The Tasmanian curriculum provides many opportunities for students to learn about sexual diversity. The curriculum in Tasmania is organised into seven main areas outlined below. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Thinking skills are taught in each of these areas.
In English – literacy (including Languages other than English - LOTE) students study, use and enjoy language and literature to become effective communicators and powerfully literate citizens.
Students may:
- examine the representation of sexuality and sexual orientation in literature
- explore communication issues around sexuality – including heterosexual language bias - in English and other languages
- investigate changing definitions of family and depictions of diverse families in literature and media
- examine cultural references and the portrayal of gay, lesbian and bisexual people in literature and film
- examine how the experience of sexual non-conformity has influenced the work of famous gay, lesbian and bisexual writers.
In Mathematics – numeracy, students explore and use patterns and relationships in quantities, space and time to become confident thinkers and problem solvers.
Students may:
- explore facts and statistics around sexual diversity issues e.g. How common is homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality? Does this matter? What statistics are available about diverse families or sexuality-based discrimination and hate crime?
- examine Tasmanian Together benchmarks and goals that relate to sexual diversity: What methods could be used to enhance this process?
- investigate what determines if these statistics are valid or reliable. What issues do these statistics raise about different statistical sources e.g. government vs. community and reporting vs. incidence?
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In Health and wellbeing, students explore how health-related knowledge, skills and understanding can contribute to their own and others' wellbeing.
Students may:
- investigate how sexual orientation and expression impacts on the health of societies past and present
- consider how sexuality influences individual and social health
- analyse how experiences of discrimination can negatively influence health outcomes for gay, lesbian and bisexual people
- investigate how the concept of resilience impacts on individual health and sexuality.
In Science, students investigate, generate and test ideas to develop scientific knowledge, understanding and explanations.
Students may:
- examine how specific health issues relate to issues of sexual and gender diversity
- investigate changes in and access to reproductive technologies for gay, lesbian and bisexual people
- examine how scientific method and research has been used to classify sexual orientation, prove the origins of sexuality and in attempts to 'cure' homosexuality or justify heterosexism.
In Society and history, students investigate how identity, environments and systems influence societies over time and participate as responsible citizens in their community.
Students may:
- investigate legal issues related to homosexuality, bisexuality, heterosexism and homophobia
- research key figures in the history of gay, lesbian and bisexual rights advocacy
- investigate how concepts of gender and sexuality change or persist over time
- analyse variation and commonality in sexual orientation and expression across time and cultures
discuss legal and social issues such as the legal recognition of 'same sex relationships'
- include homosexual and bisexual perspectives and experiences in researching historical oppression e.g. the Holocaust
- examine issues around how sexual diversity and religious views relate to each other in a variety of faiths.
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In the Arts, students explore how varied arts forms convey ideas and feelings of individual and shared experience.
Students may:
- explore how Arts including media can be used to express sexual orientation, including heterosexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality
- examine how popular music has been and can be used to reflect, restrict or promote views about sexual diversity
- use varied Arts forms to explore sexuality issues and promote understanding of diversity.
In Vocational and Applied Learning students explore how vocational and technological understanding and skills can be applied to wider contexts including life beyond school.
Students may:
- investigate how discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation can be prevented in the workplace
- research how access to technology has positively influenced the lives of gay, lesbian and bisexual people.
Across the curriculum teachers are encouraged to:
- respond to discrimination and harassment based on sexual diversity as effectively as you would acts of racism or sexism
- ensure that students have open access to accurate and developmentally appropriate books and other resources on sexuality and gender diversity issues
- check existing resources for validity and bias; for example, gay, lesbian or bisexual people may be either invisible or depicted as unhealthy or deviant
- provide examples that are gender and sexually diverse when representing families and significant relationships
- clearly distinguish between sexual orientation, sexual identity and sexual behaviour in any policy or curriculum materials to help ensure that, whilst sexual diversity is acknowledged and celebrated, sexual practices based on behaviour that is abusive, coercive or otherwise unlawful or inappropriate are not endorsed
- consider what is age and developmentally appropriate for students to learn about in relation to sexual diversity, for example consult the resources and contacts section of this document.
Suggestions about age-appropriateness [PDF 78KB] - from the Safe Schools' Coalition (US).
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Medical and health care
Supportive school communities
Introduction