Until the "Day against Homophobia" on 17 May, we will be presenting people, projects and campaigns that are committed to fighting homophobia here on the blog. We talk to them and listen to their stories. They are diverse, colourful and exciting and show the many different faces this commitment can take.
Part 5: "Fully gay lessons"
Teacher Alexander Lotz on coming out at his school and the reactions of his colleagues and pupils
"Gay pig" is the most popular swear word in German schools, claims the education union GEW. iwwit.de asked Alexander Lotz. The 29-year-old teaches biology and chemistry at a grammar school in Frankfurt am Main and is involved in a Network of homosexual teachers in the GEW. Even as a student, Alexander campaigned against homophobia in schools. Among other things, he was a board member of the Berlin association Abqueerwhich does educational work with young people on gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyles.
Alexander, is "gay pig" really the most popular swear word in German schools?
Yes, I think so. "Spaz" and "victim" are catching up, but "gay pig" still works best as an insult.
When is the word used?
Schoolboys in particular use the word, schoolgirls much less frequently. It is obviously very important for boys to present themselves as masculine. This is why everything that is considered unmanly is devalued. Pupils often don't even do this consciously, but have internalised the homophobia that exists in society. Gay is used synonymously with "bad" or "stupid". Things are also labelled as gay that cannot be gay at all: Homework, bags, mobile phones. But people are also deliberately devalued in this way - either because they have something about them that the insulters don't like or because they are accused of being gay.
When was the last time you experienced that?
Just last week in an 8th grade biology class. The topic was actually mosses in the forest. During a group work phase, a couple of pupils were talking about Tokio Hotel and stated in no uncertain terms that Bill Kaulitz was "a faggot".
Did you intervene?
At first I just looked seriously in the direction of the group to make it clear that I had heard it. Later, I took the pupil who had said it to one side and talked to him about it. His reaction was typical: he was incredibly embarrassed to talk about it. Young people use "gay" as a swear word all the time, but when you approach them and want to talk about it seriously, it makes them very uncomfortable. I'm not interested in punishing them, but in bringing about insight with the aim of changing their behaviour. However, the very idea of same-sex love is often associated with such embarrassment that speechlessness prevails.
Have you ever been homophobically attacked yourself?
Yes, it has slowed down a bit recently and happens maybe every two months. The pupils know that I'm married to a man and shout comments after me as I walk past. Or they make clear gestures. Especially the pupils I don't teach. I've also received an anonymous email calling me a "gay pig".
The e-mail could of course come from anywhere.
In principle, yes. But it was sent to my school email address, which is only known to pupils, parents and teachers. The sender had even created an email account in the name of my head teacher and sent the email in his name. Unfortunately, the police were unable to trace it.
How did you come out at your school?
When I came to Frankfurt in 2010, I first wanted to find out what the atmosphere was like at the school. I definitely wanted to come out, but I was still thinking about which way to go. But then, in one of my first lessons, a pupil said that the lessons were "totally gay". I then made it clear that I didn't want such expressions in my class, partly because I'm gay myself and certainly not the only one at this school. This quickly made the rounds among the pupils. After this experience, I said it to all the other classes in the first lesson.
Are you also officially outed in the college?
Yes, I never heard anything negative from my colleagues. We also had a normal champagne toast at my wedding and my colleagues gave me a present. However, I do hear some incomprehension or reservations about my open behaviour.
What do your pupils know about gays and lesbians?
It seems to me that rather few do. Surprisingly, most people don't even know lesbians and gays from public life. They often don't realise that homosexuality and bisexuality are natural and possible forms of sexual orientation, just like unquestioned heterosexuality. They also have a distorted image of homosexuals, especially gay men. It is characterised by supposed femininity and ascribed sexualisation. In doing so, they reproduce what adults modelled for them. I, for example, have also been accused of flaunting my sexuality and constantly confronting pupils with my homosexuality. The pupils reproduce this prejudice.
Did you realise beforehand how strong homophobia can be at a school?
I thought there would be a corresponding reaction to my outing. But I didn't expect that it would always lead to derogatory comments. The bad thing is that when I tell colleagues that I don't like these reactions, I get support from some of them, but then unfortunately they also say: "You don't have to carry it around in front of you." I've also heard: "You've just chosen this path." Only a few say of their own accord: "We need to create a different climate here!"
Do you ever have doubts about your career choice?
No, never. Being a teacher is my dream job. The great thing is that I can very easily arouse pupils' interest - especially in the natural sciences. Seeing how children and young people learn and become more competent is very impressive!
Interview: Philip Eicker
Further information:
- The GEW has analysed whether and how gays and lesbians appear in German school textbooks. The study is available for download at:
http://www.gew.de/Binaries/Binary88533/120423_Schulbuchanalyse_web.pdf - There is also a GEW guide for gay, lesbian and transgender teachers: http://www.gew.de/Binaries/Binary88635/Ratgeber_web.pdf
