Prioritizing Inclusion: Girl Scout focuses on LGBTQ+ sex ed in service project

OPRF senior’s website aimed at middle school students

By ELIZABETH SHORT Contributing Re

Fewer than six percent Girl Scouts successfully earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement a scout can complete.

The 80-hour service project high school scouts to complete a “longterm project with sustainable and ongoing impact that addresses a r sue.” One scout who is determined to be pa of this six percent is rising OPRF senior Emma Costello-Wollwage.

As part of her project, “Prioritizing In clusion,” Costello-Wollwage comprehensive guide to sex middle schoolers. Her we com/view/prioritizinginclusion) offers in formation on LGBTQ+ issues and histor as well as her “amended lesson ing LGBTQ+ inclusion for programs in middle schools.” Accompanying her website is an Insta prioritizinginclusion.

In creating the website and page, Costello-Wollwage school students and spent hours ing and writing for the we

“As a queer student, I was ne how to protect myself sexually sexual relationship with another non man, writes Costello-Wollwage

“Since I came out/disco identity in the sixth grade, I was only taught straight sex and viewed a single five-minute video regarding LGBTQ+ sex in my sex ed classroom. This was not enough.”

Lee Chaloemtiarana, Costello-Wollwage’s partner, witnessed similar problems in health class. “We didn’t know how to navigate a queer relationship,” said Chaloemtiarana. “It went by different rules than heterosexual relationships -- and that’s all we learned about in health class. We didn’t know how to be safe (or) how to maintain a healthy relationship.”

According to Chaloemtiarana, the sex education they received in middle school barely covered LGBTQ+ issues, “which is really ironic considering middle school is a time where a lot of people find out about being gay (and begin that) self-exploration journey.”

Witnessing this imbalance in education, along with peers’ ignorance and hatred toward members of the LGBTQ+ community and in particular toward transgender people, Costello-Wollwage grew more aware of her privilege as well as her duty to fight for herself and others within the community

“We are the ones who have to make chang- es,” she said.

TODD A. BANNOR

After coming out in sixth grade, CostelloWollwage said her sexuality became an important part of her identity. “I was really happy that I had taken the time and found something that special,” she said. Over the next few years, she participated in Percy Julian Middle School’s Rainbow Tribe and was “very, very out.”

While researching the project, CostelloWollwage went back to Rainbow Tribe to speak with current middle school students

Incoming OPRF freshman Shay Sokolowski, icipated in Rainbow Tribe, deostello-Wollwage as being “highly ” Similarly, Costello-Wollwage said ould see herself in the Rainbow Tribe he students she spoke to in Rainbow “so, so out,” said Costello-Wolle under the impression that OPRF and Oak Park are going to be as accepting as their peers, their friends, and

But that’s just not true.”

(virtual) freshman year at ostello-Wollwage experienced cyberbullying directed at her sexuality. “We prejudice embedded in us,” said wage. “It’s our responsibility to reteach ourselves.” wage successfully completed service. As she waits for the ouncil to approve her project, she said she hopes the website reaches a broader I’m hoping it can become a really ccessible education tool.” esearching and compiling the webostello-Wollwage said she was able to expand her knowledge on these issues “I learned a lot during that process,” she said. “It was really enjoyable for me because about stuff that I missed out on. Creating that website, everything’s gowith me. … I really liked learnommunity and helping other kids. It means a lot to me.”

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