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WHEREAS heterosexism is the exclusion of lesbians, gay males, bisexuals, transgender, and queer people (LGBTQ) in every aspect of the individual, cultural, and institutional aspects of life, and in policies, procedures, events and activities; and, WHEREAS heterosexism creates an environment of violence and hatred towards LGBTQ people and their allies, where 83.2% of LGBTQ students report being verbally harassed because of their sexual and/or gender identity; and, WHEREAS heterosexism is the institutionalization of a heterosexual norm or standard, which establishes and perpetuates the notion that all people are or should be heterosexual; and, WHEREAS heterosexism hinders the growth of individuals by confining all people to rigid roles of gender and sexual orientation; and, WHEREAS heterosexism excludes the needs, concerns, cultures, and life experiences of LGBTQ people; and WHEREAS heterosexism contributes to violence in schools contributing to the increasing risks of the LGBTQ youth population where 58% of LGBTQ youth have substance abuse problems and where 30% of all youth who complete suicide are LGBTQ people; and WHEREAS heterosexism is oppression; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) condemns the use of the United States Constitution and the Constitutions of the States within the Union to deny people any rights on the basis of sexual orientation; and BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that members of NAME are committed to eliminating heterosexism through the development and implementation of educational material and programs promoting an inclusive society; and, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that members of NAME will actively seek to create safe schools for all students; and, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that NAME partners with other organizations active in the promotion of a
multi-sexual oriented society. Adopted by the NAME Board of Directors on October 30, 2004 at
the NAME Board Meeting in Kansas City, MO.
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