Politixia
Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson
Grades 9-12
How can you discover the possibilities for your future? That is the essential question that this lesson explores through the narrative of trans icon Marsha P. Johnson, who is best remembered for her participation in the 1969 Stonewall uprising and her fearless activism in the LGBTQ+ rights movement of the 1970s, in the early transgender rights movement, and during the AIDS crisis.
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Using Satire/Parody to Explore Human Nature and Responsibility
Grades 11-12
Edythe Eyde lived and worked in Los Angeles in the 1940s and used musical satire as a form of social protest. This lesson provides an opportunity to teach the key literary concepts of satire and parody through the example of Eyde’s songs and to create a better understanding of the historical moment in which she lived.
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See a Need, Fill a Need
Grades 7-12
When Jeanne Manford’s gay son was badly beaten at a protest in 1972, she took action and founded an organization for parents of gay people, known today as PFLAG. This lesson explores the traits of leadership and what it takes to be an “upstander.”
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Being an Ally: Dr. Evelyn Hooker
Grades 11-12
In 1945, Dr. Evelyn Hooker’s gay friend Sam From urged her to undertake a study challenging the commonly held belief that homosexuals were by nature mentally ill. This lesson explores her groundbreaking work in the context of psychology standards in order to teach about mental health diagnoses. It is explicit about prior “treatments,” present diagnoses, and the impact of Hooker’s research and advocacy. The lesson also provides an opportunity for examining the concept of allyship.
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“Point of View” As an Element of Sourcing in Social Studies
Grades 5-8
In the mid-1980s, Kathleen Boatwright fell in love with a woman at church, but her church was staunchly anti-gay and Boatwright was married to a man and had four children. This lesson asks students to consider sourcing, from the perspective of the creator of the podcast and from the perspective of the interviewee. It was created for Pear Deck. (A regular slide deck option is also available.)
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From Bigot to Activist: The Leonard Matlovich Story
Grades 11-12
In 1975, Leonard Matlovich, a tech sergeant in the Air Force and recipient of several medals for bravery, deliberately outed himself as gay in order to challenge the military’s ban on homosexuals. His story provides an example of the potential everyone has for personal change, and of the range of people and actions that have played important roles in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
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The Accidental Activist: “Dear Abby”
Grades 9-12
A generation ago, tens of millions of people turned to the daily newspaper column “Dear Abby” for advice. Long before others did, and at considerable risk, its author, Pauline Phillips, used her platform and celebrity in support of gay people and their rights. This lesson explores identity and activism.
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Lorraine Hansberry — Young, Gifted, Black… and Gay
Grades 9-12
In 1959, Lorraine Hansberry became the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway. At that time, however, being gay could destroy a career, so she kept her identity as a lesbian hidden. This lesson introduces the concepts of intersectionality, identity, and belonging, and uses Hansberry’s life as an opportunity to reflect on all three concepts.
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Stories in Civil Rights
Grades 9-12
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of civil rights and social justice movements through the narrative experiences of different civil rights figures, activists, and everyday people. It features a podcast episode with Ernestine Eckstein, the only African American woman at the earliest gay rights protests in the mid-1960s, and also offers the option of including “The 57 Bus,” an account of violence against an agender teen in Oakland in 2013.
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Bayard Rustin: Unspoken Hero of the Civil Rights Movement
Grades 5-8
Bayard Rustin was a champion of the Black civil rights movement—mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But because he was gay and out, he faced bigotry both inside and outside the movement. This lesson introduces students to the achievements and impact of a largely unrecognized hero and invites them to consider the complexity of prejudice and discrimination.
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Stages of Development Illustrated: Paulette Goodman
Grades 11-12
Paulette Goodman’s experiences as a Jewish child growing up in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II played a strong role in her response when she discovered the discrimination and harassment faced by homosexuals when her daughter came out as gay. In this lesson, students apply psychological constructs to better understand Erikson’s Stages of Development through Goodman’s history and actions.
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“We Wanted the Booth!” — Deborah Johnson and Zandra Rolón Amato
Grades 9-12
In 1983, when lesbian couple Deborah Johnson and Zandra Rolόn Amato were denied seating at Papa Choux, a Los Angeles restaurant, they filed a suit for unlawful discrimination. This lesson explores the story behind the lawsuit and addresses themes of intersectionality, oppression, civil rights, and the LGBTQ+ social justice movement. It is a story of agency and action not included in traditional history books.
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Passing the Ball
Grades 7-12
How do we understand the legacy of others and the legacy we wish to leave behind? By examining the stories of trans icon and self-proclaimed Stonewall veteran Sylvia Rivera and author and activist Vito Russo, students explore the construction of legacy and the malleability of memory, and are invited to consider their own future legacy.
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Joy and Power in Queer History: How to Read a Podcast
Grades 5-8
Barbara Gittings and Kay Lahusen brought their creativity, passion, determination, and good humor to the homophile movement of the 1960s and the gay liberation movement of the 1970s. This lesson uses their story to help unlock the power of nonfiction by examining a podcast interview as a primary source. Using the SOAR method, students build skills applicable to all nonfiction text types.
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Understanding True Self — LGBTQ+ Lens: Craig Rodwell
Grades 9-12
Do we find our true selves or do we create them? This lesson explores this essential question through the narrative of Craig Rodwell, a young LGBTQ+ rights activist and co-creator of the blueprint for the Pride marches and celebrations now attended by millions of people around the world each year.
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