Members of the LGBTQ+ community face unique challenges in academic biology settings. This month’s Interesting Read features an article that describes 14 literature-based recommendations for biologists to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Recommendations include practical tips for implementation and are organized into the following categories: 1) Be thoughtful about the language used regarding the LGBTQ+ community; 2) Create opportunities for people to describe who they are and avoid assuming people’s identities, names, and pronouns; 3) Meaningfully advocate for the LGBTQ+ community; 4) Create an inclusive biology classroom; and 5) Conduct biology education research in a way that is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
Citation:
Katelyn M. Cooper, Anna Jo J. Auerbach, Jordan D. Bader, Amy S. Beadles-Bohling, Jacqueline A. Brashears, Erica Cline, Sarah L. Eddy, Deanna B. Elliott, Elijah Farley, Linda Fuselier, Heather M. Heinz, Madison Irving, Tanya Josek, A. Kelly Lane, Stanley M. Lo, Jeffrey Maloy, Michelle Nugent, Erika Offerdahl, Juan Palacios-Moreno, Jorge Ramos, Joshua W. Reid, Rachel A. Sparks, Ashley L. Waring, Mike Wilton, Cara Gormall, and Sara E. Brownell. (2020). Fourteen Recommendations to Create a More Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ+ Individuals in Academic Biology. CBE – Life Sciences Education, 19:3. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-04-0062