Hello Colleagues

I have recently found an interesting grant RFP that I'd like to apply 
for. The timeline is short for this (proposal is due Feb. 15) but I'm 
hoping to gain some insight from many of you "in the field."

The grant specifically addresses lesbian (and to some extended sense, 
lgbti) social change projects. [lgbti = lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
transgender, intersexed] The proposed project must directly address the 
depth and complexity of critical issues in lesbian (lgbti) communities, 
and especially those coming from progressive women's organizations and 
projects led by lesbians (lgbti people). So, WE LEARN -- with me as 
principle investigator -- seems like a perfect fit for this opportunity.

FYI: the grant is being offered by an primarily lesbian focused 
organization. Due to my own interests, experience, and desire to keep 
the project manageable, I'd prefer to focus the project on lesbians, 
but also understand that general lgbti issues will necessarily 
intersect with this project.

Here's what I'd like from you:
I'm looking for key research questions and ways to frame them in a 
social change project that could happen either within a one year or 1-3 
year time frame of the grant. Your input on key questions from your 
experience/perspective would help my development of this project. I 
have listed some of my ideas below. What of these seem most urgent to 
you? What different ideas or questions do you have?

Some of my initial thoughts include:
• How are lesbian (lgbti) issues addressed, ignored, silenced in 
ABE/ESOL?
• How do we support lesbians (lgbti people) in ABE/ESOL -- across the 
spectrum of participants -- students, teachers, tutors, volunteers, 
administrators.
• We are beginning to understand the effects of violence and trauma on 
learning. How many of our students/teachers experience violence and 
trauma as a result of their sexuality? How are these issues/concerns 
recognized and addressed?
• What are the effects of identity discovery on learning / adult 
learning (this may connect to the violence issue, or it may not)?
• What can we learn from growing body of research on lesbian (lgbti) 
youth, especially the policy report available from the National Gay and 
Lesbian Task Force, GLSEN, and other education communities? Does the 
growth of Youth in ABE correspond at all to the experiences of lesbian 
(lgbti) youth? How many students in ABE/GED come to our programs 
because of sexuality-related hate crime experienced in high school? How 
do ABE programs serve these youth?
• We know that some young lesbians have babies to prove they're 
"straight." Do these students get served by family literacy programs or 
programs serving single moms? How does the implied heterosexuality of 
such programs affect the lesbians who may be attending them? How do 
their identities, issues, concerns get supported, ignored, silenced?
• How do we address, ignore, silence cultural issues in ESOL contexts 
as they intersect with sexuality issues?
• Ditto: workplace literacy & workforce development
• How does the K-12 teaching environment for lesbian ((lgbti)) teachers 
crossover into ABE/ESOL context?
• Do ABE/ESOL programs located in community colleges have a different 
set of attitudes or experiences related to lesbians (lgbti people) 
because they are located on a college campus?
• How are the realities, needs, and experiences of lesbians (lgbti 
people) in ABE/ESOL invisible to the larger gay/equal rights movement? 
How could these issues inform the larger context of lesbian/gay legal 
rights?

It seems that much of ABE/ESOL experiences and writings on these issues 
are anecdotal. I know of no serious research project addressing lesbian 
(lgbti) issues in ABE. As far as I know, this is a gap in our research, 
something I'm willing to address head-on. Does anyone know of anyone 
who is doing direct research or participatory projects addressing these 
issues?

Though I'm asking these as research questions, I'd like the proposal to 
be a participatory inquiry-based social change project. Your 
suggestions or experiences for framing this would also be useful. If 
anyone has interest in collaborating on this project, please let me 
know.

I have collected resources (what few there are) over the years:
ERIC Trends & Issues alert #21
Bright Ideas, 2000
Taking Risks, ALRI, 1999
The Change Agent #19, 2004
Addressing diversity - LACNYC 2002
a tape recording of the panel presentation at TESOL in 2003
novel-Working Parts
novel-Crybaby Butch
miscellaneous conversation threads on various NIFl lists, esp. womenlit 
in 2002
and some others...
Do you know of other research or writings that are available -- 
specifically addressing lesbian (lgbti) issues in ABE/ESOL?

Thanks for all your reflections. Please respond to me privately and 
I'll compile the comments for a future post.

Mev Miller
WE LEARN
Women Expanding: Literacy Education Action Resource Network
www.litwomen.org/welearn.html

Mev Miller, Ed.D., Director
182 Riverside Ave.
Cranston, RI 02910
401-383-4374
welearn at litwomen.org