by NADINE SHARPE
As parents, we want what’s best for our children and want to make sure they have the best of everything.
Choosing the best school is fraught with challenges, but to choose a school that is right because of your family diversity adds another layer of complexity and keeps you awake at night even before your child is born.
One of my biggest fears is that my children will be discriminated against at school because their parents are lesbians. It is important for me to feel confident that our family structure is reflected in the conversations had in the classroom. It is so common for all discussions around family to begin from the premise of ‘mummy and daddy’. How isolating must that feel for children with two mummies?
As gay and lesbian parents, we are required to be advocates for our children. It is up to us to ensure that our child’s school is a safe and supportive place for our children. We need to make sure the school is portraying our families in books and resources available to all children and that teachers are using language inclusive of all families, especially ours.
We need to be open about who we are as a family, as schools cannot be supportive of situations of which they have no knowledge. Contributing to the school community is the single best way to be accepted. Let people get to know you as individuals, as the more they know, the less likely they will be able to reject your identity.
A fabulous resource available that creates exposure for families with lesbian or gay parents is called Learn to Include. The aim of these books is to feature diverse families and to work with schools to understand and respond to the diversity of students and their families. Get them into your school library now.
info: www.rainbowbabiesandkids.com.au
