The word “queer” brings different reactions from different audiences, but through her new LGBTQ+ Perspectives in Literature course, English teacher Apoorva Johri said she hopes to help students unravel what the word truly means.
Johri said there is a common lack of queer literature in the standard English curriculum, and she plans to address it through her new class.
“I think there is often a general state of homophobia that we all absorb, whether we want to or not,” Johri said. “As an adult, coming into adulthood, I’ve had to do a lot of learning and unlearning. I think that it would be really cool for this sort of learning and unlearning to be happening when you were a high schooler.”
Through exploring different literary forms, the class aims to delve into how queer people are represented all around the world.
“We really begin to look at how you take back a word that’s been used as a slur and make it a word that’s empowering now,” Johri said.
English teacher Margaret Hemmingson said she too believes diverse voices are crucial to understanding any community, and is excited the school is giving students a chance to see themselves in literature.
“I think that it’s great that we have this course being offered to give a more complete picture because I think if you read one book that has a black main character, [that] doesn’t mean you know everything about the community,” Hemmingson said. “It’s good to read more, to get a more complete picture of the community that the literature comes from.”
Hemmingson said she wished she could have taken the class during her time as a Statesman because of the outlet it provides for students to explore the community and express themselves.
“It’s not only for queer students but also for allies [and] for people who just want to read more free literature,” she said. “You don’t have to be gay or bi or trans or anything to take this class and enjoy it and get something out of it.”
Both teachers have said they are excited to welcome the new course, and they hope students use it to understand what the word “queer” encompasses.