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I recently finished my diversity statement. Its layout is as follows:

1st paragraph gives a brief history of my coming out and the intolerance of people around me.

the rest of the statement talks about the catalyzing aspect of my experiences and how it helped transform me into a greater critical thinker. I also talk about how it opened my eyes into discrimination in my teaching career.....in regards to special education.

Is this an ok format for a diversity statement? Is it appropriate to talk about over-coming homophobia....or is that off topic for a diversity statement?

I think that is a perfectly acceptable topic for a diversity statement. In fact, I think writing about how you dealt with adversity is an important component of these essays. If you simply stated “such and such happened to me” and you didn’t offer any assessment or examples of what actions you took to overcome the situation, it would just look like you’re whining. So, I think you’re on the right track.

It sounds like a very interesting essay. By the way, my partner is a teacher (actually, she’s very close to becoming a principal) and she’s planning on pursuing a Ph.D. in social analysis in education.

Good luck with your applications!