A new resource pack aimed at young people explores some of the issues facing lesbians in "a heterosexist and homophobic culture". The pack is now available to teachers and those who work in the area of education. It sets out to address issues of discrimination and exclusion.
The material has been produced with money from the EU-funded Lesbian Education and Awareness initiative under the New Opportunities for Women programme and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.
The pack includes a video, a manual, a poster and some leaflets on legal issues, health issues and abusive relationships. The various sections come under different headings including attitudes, values and beliefs; exclusion, disadvantage, and being lesbian; heterosexism, images and cultural stereotypes; coming out; employment and workplace issues, and what being lesbian means.
The manual contains addresses and lists of other publications, lesson suggestions and facts and figures, and the video includes dramatisations of some case studies.
The pack, called LOT, Lesbian information and resource pack, a learning and development tool towards inclusion, could be used with Transition Year or senior level students. It is available from public libraries. Copies are also in teacher training colleges and a range of community organisations have been sent a copy.
Caroline Mathews, education co-ordinator for LOT, says up to 300 copies are available free of charge to teachers or other interested parties who contact the organisation at LEA/NOW, 5 Capel Street, Dublin 1. The fax number is (01) 873 0520 or e-mail is leanow@indigo.ie
