Job Discussion Forums

[extoere]

It's also interesting to note that, while heterosexuals are forbidden the use of the word alluded to above, HOMOSEXUALS are free to toss around such smarmy words as "breeders" on this forum.

And today, in California, a new law conferring certain "rights" on HOMOSEXUAL unions similar to those enjoyed by married couples, also has the effect of replacing the words "Mother" and "Father" on State birth certificates, by two blank spaces labeled simply "Parent" and "Parent."

cheers
(I think)
ex

[leeroy]

This is quite interesting actually, how does being gay affect being a teacher? In terms of actual teaching (like ability and effectiveness) then I would say not one bit- it's simply irrelevant.

Most people in the world are straight - from an evolutionary perspective this is just as well. (Mind you, what with the current world population situation being as it is, a few more homosexuals wouldn't hurt the balance, but anyway, I digress...). When I meet people, rightly or wrongly, I carefully go on the assumption that they are straight unless there is blatant evidence to the contrary - presumably most people do.

Male/Female relationships are a common theme in everyday conversation, as they are too in ELT coursebooks and, inevitably, the classroom. I am "out" as being straight at school (with both students and teachers), inasmuchas I have mentioned my previous girlfriends on occasion, and (I believe) it is implicit in a lot of what I talk about.

The gay teachers at my school are more careful - not one of them has announced (explicitly or otherwise) their homosexuality to their classes. In the staff room (or the pub, or elsewhere) they are quite relaxed about it - but they recognise that the classroom is, alas, not usually a gay-friendly area. People from different cultures, bless them, are invariably quite closed-minded about such things - a class of Mexican, Iranian, Japanese and Saudi students would not react well to an "openly gay" teacher at all.

In a perfect world, we could all be perfectly honest and open about our sexual preferences (uh, paedophiles excepted...) - but this world isn't perfect. Thus, it seems that it is easier (in the classroom at least, the staff-room is a completely different kettle of fish) for straight people to be open and honest about their preferences than gays.

[mr.bojangles]