GLBT, whew I'm glad they abbreviated it...

So, GLBT was a term I learned today, among many things I read in ch. 7 of Adolescents at School. I kind of had to step back a bit because this was a huge subject I hadn't really considered before. How would I handle it, if one of my students came out to me? I know how I handle it personally when I meet people who have a different sexual orientation than myself, but this would be a student who was looking for guidance. I suppose I would initially ask if they would like to talk about things, and preferably in private so they would feel more comfortable. I would just sit down with the student comfortably so they can open up and tell me what they need to say. I wouldn't make any judgments about what I heard and I would try to understand what they were feeling. If they hadn't come out to their family and friends I would first ask if they would want to, and if they did, how would they feel about it? Would it be accepted, or would it be difficult to do? These are all things I would let them explain to me, but primarily letting them speak and get it off of their chest. I can remember being that age and even now, just eager for someone to talk to, someone who could potentially help you. After we would be on the same page, I would try to gather information from counselors, and also see if this was a discussion the student should be having with someone more qualified than me. However I feel that if a student "came out" to me specifically I would do everything in my power to help them feel better about their situation. I would never pass off another student to someone else, I would always be there for the student in any capacity I could.
I suppose if the student and I regularly met I would be able to show them ways to feel proud about who they were, that a person can be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and also be just a person. Their sexual identity has nothing to do with the person within, who they are at the very core can is what is important. Once they feel comfortable with themselves, they can find a way to do whatever makes them happy. Even if it is being a doctor, lawyer or business executive. (If any of you Weeds fans caught that sentence up above, please understand this was a very deep subject so I had to throw a little levity in there). Being an art teacher, I do think it would be appropriate to signify specific artists who were GLBT, to show the student that we remember these great artists for the things they made and did with their lives, not their sexual orientation. Just a handful of artists I would mention would be Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Frida Khalo. These are all great artists who are in turn great examples for those dealing with the struggle of identifying their sexuality.
One thing I read in Adolescents at School, and what I am going to remember and do first thing for my classroom will be to post a "Safe Space" sticker on my door to let students who know what that means, feel comfortable in my classroom.
Anyway, as I was researching artists I found some great images, so I thought I would post them. ;-)