When We Rise by Cleve Jones was a memoir aimed to share the uncommonly known story of the queer people of San Francisco in the ‘70s. Not enough people know the story of the gay rights movement in the 1970s. Growing up, I never met any LGBT+ people; they were an idea; they didn’t exist. Now that I know that I’m a part of the community, I’ve actively sought out queer American history. But if I wasn’t looking for it, I would never find it. I would completely ignorant of the fight and struggle of so many people. Queer history should be taught in American schools to make students more thoughtful, well-rounded, accepting people.
The American education system, while not perfectly, teaches of the oppression and struggle for rights of many minority groups. The atrocities committed against these groups should not be compared but rather acknowledged as having similar attributes. The Holocaust is taught. Slavery of African people is taught. Ripping Native-Americans from the land is taught. It is time that the history books include the plight of LGBT+ citizens and what it has taken and still takes to receive some basic rights. If students learn of the fight put up and the terror faced by LGBT+ citizens, then they can build a feeling of empathy and see how LGBT+ citizens are just as human as anyone else. It will help to build the appropriate respect for LGBT+ citizens that is not always taught at home. Once students understand the plight, they can keep that in mind, being more sensitive. Also, while religion has a large influence over people’s support of LGBT+ person’s rights, it should hinder the respect due to LGBT people. No matter who a person is, that person deserves respect. No exceptions.
Because of the benefits that it could have for everyone in our nation, queer history should be taught in American schools.
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