Presented by the HSTA Human and Civil Rights Committee

Updated: October 2, 2023

The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association is proud to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community and the cultural diversity of our island home. The HSTA Human and Civil Rights Committee encourages members, staff, students, and the community to participate in Pride activities and events, and has put together an interactive digital classroom resource.

Feel free to click around and explore! Items on the chalkboard and in frames along the back wall generate an easel with more information. Click on the easel to visit a resource site, or click on the Return Home poster along the side of the desk to return to the main screen. We also have a set of book recommendations located on the “library” cart along the left. Click on a cover to learn more about a particular book and visit its website.

Check out more resources and events below!

Share this resource page: www.hsta.org/prideclassroom

HSTA

Transgender 101 for educators

This resource page from HSTA’s HCR Committee explores ways educators and allies can build strong communities that support our transgender youth. Learn key terms, the importance of pronouns, the difference between gender identity and sexuality, Hawaii State Department of Education guidance, and more. www.hsta.org/transgender101

Messages of support

In 2019, HSTA’s HCR Committee collected member messages of support for our LGBTQIA+ students and/or messages that promote inclusive schools and classrooms. View our photo gallery here.

Statewide

Gender and sexuality alliance clubs in Hawaiʻi

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health Harm Reduction Services Branch compiles a list of student gender and sexuality alliance clubs by island, accessible through its Sexual & Gender Minorities support and resources page.

TeenLink Hawaii

TeenLink Hawaii (TLH) is a youth empowerment, outreach, and education program that provides information and referral services for teens in Hawaii. Its website hosts a variety of resources for different topics, including sexuality. There are videos and other resources to help support students and teachers on the discussion.

Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation

The Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Hawaii. It was formed in 2008 to connect and act as a facilitator with all other LGBT organizations, businesses, and services throughout the state of Hawaii. The organization is responsible for the annual Honolulu Pride parade (see below), of which HSTA is a proud participant. Its website also offers this list of resources for anti-bullying and safe schools.

Island

OʻAHU

Honolulu Pride Parade and Festival

Honolulu Pride is presented annually in October by the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation.

MAUI

Aloha Maui Pride

Aloha Maui Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that celebrates and supports the LGBTQ+ community in Maui, and produces the annual Maui Pride Festival.

HAWAIʻI ISLAND

Hawaiʻi Island LGBTQ+ Pride

Hawaiʻi Island LGBTQ+ Pride organizes an annual parade and festival in Hilo in June. Hawaiʻi Island educators can request a free GLSEN Safe Space kit.

KAUAʻI

Kauaʻi Pride Parade and Festival

The Kauaʻi Pride Parade and Festival takes place annually in June in Līhuʻe.

National

GLSEN

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and to prompt LGBT cultural inclusion and awareness in K-12 schools. Click here to access resources for educators that include lesson plans, information on being a supportive advocate for LGBTQ+ students, professional development opportunities, and inclusive curriculum resources. GLSEN also provides resources on how to start a student GSA (gay straight alliance) club at your school. Hawaiʻi has a GLSEN chapter, which is one of 43 in the country.

Check out these member-recommended resources:

Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Welcoming Schools is the nation’s premier professional development program that provides training and resources to educators to embrace all families, create LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students.

Learning for Justice

Learning for Justice aims to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. It provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators can use materials to supplement curriculum, inform their practices, and create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued, welcome participants. You can search the website for lesson plans that focus on LGBTQ+ topics and support for students. Formerly known as Teaching Tolerance, the organization changed its name to better reflect its work, from reducing prejudice to tackling systemic injustice.

National Education Association

Defending the freedom of our LGBTQ+ students to be themselves toolkit

The National Education Association recognizes the diversity and history of the LGBTQ+ community. Now is our time to demand the fully resourced and supportive schools all our families need, and to ensure all LGBTQ+ people are free to be their authentic selves and pursue their dreams. In this toolkit, you can:

  • Read about the importance of supporting and protecting LGBTQ+ students, take action, and get involved with the movement.
  • Find art to help you communicate your opinions and express your emotions.
  • Learn how to talk about this issue effectively and respectfully, particularly with those who think differently.
  • Explore resources to help you learn more about LGBTQ+ issues.

Your rights as an LGBTQ+ employee

On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that LGBTQ employees—including all LGBTQ educators—are protected under federal law from discrimination at work based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This means that employers, including public employers like school districts and public universities, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This reference guide breaks down your rights as an LGBTQ employee.

Join the NEA LGBTQ+ Caucus

The NEA LGBTQ+ Caucus works to provide educators, education support professionals, and students with safe schools free of anti-LGBTQ+ bias and intolerance, and to provide sound education programs for all students. Caucus members monitor and participate in the development of NEA policies and activities, provide resources, and foster better communication among educators, students, and communities.

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth. Browse the resource center for articles, resources, and guides on a variety of topics, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and mental health. There’s also a dedicated page for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.

Books

The ABC’s of LGBT+

We are living in a post-binary world where gender fluency and awareness of gender identity and a real understanding of our LGBT family is essential. Author Ash Hardell presents a detailed look at all things LGBT+ with in-depth definitions, personal anecdotes, helpful infographics, resources, and more. Learn more >

On our book cart:

Dynamic and thought-provoking, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Issues in Education presents LGBT youth issues through the words of the adolescents themselves, along with clear up-to-date essays about LGBT youth programs, policies, and practices around the world. Leading international educators and scholars examine personal experiences of LGBT youth, cutting-edge programs, and research. Learn more >

Gender, Bullying, and Harassment examines the key gender issues related to bullying and harassment in schools, and offers readers tangible and flexible suggestions to help them positively transform the culture of their school and reduce the incidences of gendered harassment. Sections speak specifically to administrators, teachers, counselors, student leaders, and community and family members. Learn more >

This novel by Perry Moore follows Thom Creed, a young man with superpowers who is hiding the fact that he is gay. He joins a league of superheroes and connects with a misfit group who all have things to hide. When they uncover a deadly conspiracy, they have to learn to trust one another — and to find happiness, Thom has to come to terms with his father’s past and discover the kind of hero he really wants to be. Learn more >

Heartstopper follows two teenage boys, Nick and Charlie, as they meet at a British grammar school, quickly become friends, and fall in love. Originally a webcomic, Heartstopper is a popular graphic novel series; each volume navigates the ups and downs of first love, friendships, coming out, and mental health, beautifully framed by a warm cast of supporting characters. The novels inspired a coloring book and a hit series on Netflix. Learn more >

ʻO Au No Keia is a collection of spoken narratives by male-to-female transgendered people and mahu who live on the island of Oʻahu. The powerfully moving stories in this book not only reveal the experiences of those who cross the boundaries of sex and gender, but also illuminate what it means to do so in the unique cultural context of Hawaiʻi. Learn more >

A new collection of accounts by openly gay and lesbian teachers who tell about their struggles and victories as they have put their own careers on the line to fight for justice. Learn more >

With unflinching honesty and moving prose, Janet Mock relays her experiences of growing up young, multiracial, poor, and trans in America, offering readers accessible language while imparting vital insight about the unique challenges and vulnerabilities of a marginalized and misunderstood population. Learn more >

The needs and rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) students and families are often ignored, generally misunderstood, and only rarely given priority by the school system. This book provides a practical and useful guide for school-based mental health professionals to support students, families, teachers, and administrators in the development of a safe, inclusive school environment for all LGBTQ students and families. Learn more >

Seventeen-year-old Arin Andrews shares all the hilarious, painful, and poignant details of undergoing gender reassignment as a high school student in this winning memoir. Learn more >

Riveting, rousing, and utterly real, Surpassing Certainty is a portrait of a young woman searching for her purpose and place in the world–without a road map to guide her. Learn more >

Thoughtful and serious, this beautifully compassionate LGBTQ tale is for anyone, of any age, who is or loves a transgender someone. The subtle wit and whimsical pictures create a gentle background to discuss the sensitive subject of what to do when the inside doesn’t match the outside you. Learn more >

Mother, educator, and LGBT activist Marsha Aizumi shares her compelling story of parenting a young woman who came out as a lesbian, then transitioned to male. Two Spirits, One Heart chronicles Marsha’s personal journey from fear, uncertainty, and sadness to eventual unconditional love, acceptance, and support of her child who struggled to reconcile his gender identity. Learn more >

Related posts:

  1.  HSTA marches with pride in the 2022 Honolulu Pride Parade
  2.  Transgender 101 for Educators
  3.  ‘Leading with Love’ rally applauds legislative support for LGBTQ+ rights
  4.  Rooms with a View: Conversations on identities and perspectives in Hawaiʻi’s school communities