Biology Books
Book series (9 books in total):
Natura - Biologie (Klett), Linder Biologie (Schroedel), Natur Begreifen – Biologie (Schroedel), Biologie (Klett), Biologie Oberstufe (Cornelsen), Level Biologie (Duden Paetec Schulbuchverlag), Erlebnis Biologie (Schroedel)
Natura - Biologie (Klett), Linder Biologie (Schroedel), Natur Begreifen – Biologie (Schroedel), Biologie (Klett), Biologie Oberstufe (Cornelsen), Level Biologie (Duden Paetec Schulbuchverlag), Erlebnis Biologie (Schroedel)
Books for upper school (Sekundarstufe II) do not include forms of sexuality. Here, the focus is on reproduction only.
For the classes 6-10 the issue is brought up in nearly every book. Nevertheless, heterosexual behaviour is discussed far more than other forms of sexuality. When talking about adolescence, it is only decribed that boys feel attracted to girls and the other way around. Moreover, the act of sex is exclusively depicted as something that happens between men and women.
Mostly LGBT are only mentioned on one page of the book. Sometimes it is not even mentioned in a text but only by use of a picture, e.g. in Natur Begreifen – Biologie (p.85):
For the classes 6-10 the issue is brought up in nearly every book. Nevertheless, heterosexual behaviour is discussed far more than other forms of sexuality. When talking about adolescence, it is only decribed that boys feel attracted to girls and the other way around. Moreover, the act of sex is exclusively depicted as something that happens between men and women.
Mostly LGBT are only mentioned on one page of the book. Sometimes it is not even mentioned in a text but only by use of a picture, e.g. in Natur Begreifen – Biologie (p.85):
However, the way homosexuality is presented in this particular book should be reconsidered critically as it is only mentioned on the same page as sexual abuse and prostitution and could maybe lead to a negative image of homosexuality.
The book Level Biologie is the only one that dedicates itself to a whole page of “sexual value orientation” and “hetero-, homo- and bisexuality” (p.114). It explains that sexuality is a complex process and therefore one cannot set norms to which each human being should stick. The students are asked to be tolerant towards any kind of sexuality. It is also mentioned that the reasons for other forms of sexuality are not cleared so far. Below the text you can see pictures of a gay and lesbian couple who celebrate their “eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft”.
The book Level Biologie is the only one that dedicates itself to a whole page of “sexual value orientation” and “hetero-, homo- and bisexuality” (p.114). It explains that sexuality is a complex process and therefore one cannot set norms to which each human being should stick. The students are asked to be tolerant towards any kind of sexuality. It is also mentioned that the reasons for other forms of sexuality are not cleared so far. Below the text you can see pictures of a gay and lesbian couple who celebrate their “eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft”.
Interestingly, nearly every biology book discusses the stereotypical gender roles of our society. They want the pupils to discuss how advertisements use these clichés and if they reflect the reality. Erlebnis Biologie 7 (p. 54) wants the students to realise that men and women don’t have to conform to these stereotypical characteristics (‘typically man- typically woman?’).