This week I am putting others shoes on my feet. I am
pretending that I am an early childhood professional who is experiencing “-isms”
in my personal life and they are carrying over into how others view my work
performance. I am going to imagine myself being in a same sex relationship.
If I was in a same sex relationship I feel that others would
react to me with the use of stereotypes and prejudice. Not only could
co-workers react, but families, and children could react in negative ways.
Below are hypothetical consequences that each group of people might inflict on
me if I was in a same sex relationship.
Co-Workers
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I might not get promotions based on others
feelings towards my personal life.
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My education might not matter because some
people could think that I am “dumb” for the choices I have made in my life.
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I might not bond with co-workers for the fear of
judgment from my personal choices.
Families
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Parents might not want me working with their
children because I can “convert” them.
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Families might not know how to interact with me
and what to say to make appropriate conversation.
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Families might think I have gender preferences.
Children
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The children might ask questions about my family
and I might not know how to answer and because of this I might fib or not give
any details about me. This can create a lack of bond between teacher and
students.
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The children might be shocked if my partner ever
came into the classroom setting.
-
The children could become confused about why my
family is different from theirs.
Students could make fun of my lifestyle and I
might not be seen as an authority figure.
You asked some very good questions for your choice of isms, those are all statements that could come up and cause problems. A person’s sexual orientation should not matter to anyone, but we know many people feel it is wrong and we also know that everyone is free to have their own feelings, but they should not push them onto others. If we incorporate books, pictures, and special quests into our curriculum then children will start learning that there is nothing wrong with being different-it is still a family unit.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog, Abigail! I agree that people who are in the same sex relationships/marriages are judged and stereotyped. Personally, I feel that everyone deserves to be loved and that it shouldn't matter who they are with as long as they are happy. The consequences you listed above are all very important and accurate. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic; it's definitely a sensitive topic for many.
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