InstaGene Mendelian Inheritance App

The most authentic way to teach Mendelian genetics is to focus on real-life traits in humans and non-human species. The InstaGene app is a user-friendly database of single-locus Mendelian traits in several species. The name of the gene, dominant allele, recessive allele, and source are given. Both allele phenotypes are explicitly named, with neither referred to as “normal”. Many of the alleles code for non-harmful variations, which averts the common association between mutation and disease. The app was created with Glide Apps and can be viewed, copied, and remixed all in a web browser - no app download required.

InstaGene can be used as a teacher reference or it can be given to students for reference while they complete practice problems. A set of sample problems, with model language, is provided below.

Inclusive Genetics Activities by Elizabeth Duthinh

Elizabeth Duthinh, a physician and high school teacher, developed these inclusive activity and practice problem sets covering the Monohybrid Cross, Dihybrid Cross, X-linked Traits, Non-Mendelian Inheritance, and the PTC taste lab.

Elizabeth writes:

These problem sets and PTC tasting lab are adapted to cover Mendelian genetics without presuming gender based on chromosomes and without assuming families and individuals are cisgender or heterosexual. We suggest pairing the X-linked characteristics problem set with the video What it's Like to be Intersex by InterACT and a short introduction to the SRY region of the Y chromosome.

Sex Determination and Non-disjunction Lesson by Sabrina Kayed

This highly accessible lesson was designed by Sabrina Kayed for Grade 11 Biology. The lesson is designed to move students’ understanding of biological sex beyond the simplistic binary model and introduce them to the idea of sex as a spectrum.

Response to Common Criticisms to Gender Inclusive Teaching

Making gender-inclusive changes to our curriculum sometimes elicits the attention and concern of the school community. This resource, containing suggested responses to common criticisms and concerns, was a part of our The Science Teacher article “Gender-Inclusive Biology: A framework in action”

Gender Spectrum have also put together a collection of responses to common concerns about teaching about gender in non-science-specific context.

Archaeology's Sexual Revolution

Read this article, which details the reckoning archaeology has had to do when addressing the complex, non-binary nature of biological sex characteristics. Includes several case studies of ambiguous archaeological remains which have pushed scientists to reconsider preconceived notions of both gender and sex in prehistoric times.

Inclusive Zines from the Queer Sex Ed Community Curriculum

The Queer Sex Ed Community Curriculum is an LGBTQ-led project that is developing inclusive, trauma-informed, and sex-positive resources for use with youth. Their resource library includes zines, posters, and training materials that you can implement in your classroom. Check out the awesome Sex Diversity in Nature Zine, as well as their zine on Deconstructing the Gender Binary.

Transgender Researchers Want to Make an Impact

This article from Science News for Students is one way to introduce transgender identity in the science classroom. The article includes explanations of transgender identity and profiles several transgender researchers and how their identity intersects with their work as scientists.

The article is written in student-friendly language, and includes a glossary of “power words” that can be used as an additional learning tool.

Podcast on Parenting Language from The Allusionist

Trans parents discuss inclusive language around pregnancy, birth, and parenting with host Helen Zaltzman on The Allusionist, a podcast about language.

Available on all podcast platforms, with transcript and extensive show notes.

Gender-Inclusive Biology: A Framework In Action

Sam, River, and Lewis published this article in the September/October 2021 issue of The Science Teacher, a journal of the National Science Teaching Association. It focuses on the tenets of the Gender-Inclusive Biology Framework and how to implement it successfully in the high school biology classroom.

Nature is Queer! Infographic

Check out this awesome infographic focused on diversity in the natural world created by Theo Bamberger, a graduate student working towards their Master’s of Education at the University of Washington. It highlights parallels between diverse expressions of gender and sexuality in nature with the diversity in human experiences.

Educators' Call to Action for Intersex Awareness Day

This letter, coordinated by a range of organizations and individuals including the Society of Gender Professionals, InterACT, and the Intersex Justice Project, details the need for greater visibility of intersex experiences in the science curriculum. Read and share widely!

Ten simple rules for supporting historically underrepresented students in science

Post-secondary science educators, including college and university instructors and informal educators, will find actionable strategies for supporting historically underrepresented students in this PLOS Computational Biology article by Arif S, Massey MDB, Klinard N, Charbonneau J, Jabre L, Martins AB, et al. (2021)

California Condors reproduce without a male. A first.

Erik Anderson reports for KPBS the discovery that captive condors have reproduced through parthenogenesis, with just a single parent and an unfertilized egg.

Sex Redefined: The Idea of 2 Sexes Is Overly Simplistic

In this Scientific American article, Claire Ainsworth, discusses evidence for the spectrum model of biological sex using introductory language.

Gender-Inclusive Biology: A framework in action

We have a feature article in the September October issue of The Science Teacher titled Gender-Inclusive Biology: A framework in action Practical Strategies for Teaching About Gender, Sex, and Sexuality in Biology.

The bones activity with the broken link can be found at bit.ly/biobones.

1,000-Year-Old Remains May Be Of A Highly Respected Nonbinary Warrior, Study Finds

Analysis of ancient DNA found in Finland has unveiled a surprise a century later – the remains of an early medieval warrior thought to be female may have been nonbinary. Xcaret Nuñez reports for NPR.

The data indicate that the person had a feminine presentation, likely XXY chromosomes, and a penis. The way they were buried led to the conclusion that the remains were of "a respected person whose gender identity may well have been non-binary."

To use this article with students, pre-teach the difference between gender and sex because this is not well-defined in the article.

NABT, NSTA, and NGSS Equity Statements

Gender-inclusive biology teaching is aligned with the position statements of major science education authorities. The relevant excerpts are stated below and the full texts can be accessed by clicking the image.

STEM Teaching Tool: How do we present gender, sex, and sexuality as part of inclusive and accurate science teaching?

The Gender-Inclusive Biology team collaborated with Gender Inclusive Classrooms and the UW STEM Teaching Tools team to create this concise, action-oriented brief on best practices.

Other, Neither, Both - Talk by Sam Sharpe

Biological sex takes on so many diverse patterns across species, but discussion of human sex often consists of an oversimplified and incomplete binary. Biologist Sam Sharpe discussed this issue in a five-minute INSPIRE talk at the Ecological Society of America annual meeting in 2020.

You don't have a male or female brain – the more brains scientists study, the weaker the evidence for sex differences

Lise Eliot of the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science addresses common misconceptions about differences between male and female brains. She reviewed 30 years of research on human brain sex differences and found that almost none of these claims are reliable. This article addresses claims of difference in brain size and composition in both humans and animals. Eliot discusses what this data means for nonbinary and transgender people.