Running Head: LGBT, RACIAL IDENTITY, AND THE ADULT CLASSROOM

LGBT, Racial Identity, and the Adult Classroom: Best Practices

Barbara Kahn-Sales
Northern Arizona University

LGBT, RACIAL IDENTITY, AND THE ADULT CLASSROOM

Abstract
LGBTQ identity and culture is steadily becoming more accepted in the United States, but
there are still issues such as cultural heterosexism and cis-gender privilege that need to be
overcome, especially with adolescents and younger children where bullying and discrimination
often leads to high school dropout, unemployment, and especially with transgender individuals
suicide. With regards to adult education, care needs to be taken to not alienate or
disenfranchise students that may have had traumatic experiences when first dealing with their
gender or sexual identities. Additionally, race and cultural identity tie into an individuals
feelings about sexuality, and often vary greatly all of these can affect educational outcomes.
Best practices for LGBTQ students include asking and using proper terminology and pronouns
when working with individuals in the queer community, providing resources such as genderneutral bathrooms and gender-nonspecific options on important forms, and educating staff and
other students about diversity. Care also needs to be taken at an institutional level to avoid
discrimination in the classroom and workplace.

LGBT, RACIAL IDENTITY, AND THE ADULT CLASSROOM

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) Community has become more
and more accepted in the United States, as evidenced by the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges in
June, 2015, and several recent (within the past five years) public surveys such as the 2012 Gallup
poll, which showed that 54% of the respondents were accepting of gay and lesbian relations
(Saad, L., 2012). The term LGBTQ is actually a shortening of LGBTTTQQQIPPAAA, an
acronym, standing for:

Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Transgender
Transsexual
Two-spirit
Queer

Questioning
Intersex
Pansexual
Pangender
Aromantic
Asexual
Ally

(University of Arizona, 2015); with the exception of ally, each term describes a small part of
the spectrum of gender and sexual identities. It is not my intention to define each term here, but
simply highlight the importance of recognizing two central tenets about this topic: (1) that gender
and sexuality are distinct from one another, and (2) that both are separate from an individuals
biological sex. For example, an individual can be biologically female and identify their gender as
male, yet an outside observer would still be unable to determine their sexual orientation from the
information that has been presented. Given the growing acceptance of these individuals in
society and the growing number of Americans who identify as queer or questioning, it is my
objective to look further into how LGBTQ adults have fared with regards to education, and
identify several 'best-practices' to help professors or college administrators best meet their needs
within an educational setting.
According to a 2012 Gallup poll of more than 120,000 individuals, 3.4% of American
adults identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (Gates and Newport, 2012). This figure
is higher among minority groups: 4.6% of African Americans, 4.0% of Hispanics, and 4.3% of
Asian-Americans identify as a sexual minority, relatively evenly split among men and women of
all races. Most important to the topic of Higher Education is that the highest percentages cited in
that poll were in college-aged (18-29) and middle-aged adults (30-64) at 6.4% and 3.2%,
respectively (Gates and Newport, 2012), age ranges that make up the majority of adult learners
in the United States (DeJoy, 1997).
A great deal of research has been done about LGBTQ youth and their experiences in
primary and secondary school, but my aim is to discuss older, college-aged and beyond
populations who may have grown up in a society more rife with heterosexism (an assumption of

the normality and superiority of heterosexuality (University of Arizona, 2015)) and cis-gender
privilege and less acceptance of minority sexual or gender-atypical lifestyles and thus, carry
emotional scars with them into their educational pursuits. Unfortunately, statistics on LGBT
adult learners are bleak. A 2013 Campus climate survey showed that gay, lesbian, and especially
transgender students were frequently the target of persecution ranging from verbal threats and
insults (constituting 89% of harassment cases, per Rankin, 2005) to physical violence. 20% of
student and faculty respondents to the Rankin survey feared for their safety, and more than half
felt a need to keep their gender-nonconformity and/or sexuality secret.
An earlier study performed on bullied adolescents - the demographic approaching college
age - showed that one third of high school students identifying as LGBT dropped out in
secondary school, which is three times the percentage of non-LGBTQ students; nearly fourteen
percent of dropouts indicated no desire to return and finish their education (Henshaw, n.d.).
Grade point averages were measurably lower; truancy increased; and feelings of school being
dangerous were doubled compared to the Rankin study (Alberti Center, 2012).
From the sheer amount of data present, it is clear that LGBTQ students face many
challenges in secondary school and beyond, and there are many adjustments that need to be made
at the societal level as well as in education. Before delving into best practices, however, I wanted
to make an important note it is commonly cited in adult education circles that an adult learners
prior experiences play into how well they can engage and learn within an adult education setting
(Andragogy, n.d.). Along similar veins, an individuals culture and background almost certainly
will play into their feelings and understandings about being LGBTQ, and provide a basis for
prior experience that they will draw from in their educational pursuits. There are numerous
statistics showing correlations between race, gender identity, and educational outcomes; I would

like to take some time to discuss two examples of racial and cultural identities, culture-specific
terminology for those groups, and the educational outcomes for LGBTQ members of those
communities.
LGBTQ, Racial Identity, and Education
Typically, where surveys about LGBTQ are involved, minorities frequently are ignored
Caucasians tend to be easier to find and survey (DeVita and Strayhorn, n.d). This is especially
true when taken to the university setting, where minority attendance is often lower for a variety
of reasons. According to the Gates and Newport Gallup poll from 2012, 4.6% of AfricanAmericans identified as LGBT, though in that poll it was not further broken down by gender; the
same year, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) released a report that showed the
breakdown in the black LGBTQ to be 58% female and 42% male (NBJC, 2012; Lettman-Hicks,
2014). Traditionally, African Americans have reported high rates of disapproval for the gay
community (Lorde, 1978 as cited in Battle and Bennett, n.d.), and many studies have linked this
to the high degree of influence religion has on the African American community, or a reactionary
response to the misuse, abuse, and treatment of African Americans pre-Civil Rights that has
stifled progress with regards to sexual attitudes (Ward, 2005). A fairly common theme among
many African American males on the fringes or outside of the LGBTQ community is to be on
the down low, a term used primarily for African-American men who engage sexually with other
men, but who also often have sexual relations with female partners and do not consider
themselves homosexual or bisexual (Heath and Goggin, 2009).
It is important to note in terms of education that LGBTQ individuals in general tend to
have lower levels of education (Gates and Newport, 2012), but within the African American
community, this is especially true. Gay and lesbian African American students graduate from

college at a lower rate than their white counterparts, at 17% and 25% respectively, and markedly
less frequently than non-LGBTQ black couples (33% vs 41% respectively) (Lettman-Hicks,
2014). LGBTQ women in black society face a double dose of discrimination and issues their
earning potential is lower compared to both heterosexual couples of color and black, gay men
(Lettman-Hicks, 2014). Coupled with a long history of toxic masculinity and systematic
oppression, being queer and black brings a host of difficulties, especially to those entering the
educational system.
On the other end of the acceptance spectrum, many Native American tribes - the Navajo,
Mojave, and Zuni of the Southwestern United States being examples (Public Broadcasting
Service, n.d.) - have a long tradition of honoring androgynous, intersex, feminine males and
masculine females (Williams, W., para.1, n.d.) in their societies, as they were thought to be
possessed of both male and female spirits. This was not strictly a Southwestern phenomenon; in
other tribes, such as the Lakota, winkte (essentially, hermaphrodite in the Lakota language) was
used to denote these individuals (Medicine, 2002). Colonialization brought the advent of the
word berdache, which originated with the Lakota tribe and was a catch-all term for any gender
presentation or sexuality that varied from the standard male-female, heterosexual dichotomy
(Medicine, 2002). Berdache was used for nearly two centuries until being replaced by 'Twospirit' in 1990 (Public Broadcasting Service, n.d.) as one of many means of the First Nations
people to reject colonialism. Still, despite acceptance of two-spirit in many parts of the United
States, LGBTQ Native Americans often face significant amounts of homophobia; a PBS
documentary entitled Two-Spirits details a hate crime against Fred Martinez, a transgendered
Navajo teenager who considered himself Two Spirit that was brutally murdered (Redding, n.d.).
There is scant information on LGBTQ Native Americans and their participation in adult

education, but I can discuss college and thus, adult education readiness within Native
American populations as a whole.
Much like with African American students, Native American students are at a high risk
for dropping out of school and consistently show the lowest graduation rates and standardized
test scores (ACT and SAT) out of the racial demographic groups in the United States (Klein,
2014). Furthermore, Native schools often lack access to college preparatory and advanced
placement courses, thus denying many high-achieving students a competitive edge to college
applications and readiness skills that are necessary to succeed in a university setting (Klein,
2014). Native American students also consistently show the highest high school dropout rate
(13-15%, compared to 6% for white students and 8% nationwide), a very low (39%) college
graduation rate, lower salaries compared to Caucasians holding the same jobs, and higher
poverty rates during and after school (NIEA, 2015). These issues, and many more, are central to
understanding the best ways to combat the education gaps in minority communities, and will be
addressed once more in the section below.
Best Practices
What are some best practices to put in place when teaching LGBT students, especially
those of color? The answer is surprisingly common-sense and boils down three points. One,
postsecondary educators and administrators should work diligently to not invalidate a student's
past experiences, especially experiences that have negatively impacted the learner, colored their
learning experiences, or are tied in to a deep and long-standing community or racial identity.
Two, institutions should allow for free expression of gender and sexuality by their students.

Three, teachers and administrators should create and enforce a zero tolerance discrimination
policy both in the classroom and as an institution.
As mentioned previously, Malcolm Knowles in his theories of Andragogy characterized
several aspects of adult learners that need to be taken into account by those tasked to teach them;
one especially important to this paper is that Adult Learners are shaped by their experiences, and
these experiences often impact their ability and willingness to learn. Given all of the statistics of
LGBT learners, one can easily draw the conclusion that negative experiences with the coming
out process such as shunning by family and friends, abuse during compulsory schooling, and
systemic oppression when race is combined with sexuality would lead to some degree of anxiety
when an individual is put back into a learning environment. There are, however, several ways to
minimize potential abuse in a classroom setting, and one of the biggest is to ask for, respect, and
make use of a student's chosen pronouns, and of knowing the proper terminology when speaking
to LGBTQ students.
By pronouns, I am referring to the standard he/she variety and their associated
conjugations; a growing trend in the United States is the adoption of gender-neutral pronouns by
individuals that do not feel they fit a standard dichotomous gender identity. The American Bar
Association (ABA), in its best practices for its employees, suggested the policy of using
pronouns that the individual chooses to represent themselves (ABA, 2011). These can include
the standard male and female ones that are most commonly used, but also incorporate 'they,
them, their" as a gender-neutral option or, as is becoming increasingly more common, "ze, hir,
hirs" (Associated Press, 2015). On the education front, several universities have begun to give
the option of identifying students as other instead of forcing them to choose either male or
female (Associated Press, 2015) and have incorporated gender neutral language into their student

handbooks and other student literature - Claremont College and University of Michigan are two,
to name a few (Conlan, 2011).
Currently, there is nothing in the literature showing quantitative benefits of this practice
(S. Russell, personal communication, October 15, 2015) in terms of grades, college attrition
rates, future job prospects, etc., but as I progress further with my graduate studies, it is something
to which I would like to devote further thought and research. Still, adoption of preferred
pronouns has several qualitative benefits, especially as seen through the lens of transgender
individuals: for one, it is respectful of an individual's thoughts and identity. Misusing pronouns
implies a lack of respect for whom the pronouns belong if the mistake is repeated; it comes off as
a form of microaggression at best, when it is obviously accidental (M. Dethen and B. McLeod,
personal communication, October 16, 2015). Proper usage also lessens the frequency of casual
cis-sexism that many transgendered students encounter on a day-to-day basis. Respecting
pronouns may also a serve purpose in terms of safety - with the higher rates of violence against
trans people, potentially outing a trans person may put them in direct danger of harassment or
physical harm from less accepting groups (C. Austin, personal communication, October 16,
2015).
Terminology is also a grossly important aspect to consider when dealing with LGBTQ
individuals especially for those of color. Berdache, for example, has already been replaced by
two-spirit, but that designation is very specifically Native American and is inappropriate to use
outside of Native culture. Similarly, though not to the same degree, the down low is more
commonly used in African American and sometimes Latino culture. With regards to gender,
specific phrases such as tranny, pre-op, post-op, and shemale are considered incredibly
offensive (GLAAD, 2015) in addition to being unprofessional in any (much less an

educational) setting. Additionally, knowledge of the differences between, say, transsexuals and
transvestites, or drag kings and drag queens are helpful when dealing with students that may be a
part of those cultures (GLAAD, 2015).
The idea of gender-neutral restrooms, as well as the advent of policies of allowing
students to use the restrooms of the gender they affiliate with are becoming more common
throughout the U.S. in post-secondary settings though opposition to those practices is frequently
showcased in media among conservative groups. At the University of Arizona, the Department
of LGBTQ Affairs has lobbied and succeeded in policy to provide all new buildings with a
gender neutral restroom, as well as retrofit as many other, older buildings on campus the way to
best service its transgender and gender-nonconforming students (University of Arizona, 2015).
Similar to the arguments for utilization of proper pronoun, allowing a student to use the restroom
that corresponds most closely to their gender identity is a way to put trans students more at ease
with said identity, and makes them less likely to be targeted physically when using the wrong
bathroom. The biggest pushbacks to this have been from those who fear that it will lead to
misuse and assault, especially with regards to children (Heroux, P., 2015), but given the rates of
bullying, harassment, and assault against transgendered individuals (in and out of school), it
seems disingenuous to deny and marginalize the comfort of an entire group of people simply
because, at some point, someone may abuse the system. Related to this issue, the ABA, in their
suggestions of best practices also strongly recommend allowing LGBTQ individuals to express
their gender identity and individuality through dress and message (ABA, 2011; Teaching
Tolerance, 2013); for example, letting any student that identifies as male or masculine to dress
and present themselves in line with their gender identity, or allowing students to wear buttons,
badges, or t-shirts showing their support for equal rights.

In terms of large-scale policy, college-wide policies, it would behoove both institutions

and classroom instructors to adopt zero-policy discrimination policies both in the classroom and
university-wide. Going back to the idea of LGBTQ individuals frequently enduring several
years of abuse in public school and at home, giving university students a safe haven at their
universities and college where discriminatory practices are not allowed would likely do much to
retain these students, though no specific data on that front is available yet. Faculty and staff
should also be encouraged to pursue diversity training (often called Safe Space or Safe Zone
training) to assist in the endeavors mentioned above, through their colleges or community
LGBTQ resource centers. These centers are a boon to students and staff and can provide a wealth
of support in terms of social networking mentoring programs, and community resources for those
who are part of or allied with the LGBTQ community.
Conclusion
Care should be taken when teaching, advising, or working with LGBTQ leaners in any
environment, but especially with regards to adult education. Providing adequate campus
resources for these students, training staff and faculty in best practices, and adopting
nondiscriminatory policies will be key for ensuring that these students have the tools they need
for success in their education. It will also be crucial to consider the roles of race and culture
surrounding LGBTQ identity.

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