Program Description
The Speakers Bureau Educational Program has been in Marin's schools and community since 1990, providing classroom speakers and presentations on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives to thousands of North Bay residents. The majority of requests for speakers come from middle and high school teachers who wish to include gay and lesbian issues as part of a broader diversity awareness experience for students.
Spectrum provides a well-trained and diverse group of volunteers available to middle schools, high schools, professional and business organizations, faith communities, agencies and community groups throughout Marin County. These speakers share personal stories and help audiences explore their feelings and questions about LGBT people.
Click Here to Request a Spectrum Speakers Bureau Presentation for Your Organization. Please contact us at least 3 weeks in advance to arrange a Speakers Bureau presentation for your class or organization.
Students, teachers, parents and others report that our speakers are often the first openly gay people they have had the opportunity to meet and talk with. Through conversations with individuals and groups, our speakers replace labels with people, dispel myths, and shatter stereotypes-the best way to prevent hate violence, reduce harassment and fear, and promote safety within our communities.
Volunteer speakers provide special presentations in classrooms throughout Marin to over 250 students each month. A partial listing of schools includes:
- College of Marin
- Dominican University
- Drake High School
- Kent Middle School
- Lagunitas Middle School
- Marin Country Day School
- Marin Horizons Academy
- Redwood High School
- San Andreas High School
- Sobriety High
- Tamalpais High School
- Terra Linda High School
Outline of Spectrum Speakers Bureau Classroom Presentations
Because homophobia and transphobia (like other forms of prejudice) are learned attitudes, the Spectrum Speakers Bureau's primary purpose is to provide young people with the opportunity (often their first) to meet and dialogue with openly LGBT people. Our goals are to communicate the diversity and pluralistic character of the LGBT communities, to frankly answer questions that will demystify the experience of being LGBT and ultimately to defuse tensions that lead to hostility and violence directed toward the LGBT communities.
Introductions: Each guest speaker introduces him/herself and gives basic information about Spectrum as a resource in the community. Special emphasis is placed on informing students about Rainbow's End, Spectrum's social support group for 14-19 year olds who are questioning or self-identifying as LGBT.
Disclaimers: The speakers inform participants that they are not there to recruit anyone and are not representing every single lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person in the world.
Brief speaker biographies: Each guest speaker shares between 5-10 minutes of his/her personal story regarding the experience of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in our society. Speakers focus on their "coming out" processes and the social experience of being LGBT and never discuss sex. Spectrum trainings are considered "anti-harassment trainings" under the California sex education law (SB 71) and do not address sex or human reproductive organs.
Q & A: Following each speaker's biography, the students are invited to ask the guests any questions they may have about being LGBT in our society. Speakers are trained to facilitate classroom discussions and to generate questions if a class is shy.
Evaluation and Closure: Students are asked to fill out an evaluation form indicating how they felt about the presentation, what they learned, and how they believe the presentation might impact the environment at their school.
For more information, please call Casey Halcro, Speakers Bureau Coordinator at 415-457-1115 x 213 or email chalcro@spectrumLGBTcenter.org
Educational Materials for Teachers
- LBGT_Terminology - As society adapts to the growing visibility of the LGBT community, our common language and vocabulary also adapt. As individuals, we define our own identities and use the terms that feel most comfortable and empowering to us. Names and labels are constantly changing as we reclaim words and create a more inclusive language to define our community. This glossary lists our present, commonly accepted language, but will change and need updating as our community and movement continues to evolve.
- Fact Sheet on SB 71 - Did you know that California requires public schools to provide anti-discrimination training which includes LGBT issues?
- Safe Place to Learn - How to make your school safer for LGBT Youth
- Transgender and Gender - Nonconforming Students' Rights in California Schools - A link to the downloadable pamphlet from GSA Network and Transgender Law Center
- Safe Schools Coalition - Classroom Resources for teachers and curriculum specialists. (Books, Curricula, Videos, Web sites and Music.)
- Safe Schools Coalition - An international public-private partnership in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth is to help schools - at home and all over the world - become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation
