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Fourteen Recommendations to Create a More Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ+ Individuals in Academic Biology
CBE—Life Sciences Education
  • Erica T. Cline, University of Washington Tacoma
  • Katelyn Cooper
  • Anna Jo Auerbach
  • Jordan D. Bader
  • Amy S. Beadles-Bohling
  • Jacqueline A. Brashears
  • Sarah L. Eddy
  • Deanna B. Elliot
  • 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 Gormally
  • Sara E. Brownell
Publication Date
7-14-2020
Document Type
Article
Abstract

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and otherwise nonstraight and/or non-cisgender (LGBTQ+) have often not felt welcome or represented in the biology community. Additionally, biology can present unique challenges for LGBTQ+ students because of the relationship between certain biology topics and their LGBTQ+ identities. Currently, there is no centralized set of guidelines to make biology learning environments more inclusive for LGBTQ+ individuals. Rooted in prior literature and the collective expertise of the authors who identify as members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community, we present a set of actionable recommendations to help biologists, biology educators, and biology education researchers be more inclusive of individuals with LGBTQ+ identities. These recommendations are intended to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ identities and spark conversations about transforming biology learning spaces and the broader academic biology community to become more inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals.

DOI
10.1187/cbe.20-04-0062
Publisher Policy
Open access
Citation Information
Katelyn Cooper, Anna Jo Auerbach, Jordan D. Bader, Amy S. Beadles-Bohling, Jacqueline A. Brashears, Erica Cline, Sarah L. Eddy, Deanna B. Elliot, 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, … 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