Blog post 5

   Rofes starts out by explaining that there are two ways to see LBGT youth. He says that we can see the youth as "outsiders, vulnerable, or fragile but also see them as powerful, daring, and rebellious. We can see them as survivors of repeated traumas, or we can see LGBT youth as engaged in a lengthy effort to undermine gender roles. Or, we can see both." I think Rofes does a really nice job here of exploiting a problem with so many people today and that is how people see things. He encourages us to think more positively than negatively and I've always thought that if people see the good in situations rather than the bad, then the world would be a much better place. This way of thinking was definitely present where I went to high school. I went to Notre Dame - Cathedral Latin High School and there were two openly gay/bisexual boys who were older than me. Instead of these two boys being bullied and neglected by others, they were accepted for who they were and got along well with almost everyone in the school. Even though there was no GSA in my high school or anything of that nature, they were still able to have their own friend groups. Also, the teachers were always very respectful of their thoughts and beliefs and treated them like any other straight student. Personally, I want to be a teacher who straight and gay students feel comfortable with. I do not want any student to feel as an outcast in my classroom. Like I mentioned earlier, I truly believe that there is good in each and every person. Sexual orientation should play no part in finding good in another individual. Everyone is different and is entitled to live their own life. All we need to do is think positively of others who have a different sexual orientation instead of negatively, then the world will be a much better place.