adults in a meeting

Apply Your Knowledge

Tackle bias and promote equity.

Step 1: Set intentions

As an anti-bias educator, it’s important to understand and honor the individual identities, cultures and experiences of your colleagues and the children and families you serve. Because every journey begins with a single step, your first step as an anti-bias educator is to set intentions. 

Start by reflecting on the following questions and discussing them with your colleagues:

  • How will the children in your program know that you support them as they express their gender identities, explore different forms of gender expression, and engage in play that transcends gender stereotypes?
  • What will you do to help foster a sense of Pride in young children as they express and explore their identities and share information about their diverse family structures?
  • What activities and strategies will you employ to help young children become supportive friends and LGBTQ+ allies? How will you determine the effectiveness of these strategies?
  • How will Rainbow families know that you support them? How will you meet their unique needs and what steps will you take to help them feel welcomed, seen and understood?
  • In what ways does your work as an early childhood educator promote LGBTQ+ voices, inclusion and visibility—as opposed to silence, marginalization and invisibility?

Step 2: Transcend biases

Your transformation from a nonjudgmental colleague into a strong ally who stands in solidarity with LGBTQ+ children, families and colleagues begins with self-awareness. 

Unconscious biases can sabotage our efforts to take meaningful action. These biases may come in the form of unquestioned beliefs and behaviors. Despite our best intentions, we may be a part of the problem, rather than a part of the solution.

Keep the following questions in mind as you engage with children and families and collaborate with colleagues:

  • What is standing in the way of voicing your support and acting as an ally to families? 
  • You may believe that children should have the freedom to declare their own gender or choose the toys that they play with and the clothes that they wear. But do you actually challenge the gender binary and gender stereotypes in your teaching? 
  • Finally, you may collaborate well with LGBTQ+ educators and treat them with repect, but what are you actually doing to advocate for them? 

Step 3: Form a reflective community 

We are always more effective when we work together to achieve a common goal. Anti-bias efforts can take the form of mentorship and coaching—and there are many resources available to help guide reflection, build self-awareness and address unconscious bias. If you are a center director or teacher leader, the following resources may be particularly helpful:

Find additional resources here

Learn how to be an ally to Rainbow families and LGBTQ+ colleagues