2021 Pride Month #4

As we conclude Pride month, the Arizona Department of Education is proud to share a new resource page developed by Superintendent Hoffman’s Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council (EIPAC), which has met regularly to create more equitable and inclusive schools and education spaces across Arizona. Over the last nine months, a subcommittee of the EIPAC has met to gather resources to support LGBTQ students in our schools and communities.

The resources have been divided into four categories: school leaders, educators, families, and caregivers. Below is a selection of some of the resources found under each section.

For Students:

• Q Chat Space: Q Chat Space provides online discussion groups for LGBTQ+ teens ages 13 to 19. It is live and chat-based; there is no video or audio and conversations are facilitated by experienced staff who work at LGBTQ+ centers around the country.

For School Leaders:

• Gender Spectrum: From an individual workshop on deepening understandings about gender to applying this knowledge to your practice in our year-long intensive “training of trainers” Inclusive Schools Network, Gender Spectrum offers a full range of training, consultations, and resources for educators who are seeking help in creating gender-inclusive schools. In all of our work, we honor the diversity of your community and pay particular attention to the specific needs of racial, ethnic, and cultural communities.

For Educators:

• Glossary of Terms: A comprehensive list of all terms relating to trans and gender expansive individuals.

For Families and Caregivers:

• Why Support Matters: An article from the American Academy of Pediatrics outlining the mental health outcomes for transgender youth in supportive environments.

You can find all these resources and more on our website!

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students, Educators, and Families

Finally, ADE would like to thank the EIPAC subcommittee members for their work and support as their resources were compiled and finalized. Specifically, thanks to Nora Ramirez of the Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics, Tami Stass of AZTYPO, Caryn Bird of GLSEN, Lorenzo Lopez of Tucson Unified School District, and student Devynn Thurston.