Queer history is American history

Students on the spectrum deserve to learn about the history of the people in our community. This piece is an in depth explanation as to why the general American history curriculum is flawed and what should be done to repair it.

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It is indisputable that people who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum have had and continue to have an impact on the society and country that we live in today. However, queer students are still being forgotten and ignored by the very people who are supposed to be molding and shaping us.

In an interview with ABC News, singer Sam Smith said, "what people don't understand is as a gay man or a gay woman- or anyone who is in the LGBT community- you are not taught anything about your history in school."

As simple as it seems, teaching students about those who came before them can be a very empowering experience. Queer students who go through the American school systems are being deprived of this experience all together, as there is no requirement for educators to inform us on LGBTQ+ issues and we have been left out of history textbooks entirely. Fairly progressive schools aside, youth who attend public schools, religiously affiliated schools, many STEM schools, etc. have been unknowingly missing key points in our country's history.

From the Stonewall uprising to Harvey Milk to "Don't ask, don't tell" to the AIDS epidemic, the legal prohibition of our marriage and much more- the struggles that the courageous queer people who came before us endured have been completely disregarded, as these people were completely disregarded when the events actually took place.

States such as Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah all have anti-LGBT curriculum state laws. These laws prohibit educators in public schools from discussing any lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender matters in class. Depending on the state, this could mean teaching restrictions in history courses and/ or sex ed. courses. This results in millions of American teens being left in the dark about such a prevalent topic. Other states simply do not mention the inclusion or exclusion of LGBTQ+ people in their public school curriculums. Leaving it up to their educators to decide whether or not to include this history in their lesson plans.

As for students who do not identify on the queer spectrum, it is still important that they are educated about these issues. Cisgendered, heterosexual people are obligated to be educated about the history of their LGBTQ+ peers as non-white people are obligated to learn about the history of their white peers, non-black people are obligated to learn about the history of their black peers, and many other identities.

American history courses are not only flawed for their lack of queer representation, but also often the inaccuracy of the way in which they portray other groups. According to the National History Education Clearinghouse, no states require history-teacher candidates to have a major or minor in history in order to teach it. This has an impact on what history material American educated students learn and how they learn it. Regardless of if the student attends school in a district with state regulated anti-LGBTQ+ curriculum laws, their teachers may not be properly educated on queer issues themselves. Thus, if they so choose to include queer history in their curriculum, it is not unlikely that they misinterpret or misinform students.

The obstacles the LGBTQ+ community faces are similar to those of Native American students attending these schools. For example, Christopher Columbus remains the default when American history teachers attempt to explain the founding of our nation. Because indigenous people are not being recognized in history for their ancestors' contributions to the United States, they are now being disregarded in the minds of many American people. This leads to indigenous students being forced to teach themselves about a very important identifier that they hold. It also leads to a certain superior feeling for non-indigenous people which manifests itself in xenophobic behaviors and attitudes. Because we are not taught in school that Native Americans were the founders of our nation, we do not acknowledge that all of the ground we walk on is in fact tribal land. The same goes for LGBTQ+ people. Because students are not being taught the truth or not being taught at all about the community and the people in it, our society does not acknowledge the contributions, the successes, or the mere existence of American queer people as a collective.

This model serves as a visual aid in understanding the cycle of oppression. Institutionalized oppression is the concept that needs to be examined in terms of its relationship to the flawed history curriculum. Institutionalized oppression is the systematic mistreatment of a marginalized group in the form of social and written laws, rules, curriculum, media, privileges, etc. enforced by a given institution. The institution being the American school systems which is oppressing its queer students. This is most certainly not to say that teachers or any faculty in particular who are employed by the institution are completely to blame for the oppression. However, this willful effort on behalf of the institution to remove certain American people from American history, simply because of the group's identifiers is in fact oppressive. This contributes to the comprehensive theme of oppression because it fosters compliance with this cycle entirely. Students who are molded to humanize the existence of select people from select perspectives are more likely to grow to be selective of the people they respect or even tolerate.

As students, we should begin by sparking conversations with our teachers and other school faculty. Queer people and our allies should begin recognizing these injustices and speaking about them. This issue is not well acknowledged and in order to make changes within it, we need to first inform each other about it. If no one listens when you talk, talk louder and talk more. Share this article with your teachers or simply mention the topic to them. A teacher of quality teaches for all of their students.

A lack of queer representation in American history courses represents a continuation of the stigmatization placed upon our existence and it is impacting all students who attend our schools. An increase in cognitive accuracy will in turn provide a decrease in misconceptions about queer people. The humanization process begins in the classroom, where an accurate and inclusive education should be a priority.