Different but the Same: Lessons Learned from Educating GLBTQ Gifted Adolescents

Since 2001, I’ve been working with a very specific twice-exceptional population: gifted adolescents who are also gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning their sexuality (GLBTQ). Along the way, I’ve made mistakes (and learned from them), but I’ve also managed to shepherd my 2e teens through some very rocky shoals and into adulthood. Here’s a small sampling of what I’ve learned.

Lesson One: They Develop Asynchronously.

Linda Silverman’s writings on asynchronous development (1983, 1997) are of particular relevance to this twice-exceptional population. Asynchronous development refers to the idea that gifted students develop in ways characterized by complexity, unevenness, intensity, social alienation, and vulnerability. While asynchronous development can have negative aspects, it can also be a largely positive phenomenon. Many GLBTQ adolescents struggle not only with levels of knowledge that are beyond their age peers’, they also demonstrate more fully developed senses of empathy and caring. The acknowledgment that they are in a minority group can make GLBTQ teens more sensitive and attentive to the needs of others. It can also help these students articulate ideas of social justice, compassion, and empathy that are more similar to adults’ views than teenagers’. As a teacher, I’ve found one of my major roles with this population is to help them work through and voice these feelings. Many times, having an adult who truly listens to them is vital to managing the negative aspects of asynchronous development and cherishing the positive aspects.