2SLGBTQIA+ Stories: An Adaptable Mini-Unit Plan for English or History Classrooms was first developed and piloted by The ArQuives in 2021 to support educators in incorporating queer and trans perspectives into Grade 9-12 English and History curricula. We understand that many teachers feel unsure about including 2SLGBTQIA+ topics in their lesson plans because they don’t think they know enough about queerness and transness and are worried will do the work “wrong.” Others aren’t sure how to address negative responses from colleagues, parents/caregivers, or community members.Â
To attend to these issues, we have developed two companion resources: Become 2SLGBTQIA+ Literate and 2SLGBTQIA+ School Advocacy: A Policy Resource. Become 2SLGBTQIA+ Literate is an accessible introduction to queer and trans histories in Canada, with a focus on (educational) activism. 2SLGBTQIA+ School Advocacy is an introduction to understanding and implementing policies on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in Canadian schools.Â
While these documents were developed for use in secondary schools in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick, they can be adapted for a number of other educational settings.
A Note on Language
The ArQuives is committed to preserving all aspects of LGBTQ2+ history in Canada. Given that language is a constantly evolving construct, many items in our collection may be considered offensive, inappropriate, or unacceptable by contemporary standards, or are explicitly racist, sexual, or violent in nature. As such, certain language and descriptions may not be appropriate for all readers.
Our mandate is to preserve the historical record; to correct or revise language and terminology through a 21st century lens would constitute an act of erasure. We have preserved the language of each individual artifact, as doing so reflects how LGBTQ2+ individuals and communities defined themselves, and provides uncensored depictions of challenging chapters in our history.
Some of the items included in this document use slurs for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. In some cases, these items exemplify the ways in which these slurs have been used against queer and trans people; in others, they exemplify the ways in which they have been reclaimed by these same communities. While these ideas are explicitly addressed in Lesson 3, you might want to include conversations about language throughout your lessons.
Education Documents:
Acknowledgments:
Curriculum Writer: Lindsay Cavanaugh
Archival Researchers: Lo Humeniuk & Nicole Gauthier
The ArQuives Pilot Project Design Lead: Deanna Bickford
The ArQuives Project Team Members: Deanna Bickford, Raegan Swanson, & Lucie Handley-GirardÂ
Researchers for Pilot Project: Lindsay Valve & Lindsay Cavanaugh
Educator Contributors: Jordan Applebaum, Kailey (Ky) Kawolics, Mike Izzo, Kelli Kraft, Marie Laing, Teukie Martin, Dr. Bishop Owis, Sarah Wilson, & Dr. Jessica Wright