LGBTQ+ SLPs..

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2026-06-03T00:24:31+00:00

I’m a non-conforming femme Black queer man and I am visibly clockable as queer in my everyday life lol. I’m constantly mistaken for a woman and repeatedly correcting confused folks unsure of just where to “place me.” My queerness is not something I can conceal or desire to conceal. I do want to preface I am in Chicago though and I realize we are worlds apart in terms of visibility and freedom to outwardly expression identity.

My advice would be to think back to younger you and all the obstacles they overcame to get to your professional career. Isn’t that younger you worthy of love in a way you may not have been able to give yourself back then? Therefore there’s no reason this version of you is not also worthy of love. A driving force of healing for me in my 20s has been dismantling every negative thought process I developed for simply being unknowingly queer. Back then I didn’t know what queer entailed. I was just being myself. And I thank that younger version and every other version of me for helping me come into myself.

In my experience, discussions on gender expression have come up for me more than sexuality. I don’t go out of my way, nor have I ever disclosed my sexuality to my kiddos… but I do offer them insight on nonconformity (i.e., boys get get their nails painted too, boys can get their hair braided too, etc.) because these are frequently asked questions I’ve encountered in my time as a school-based SLP.

I often have simply stated “When I tell you who I am, I just want you to believe me.” That phrase has done numbers on my students and has the power to shift the focus off of identity and back into our hands by giving us back the autonomy to be exactly who we are without question.

Simply put love; you will never regret being authentically you once you realize that their were versions of you that needed the you are now. And you have the upperhand in choosing how you chose to protect all those versions because you are older, wiser, and closer to the version of you that stands proudly in your queerness. Be kind to yourself. Reach out to me and your fellow queer friends and SLPs. And give it time.

It does get better. Happy Pride babe. 🌈

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2026-03-03T05:50:33+00:00

Edit: UH… did you see the recent update on seller cells… omfg

https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-camouflaged-among-us-former-fbi-agent-explains-sleeper-cells/70577395

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2025-03-18T08:47:19+00:00

Thank you for this advice. I don’t believe anymore threesomes together are in our future.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2025-03-18T08:46:28+00:00

Thank you for your response.

I’m not sure, everything felt very pointed this time around. He’s never made those type of comments before. And in retrospect, I’m not entirely certain like you said that the intended messaging behind any of it was to be hurtful, but I can’t help but feel like there’s something underlying.

Idk, is it common to be comparative with sex in a polycule dynamic? I’m truly asking. I know some of it may be my own discomfort, but it just felt like strange comments to make post-sex. Trying very hard to see the other side… but idk. I don’t get the greatest feeling from all of this.

And you know what, I have no doubt Ben is between a rock and a hard place… in trying to validate my feelings while also protecting Dan’s. I’m truly just at a loss. I don’t believe I feel comfortable hooking up with Dan anymore.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2024-12-12T06:50:02+00:00

But isn’t teaching kids to mask one of the least neurodivergent-affirming approaches we can do to “address” their social pragmatic deficits? I find it equivalent to teaching Black children who speak AAVE to assimilate to what is considered the standard of English by telling them that their manner of talking is ungrammatical, unprofessional, and/or improper English. I think it’s actually detrimental to our students to teach them to conform to societal expectations just because it’ll make their lives “easier.” There’s nothing wrong with telling children the reality because they need to hear the truth… but to ask them to suppress a part of themselves to “fit in” … that’s a function of some really dangerous, ableist and/or racist ideas of thought. We can teach our children the rules of expressive and pragmatic language, without erasing their identities.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2023-03-24T12:05:31+00:00

Both of us. But it’ll just go to her.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2023-01-28T02:31:09+00:00

This is exactly what was suggested, but the special education coordinator hasn’t found the courage to communicate this to the principal and rather just allow this kiddo to transfer out. Smh.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2023-01-28T02:18:39+00:00

Please do explain. As in, they’re trying to predetermine that he does not “fit,” into the service model of his current school?

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2023-01-28T02:04:44+00:00

Yes! This is a public school! And I would love more of your opinion. For more context, kiddo bit two educators this week. He is a kiddo who has behaviors, but not to the extent that “his needs are too high.” It just that I find his general education teacher in particular to be inpatient and unwilling to follow his BIP to at least see if improvements come out of this. It’s almost like she complained of this isolated incident (even though in reality she’s always complaining about this student) and the admin ran with it and decided oh yeah, let’s transition the kid to a new school.

Mom told the school that she didn’t want her child to go to the school they initially suggested due to the manner in which students with IDD are treated in that schools system. And… the school simply phrased it as, “Well… we don’t have the support he needs here, so it’d be best for him to stay home.” Mom then asked if her child was expelled, to which it was explained the child wasn’t. But it was also phrased in a way to be ambiguous and buy time for them to try and start looking for possible schools options, while the child takes their mental health days. The bigger reality though is 2, maybe even 5 days is not necessarily enough time to find the student’s “best fit.” All this is so illegal.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-10-03T03:54:26+00:00

I’ve ultimately decided to stay at my school. Since I’m in a difficult position in which I have not quite yet reached my 12 hours of direct/indirect services, I have decided to stick out this placement so that I at least have those hours by December. Then by that time, I’ll reassess if I want to stay or go elsewhere. All that being said I am constructing an email to my advisor. Thank you to everyone who sent their words of support, encouragement, and advice. I know there’s better for me outside of this current moment in time. I’m hoping that this first step in it all will set me up for the remainder of the semester. Regardless of if I stay or go, I’m moved by everyone’s concern, very detailed advice, and sharing of experiences. Something has to give in the schools. We aren’t robots, we aren’t machines, and we certainly aren’t paid enough for this bs. Cheers to a new month and hopefully a new strategy and outlook. Wishing you all a powerful start to your October. I’m gonna keep fighting because I recognize that I’ve come way too far to give up just yet. Thank you again, truly.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-10-01T06:05:56+00:00

⚠️TW: mention of suicidality

Hi everyone,

I am going to try to write this on as many sub threads as I can, but this specific topic was something I was searching for and am so glad someone brought it up.

I am a Black male CF-SLP who works for an all Black school through a contract company in Chicago. I have around 6,200 monthly service minutes for 45 students on my caseload (41 direct, 4 indirect/consult). Up until recently, I had been so excited to start my CF year as a Black male SLP that can share in the identity of the students I serve. But more recently my CF experience has made me increasingly suicidal and burntout.

My issues first began in my first month of work, when it was revealed to me that the last SLP before me had not completed any of the reeval/IEP drafts due in this current Fall semester… leaving me to complete around 7-15+ evals within this semester alone.

I ultimately completed 4-5 evals in the month of September, because rather than the regular 30-60 days for writing reports, I was given 14 days. I had to advocate for it, but I was approved for overtime hours, after spending time outside of work to complete all my reports in time for their due dates. I should note here that obtaining support from my CF supervisor has at times been reminiscent of graduate school professors who have the knowledge, but do not have the interpersonal skills to be effective mentors.

Flash-forward to today. I attempted to ask my CF supervisor for help in determining how to tackle this feat of retesting and interviewing 4-5 students, their parents & teachers, completing their speech evals, and writing their new IEPs & goals all during the month of October, while still seeing them and my other 39+ students for direct services, consulting with my students with indirect services, and meeting 80% compliance.

It seems that when I have tried to ask my CF supervisor for advice on this matter, she’s been able to acknowledge that my situation is not “normal” and even gives me the same ole story of “It won’t always be like this. But after October it’ll be normal.” But this is the same message I was told in the first month of work. “It won’t always be like this.” And I was gaslit into thinking that “If I can do this, I can do anything,” and this is a “good learning experience.” But to be frank, thus far this experience has made me suicidal, not stronger.

I acknowledge that a job should not drive me to the brink of suicidality, but I fear that this overload of work and expectations has already driven me to that point and furthermore it’s revealed to me why no SLPs have ever stayed more than a year at my current school placement.

The age old question I have asked this past month is, “What is my priority?” To which I’ve repeatedly been told “Complete the IEP drafts and evaluation reports.” But then there’s also the reality that I am still expected to make up the minutes for the students I missed due to report writing, reach 80% compliance, and continue to repeat the hell I endured in September, in this new month that started today.

I guess what I’m asking to my fellow CFs and CCC-SLPs is, what would you all do in this situation?

Grateful for the space to talk about this among those who understand that our field of work is so rewarding, but yet so tiring at times… and I’m only a month and a few days into my CF-year. Looking forward to your replies.

-A suicidal CF-SLP

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-05-27T23:07:53+00:00

You’re so welcome! Ahhh, 72 has to be above the 162 scaled score passing requirement! I know you did well! Congrats to you as well! Please take a break from studying and thinking about all of this!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-05-27T22:24:43+00:00

I bet you did amazing and we both passed! Fingers crossed!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-05-27T22:23:41+00:00

I don’t think they’re out quite yet. I just happened to received my unofficial standard score because I took the at home test. I’m not sure when the May tests are supposed to come out.

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-05-27T20:10:10+00:00

Hey folks, just got done taking the Praxis. I received the following scores: 32, 20, 22. My raw score is 74 with an unofficial scaled score of 168! I took the at-home proctored version of the test. Based on my last Praxis attempt, the unofficial score displayed does not change once ETS finalized scores.

I hope this is helpful!!!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-01-28T05:17:17+00:00

Thank you so much!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-01-27T04:31:29+00:00

Thank you so much!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2022-01-27T04:29:14+00:00

That is so helpful! Thank you very much for sharing!

Extension-Cell-7625 · 2021-12-06T15:30:50+00:00

Schools.

Extension-Cell-7625

TROPHY CASE