Most of my students appreciate the G-rated and still wildly entertaining (at least in my mind) atmosphere: finally they have found one place that is safe from innuendo and fear of saying the wrong thing and appearing less desirable. Before you start commenting about my hyperbolic optimism (or pathetic insistence of outdated norms in a sexually free society), please just let me try. It is very hard to learn Spanish (or calculus or history or even weight lifting) while the guys in the corner are telling dirty jokes that make half the class uncomfortable, and that other kid is calling something or someone "gay", which makes everyone afraid of their own sexuality being questioned regardless of which team they play for. Ostracism and name-calling knows no truth.
Which brings me to an incident from my class yesterday. To get to know my students, I have them fill out a notecard with some basic information (Are you allergic to food I might bring? Who are your favorite celebrities? Do you have internet at home?) and two fun facts. The fun facts I read out loud to the class, and everyone guesses who it is. Is the dirt-biker who broke his arm three times Diego or Pepe? Oh! It's Maria Guadalupe! I ask some questions to the student in a desperate (and, at this point, belated) attempt to learn names and get some idea of personality and interests. Yesterday, I had all the students who were not in class the day we filled out the cards complete theirs. One girl, who had been sick for 2 weeks, wrote four fun facts.
The first one: I'm gay.
Followed by her favorite color, number of siblings, and favorite band. It wasn't really a huge surprise that she's gay, honestly. And it doesn't bother me except that I know high school will probably be extra rough for her. But I made the decision pretty quick not to read that out loud to the class and have them guess who. Can you imagine being the kid they picked and guessed wrong (or right, but you'd been trying to hide it)? Pepe's gay!!! But he's not really, and now everyone will call him that for the next four years, and people will avoid being his friend so they won't be called gay too.
Also, I was pretty sure I told her I would read them out loud to the class, so don't write any deep, dark secrets. But I couldn't remember for sure. And I sure wasn't going to be responsible for outing her if she only wanted me to know.
And the last reason: this is my period with four special ed students, a multitude of freshmen, and 33 students. Can you imagine the chaos? It would last for days. And I would have to give them the "gay" lecture multiple times, using my Spanish instruction time on a class that is already behind in the material as it is. Holy cow.
Not only would it be a disruption, but it would do battle with my insistence on considering each and every one of my precious darlings completely asexual. They never have sex, much less think about it. Ever. They are like little Barbies and Kens running around. They have the right shape, but none of the parts that matter.
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