New to You... and Me: Sharing new topic areas.

Today I stumbled across a list of the 25 most popular LGBT themed documentaries as voted by readers of After Elton (an LGBT Television/Entertainment website). I looked through the list and was hit by the number of great, inspiring, and important stories within.

For many LGBT youth one of the few ways they are exposed to people like them is through the media, thankfully we've seen much more works being put out in recent years (however that doesn't mean the classics are any less important).  These documentaries can be great ways for your to educate the students you work with about areas that you might personally not know much about either.

You can view the full list at the following link (http://www.afterelton.com/movies/2012/09/greatest-gay-documentaries)  I've highlighted a few of my favorites below and mentioned why I love them so much!

Transgeneration (http://www.logotv.com/shows/dyn/transgeneration/series.jhtml) - This was a truly inspiring and eye-opening one for me. I'm not the most well versed in gender issues, however this is a great primer and one that will likely encourage you to do more research.

Small Town Gay Bar (http://www.afterelton.com/movies/2007/8/smalltowngaybar)  This was one that hit close to home for a young gay boy growing up in rural Ohio.  This is a great film to help show the importance of community and connecting with those around you.

Paris is Burning (http://www.afterelton.com/movies/2012/06/best-movie-ever-paris-burning) Thanks to the wild popularity of Drag Race, Drag U, and Rupaul in recent years you might have students asking about "Balls, Death Dropping, and Houses"  This is the definitive film on the topic of the 1980's House/Ball circuit in New York City.  This shows the good, the bad, the ugly, the sad, and the uplifting.  You will find positive and negatives in this I'm sure.

Showing documentaries is just one way that you can educate students about a topic if you don't have expertise yourself.. What are others?  How do you connect with students around topics that are new to both of you?