QUEERING LIBRARY SCHOOL
Bring Queer Issues into Course Assignments
Each course assignment is an opportunity. Even the simplest task can be spun to include LGBTQ issues.
For example, my Organization of Information class asked us to design a controlled vocabulary about a subject. In response, I designed an example that utilizes non-binary gender identities, such as "genderqueer," "two spirit," etc. When we were asked later in the class to design a relational database of books, I chose books with LGBTQ themes. In my Multicultural Children's Literature course, we were asked to maintain an annotated reading list throughout the course, so I focused on young adult books featuring gender-variant characters. In my archives course, we need to write a 10-15 page paper on an archival topic, so I plan to focus on LGBTQ archives.
There are ample opportunities to fit LGBTQ topics into almost every course in new and challenging ways.
For example, my Organization of Information class asked us to design a controlled vocabulary about a subject. In response, I designed an example that utilizes non-binary gender identities, such as "genderqueer," "two spirit," etc. When we were asked later in the class to design a relational database of books, I chose books with LGBTQ themes. In my Multicultural Children's Literature course, we were asked to maintain an annotated reading list throughout the course, so I focused on young adult books featuring gender-variant characters. In my archives course, we need to write a 10-15 page paper on an archival topic, so I plan to focus on LGBTQ archives.
There are ample opportunities to fit LGBTQ topics into almost every course in new and challenging ways.
Change Gendered & Heteronormative Language
Fictional examples in articles, books, and lectures often use male pronouns as the universal default for a person and/or feature heterosexual relationships.
Example: "If a researcher wants to publish an article, he should have his peers review it first." Why does the researcher have to be a man? Why does the researcher need a specific gender at all? An alternative could be "If a researchers wants to publish an article, they should have their peers review it first."
Now, before we fight about the English rules for "they" as a plural, the term "they" is gaining ground as a gender-neutral pronoun and should be allowed by faculty as an acceptable pronoun to refer to a singular person. Also, any examples mentioning couples should use gender-neutral language to refer to partners or include heterosexual and queer relationships in equal numbers.
Example: "If a researcher wants to publish an article, he should have his peers review it first." Why does the researcher have to be a man? Why does the researcher need a specific gender at all? An alternative could be "If a researchers wants to publish an article, they should have their peers review it first."
Now, before we fight about the English rules for "they" as a plural, the term "they" is gaining ground as a gender-neutral pronoun and should be allowed by faculty as an acceptable pronoun to refer to a singular person. Also, any examples mentioning couples should use gender-neutral language to refer to partners or include heterosexual and queer relationships in equal numbers.
Take Statistics Outside the Box
Surveys are a simple tool for gathering large amounts of data in a short period of time. However, simple demographic questions can be problematic for LGBTQ people when the identity choices available do not reflect their experiences. Three questions in particular are problematic: gender/sex, sexual orientation, and relationship status.
First, the terms gender and sex are often used interchangeably by most people, but they are distinctly different and caution should be used to make sure the researcher is using the correct terminology in order to get the results they wish. In simple terms, sex is biological and gender is social. By asking for sex, the answer would be based on a person's genitalia or legal sex designation. By asking for gender, the answer would be based on a person's social gender role in society. Since sex and gender are often used interchangeably, the researcher has no way of knowing how people are answering this question.
Regardless of the term sex or gender, the choices available are largely inadequate to include everyone comfortably. There are more than 2 sexes (over 40 intersex conditions) and infinitely more than 2 genders. There are also more than 2 or 3 ways to describe sexual orientation and several ways to classify relationships of any gender or sexuality.
How do we include everyone's sex/gender identity/sexual orientation/relationship status AND produce statistically significant research? There are a few options to consider. The first question to consider is whether or not this information is needed in the survey. Will knowing information about people's gender/orientation/relationship provide important information in relation to the research topic? If not, then don't ask! If you're not sure, make them option questions. If yes, then keep reading.
If this demographic information is needed, consider listing as many possible answers as you can think of. Consult a local LGBTQ organization or research what terms are in current usage. However, even if you include every possibility you can think of, you will still be excluding someone. One option for handling this is having an "other" box (possibly with a fill-in addendum), but some people don't like to be "othered." The most sensitive option is to skip the check boxes and drop-down menus and simply provide a fill-in area in which participants can describe their answers in their own words. This method is most accurate, but may not be easy to code for statistical purposes. There are pros and cons for each of the above methods, but researchers must be aware that people's identities don't fit neatly into boxes and we need alternatives to simply checking "male" or "female" on a form.
First, the terms gender and sex are often used interchangeably by most people, but they are distinctly different and caution should be used to make sure the researcher is using the correct terminology in order to get the results they wish. In simple terms, sex is biological and gender is social. By asking for sex, the answer would be based on a person's genitalia or legal sex designation. By asking for gender, the answer would be based on a person's social gender role in society. Since sex and gender are often used interchangeably, the researcher has no way of knowing how people are answering this question.
Regardless of the term sex or gender, the choices available are largely inadequate to include everyone comfortably. There are more than 2 sexes (over 40 intersex conditions) and infinitely more than 2 genders. There are also more than 2 or 3 ways to describe sexual orientation and several ways to classify relationships of any gender or sexuality.
How do we include everyone's sex/gender identity/sexual orientation/relationship status AND produce statistically significant research? There are a few options to consider. The first question to consider is whether or not this information is needed in the survey. Will knowing information about people's gender/orientation/relationship provide important information in relation to the research topic? If not, then don't ask! If you're not sure, make them option questions. If yes, then keep reading.
If this demographic information is needed, consider listing as many possible answers as you can think of. Consult a local LGBTQ organization or research what terms are in current usage. However, even if you include every possibility you can think of, you will still be excluding someone. One option for handling this is having an "other" box (possibly with a fill-in addendum), but some people don't like to be "othered." The most sensitive option is to skip the check boxes and drop-down menus and simply provide a fill-in area in which participants can describe their answers in their own words. This method is most accurate, but may not be easy to code for statistical purposes. There are pros and cons for each of the above methods, but researchers must be aware that people's identities don't fit neatly into boxes and we need alternatives to simply checking "male" or "female" on a form.
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