river so is Gender
We are simply sediment
sometimes sediment starts on one bank
and settles on another
Sometimes a rock sinks in the middle
And it feels happiest there.
There are ways
that we can explain
The river-like nature of gender
And doing so will create safety
and prevent offenders
A haiku to they/thems’
Grammar lesson time
“They” can be singular
Say “they”; it’s ok.
-Poems by Lily, Artist
“Dismissed”
Victoria M. Evens
We were invisible,
searching for each other, and ourselves, in every room.
Cycles of emotions
fighting from confusion, to realization, to gloom.
With each step in a cold school hallway
from a class dismissed…
Our thoughts dismissed…
Our identities dismissed…
Our feelings dismissed…
But, slowly, quietly,
we recognize the soft, confused eyes of another misplaced, dismissed face.
We grow stronger with every locked eye,
every realization, every kind teacher, every friendly classmate.
Every resilient, gay, loved character in a new book…
We begin our new chapter.
Now, with every strong step in a cold hallway
from a class dismissed…
Our fears dismissed…
Our oppressors dismissed…
Our facades dismissed…
And,
We
Persist.
______________________________________________________________________
I want to be in the Classroom
Where my action becomes their affirmation
Where I show solidarity
To my little wonderful learners
I want to be in the classroom
Where my action becomes their affirmation
Where we expect love and acceptance
And reject violence and exclusion
I want to be in the classroom
where my action becomes their affirmation
Where we say Gay
Because it is a part of who we are
I want to be in the classroom
where my action becomes their affirmation
Where representation means
Learning and living our truths
Hannah, Teacher
___________________________________________________________________
My heart, Like any heart, meditates on love
Through stability, through security, the heart belongs
-Cullen
_____________________________________________________________________
You have the power
to let someone be themself
I want you to feel good
In this world
In your skin
Life is too short
to exist as anything not within
You belong in this place
This world
As he or she or they,
I say hey
I think you’re cool
You’re important
So is school
So please be here
As you want to be
As you are
You are welcome
We all are
-Shelby
*I wrote it as if I was a teacher speaking to my students.
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Further research and sources that were referenced in this project:
The Trevor Project: LGBTQ Youth Suicide Prevention in Schools
Shedding Light on the Experiences of LGBTQ Students: Sobering Data and Reasons for Hope
LGBTQ Students of Color Speak Up
Supporting LGBTQ+ Students of Color
6 Things White Educators Can Do to Support Native LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit Students