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In this webinar video, an expert panel discusses how to represent wide-ranging family structures and personal identities using the latest pedigree nomenclature
Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) raises awareness about genetics and discuss how genetic technologies impact people’s lives now and in the future.
This lesson uses athletics as a lens to examine the biology of sex differences, and how societies react to individuals with these differences. Through readings, slides and discussion, students will examine the history of sex confirmation in elite athletic competition and learn why dividing people into two sexes is not as clear-cut as it seems. Students consider the practice of defining sex by anatomy, DNA, and hormones and then think about the various viewpoints on fairness, diversity and inclusion in sports and society. The classroom activity asks students to imagine being a doctor responsible for verifying the sex of athletes in an international track and field competition while considering the realities of genetic complexity as well as the impact of their decisions on athletes and other stakeholders.
The lesson plan includes a Do Now, slideshow, and a classroom activity.
There is also video lesson that includes a Do Now question and prompts to pause and answer questions.
Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) raises awareness about genetics and discuss how genetic technologies impact people’s lives now and in the future.
In this set of three lessons from Galactic Polymath, students will learn that hybrids are not flukes—they’re commonly found in the wild and our grocery stores! By playing and reflecting on Foraging Frenzy (a research-inspired memory game) students will appreciate how climate change affects species ranges and the direction of evolution.
Students will be exposed to diverse scientific researchers, including a queer scientist who reflects on his journey and the impact of role models.
TESTED: A Surprising History of Women's Sports is a series produced by CBC, NPR's Embedded, and Bucket of Eels. The series is hosted by Rose Eveleth (they/them).
Through history and the ongoing cases of current athletes, TESTED explores the surprising story of who gets to compete in the women's category of sports.
The TESTED website contains episode transcripts and links for further reading
From homosexual penguins and sex-transitioning fish to pregnant male seahorses and sexually dominant female bonobos, there are thousands of species that defy our expectations of gender and sexuality. Director Drew Denny takes the nature documentary to a whole new level in this eye-opening and entertaining expedition to the places David Attenborough overlooks, where giant duck penises and corkscrew vaginas take center stage.
Turns out Darwin wasn’t right about everything. He nailed that theory of evolution, but his understanding of gender and sexual diversity in the animal kingdom was more than a little misguided. Turns out the natural world is way more diverse and complex than he — or your high school biology teacher — may have led you to believe. Meanwhile, many unsung contemporary scientists, like evolutionary biologists Joan Roughgarden and Patricia Brennan and primatologist Amy Parish, have been zealously studying animal behavior and anatomy and exposing the myth of the gender binary for decades, despite ongoing resistance to their findings from the research establishment.
In Science News Explores, Laura Allen summarizes the recent findings of education researchers about errors in describing sex and gender in genetics textbook chapters. This article is student-friendly and discusses common misconceptions perpetuated by science education materials.
Queer Planet is a documentary that showcases a wide variety of animal (and plant) species that exhibit queer behaviors or physical characteristics. Experts share insights on the observed mechanisms of these queer traits and their functional impact on survival and reproduction. Scientist also explain why institutions of science have traditionally ignored or mischaracterized this aspect of diversity in the living world.
This documentary was produced for an adult audience and the narration occasionally references human sexual topics and slang.
Thank you for your interest in the Inclusive Biology Curriculum Research Project. I am Charlie Blake (they/them), an Assistant Research Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I am leading a research study along with contributions and support from partners and advisors, including the folks at Gender Inclusive Biology (https://www.genderinclusivebiology.com/). I am currently recruiting high school life science teachers for the 2024-2025 school year. If you are able to participate, I would supply you with four activities (NGSS-aligned) that you would use whenever they fit into your teaching schedule. I would then invite your class to participate in some short pre- and post- surveys and invite a few students in each class to do interviews. The topic areas of the lesson materials are: Reproductive Life Cycles, Genetic Inheritance, Animal Bodies and Mating Behavior, and Sex Determination and Development. Even if you can’t do all the lesson topics you can still participate. A small stipend is available for all participating teachers!
“Inclusive Biology Curriculum Impacts on Students” IRB approved protocol #2171
If you would like to use the lesson plans but are unable to participate in the study, I will still share the activities with you, but I hope you will consider joining the study!
Google form to request the activities https://forms.gle/u5G6MbygvqunXH366
Thanks for all your help,
Charlie
Dr. Charlie Blake (they/them)
Assistant Research Professor
STEM Center for Research, Education, & Outreach
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
The Narwhal Rainbow Alliance is a not-for-profit committed to protecting biodiversity and promoting diversity. The Alliance uses queer narratives as their foundation.
The Narwhal Rainbow Alliance aims to support biodiversity protection through empowering local communities and projects.
Queerly Natural is a science-based podcast about the diversity of sexuality, sex, and gender in the natural world. Join three queer biologists as they chat about the huge array of LGBTQIA+ diversity among animals, plants, fungi, and more.
Episodes are released the first Wednesday of every month. The website contains episode transcripts and timestamps for topics.
This SciShow video tells the story of Sue the T-Rex and the tricky task of determining the sex of fossilized animals using evidence.
In this lesson for high school life sciences, students explore case studies of human remains that have challenged scientists’ ideas about how gender and sex operated in ancient times to help us better understand how gender, sex, and sexuality change our bodies and our stories in the present day.
Lewis Steller created this lesson as part of the Science Friday Educator Collaborative.
This unit for high school psychology classes covers four topics:
Gender as a Biopsychosocial Construct
Cultural and Historical Considerations about Gender
The Importance of Pronouns
Seeking Support at School
In this SF Chronicle piece, Ash Zemenick discusses evidence for biological sex as a continuum rather than a binary. They argue that humans whose chromosomes, gametes, or hormones do not fit into a binary are common and that it is more useful to view them as a form of diversity rather than as an exception to a rule.
This is a video created through Living Laboratory(c) at the Museum of Science Boston, in collaboration with the Mahalingaiah Lab at Harvard School of Public Health. It explains menstruation in a non-gendered, non-sexual way to inform young people about changes in their bodies
This focused revision addresses the need to denote sex assigned at birth and gender in pedigree nomenclature. It clarifies the use of symbols and language to ensure safe and inclusive genetic counseling for people who are gender-diverse or transgender.
Bennett, R. L., French, K. S., Resta, R. G., & Austin, J. (2022). Practice resource-focused revision: Standardized pedigree nomenclature update centered on sex and gender inclusivity: A practice resource of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 00, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1621
In this blog post, geneticist Jess McLaughlin offers six detailed strategies for trans inclusion in biology education. They also include an extensive list of resources.
Cory Silverberg is a sex educator and the author of “What Makes a Baby”, “Sex is a Funny Word”, and the new book “You Know, Sex” which is for children 10+. Cory spoke in this interview about teaching and learning about sex as it relates to not only reproduction, but also pleasure, power, and identity. These are valuable ideas for science educators looking to put their teachings about sex in context with students’ whole lives.
ID: Thomas, a white goose, with two black swans named Henry and Henrietta. The three adults stand surrounding several gray baby swans sitting in a nest. Thomas played the role of a "doting uncle" to Henry and Henrietta's many children.
Thomas was a New Zealand goose who rose to prominence for his notable relationships and behaviors. He formed close, lasting bonds with both male and female swans and was involved in a "love triangle". Thomas became blind later in life. He reared many children, both his biological children and young orphaned geese and swans.
Below are two article commemorating Thomas’ life, published shortly after his death.
The Queerspawn Resource Project develops and compiles resources that reflect the complex, authentic, and intersectional experiences of people with one or more LGBTQ+ parents/guardians and advancing advocacy work that furthers inclusion of queerspawn and their perspectives. Resources include children’s and adult book lists, allyship guidance, a language guide, and media collections.
