Explore your own beliefs and biases
BIASES? YES, WE ALL HAVE THEM, even when we try to be open-minded and inclusive! By educating yourself about LGBTQ+ families and taking time for regular reflection, you can begin to lay the foundation for more inclusive language, policies and practices.
What’s the best way to begin? By looking within! Ask yourself the following questions:
- When you reflect on the word family, what image comes to mind? Do you default to a stereotypical image of a family with a cisgender mother and father (parents whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth)? This is an example of a bias.
- How might you shift away from a deficit focus on families (e.g., What are they missing? What worries me about this family?) to an asset-based focus (e.g., Who provides love and support in this home?)
- What do the LGBTQ+ parents or caregivers in your community see as their assets, strengths and family goals?
- Research has demonstrated that LGBTQ+ families fare much better when schools, social systems, laws, and policies support them. How does your school/center support LGBTQ+ families? How does your community support them?
- What does our field tell us about diversity and inclusion—and our ethical responsibility to address these issues?
- What is your vision of LGBTQ+ social justice? Where can you find or build community around these shared values?
- What resources and professional development might help you broaden and deepen your knowledge?
Visit our Apply Your Knowledge section for specific ideas about how to move from reflection to action.