Lesbian and gay teachers’ experiences of ‘coming out’ in Irish schools

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers have struggled with managing their sexual identities in contexts where heteronormative policing has resulted in deep silences and misrepresentation. However, many teachers have tried to counter this by ‘coming out’ or engaging with a process of disclosure. This paper draws on qualitative research with eight self-identified lesbian and gay teachers in primary and second-level schools in Ireland. Findings suggest that, for these teachers, the process of disclosure is valuable and fulfils a desire for openness and honesty. However, they continue to struggle with their teacher identities and aspects of their school culture. This paper argues that the complexities faced by these teachers in negotiating the process of disclosure are an illustration of the privileged position afforded heterosexuality in the Irish education system and the dividends that accrue to those who occupy a ‘normal’ sexual identity.     

Experiences of Being Heterosexual Allies to Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual People: A Qualitative Exploration

In this qualitative study, heterosexual professionals with an interest in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues were surveyed about their ally work with LGB people. Data were analyzed to describe participants' experiences. Results are discussed in terms of implications for counseling and student affairs professionals who engage in LGB‐affirmative work.     

Perspectives on same-sex sexualities and self-harm amongst service providers and teachers in Hong Kong

This study investigates the perspectives of service providers working with Chinese lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people in Hong Kong secondary schools and maps the relationships between same-sex sexualities, religion, education and self-harm. Sixteen service providers, including secondary school teachers, social workers based on and off school sites, and lesbian/transgender activists working in non-governmental organisations serving the LGB and transgender communities, participated in in-depth qualitative interviews. In addition, extensive participant observation was carried out. A grounded theory approach was adopted to code the data, as themes emerged with each successive round of coding. Study findings highlight four main themes: barriers to discussing sexuality at school, the effects of personal disinclination and religion, lesbian and gay youth being perceived as especially susceptible to self-harm, and the similarities in professionals' perceptions of self-harmers and LGB youth. Findings suggest that conservative religious beliefs at both the personal and structural levels act as deterrents to providing counselling and mental health services supportive of LGB youth in Hong Kong.     

The experiences of lesbian,gay and bisexual students and staff at a Further Education college in South East England

Research exploring the educational experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) students and staff members has traditionally been characterised by homophobia, hostility, victimisation and marginalisation. Recent research has evidenced a shift in the experiences of LGB young people, to somewhat more accepting and positive narratives, including within post‐compulsory schooling. Yet, there is limited research exploring the lived experiences of LGB staff members in the Further Education context. Utilising inclusive masculinity as a sociological paradigm, this research explores the qualitative data from the narratives of 26 LGB staff and students at one Further Education college in the south of England. The results find a distinct lack of homophobia within this college, a nuanced understanding of homosexually themed language, and an organisational culture of inclusivity and widespread symbolic visibility of the LGB community. Overall, our research aligns with broader social patterns that the experiences for LGB persons is improving.     

Lesbian and gay teachers and sex/uality education policy enactment in schools

ABSTRACT

This paper examines lesbian and gay teachers’ identities and experiences in schools in the context of school policies relating to homophobia and to sex and sexuality education. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 lesbian and gay teachers working in English and Welsh schools, and using the concept of ‘policy enactment’, I analyse the ways in which school policies around homo/bi/transphobic bullying and sex/uality education and their enactment are perceived by lesbian and gay teachers. The article examines teachers’ personal experiences in relation to sexuality in school, and then broadens out into related issues for pupils and a discussion of the varied approaches to sex and relationships education in the schools. I argue that the enactment of these policies is not straightforward, and that they could be better supported by a more inclusive and comprehensive sexuality education curriculum.     

Teacher discourse on lesbian,gay and bisexual pupils in Scottish schools

This paper reports on a study which surveyed and interviewed teachers on their perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to the inclusion of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) pupils in school. The outcomes indicated that there was a silencing of diverse sexualities in schools. In theory, teachers had adopted an individual liberal humanitarian stance of “we treat all pupils alike”. In practice this had resulted in confusion regarding how to respond to the needs of LGB pupils and a silence on (homo) sexuality. This paper further discusses the implications of the outcomes of this study for the implementation of the government equality agenda in schools in relation to sexual orientation.     

Surviving in the trenches: A narrative inquiry into queer teachers’ experiences and identity

This study, through the lens of narrative inquiry, examines the lived experiences of six lesbian and gay teachers working in primary and secondary school settings in the Midwest region of the USA. The heteronormative society in which we live has lead these individuals to keep their sexual identity separate from their identity as a teacher for a number of reasons. In addition to exploring these issues, this study aims to understand what it is like to be a queer teacher in the Midwest by focusing on how they construct and maintain their identities.     

Lesbian Teachers Walking the Line between Inclusion and Exposure

In this article it is argued that the effects of an education system that normalises and perpetuates heterosexuality as natural, by positioning lesbian and gay teachers as the ‘natural others’, reduces attempts at equitable visibility through inclusive practice to marginalised silence. Manifestations of the pressure on lesbian and gay teachers to provide evidence of heterosexual credentials as forms of currency for social inclusion are explored through anecdote and artwork. The question of ‘coming out’ as a necessary part of inclusive pedagogy is challenged as the sole means through which heterosexist hegemony may be unsettled as attempts are made to achieve broader inclusiveness in formal institutions of learning.     

Lesbian,gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth within in welfare: Prevalence,risk and outcomes

The purpose of this study was to estimate the population of sexual minority or LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) children and youth involved with the child welfare system, and to compare their health, mental health, placement and permanency outcomes to those of non-LGB youth. Data were drawn from the Second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW-II), a nationally representative sample of children who were referred to child welfare due to a report of abuse or neglect over a fifteen month period. This sample included youth ages eleven and older who self-identified their sexual orientation (n = 1095). Results indicate that approximately 15.5% of all system involved youth identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual, and that lesbian and bisexual females, and LGB youth of color are both overrepresented within child welfare systems. Although no substantive difference in risk factors, permanency and placement were found between LGB and Non-LGB youth, LGB youth were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for adverse mental health outcomes. Implications for child welfare practice and policy are presented, along with recommendations for future research in this area.     

Wearing My Identity: A Transgender Teacher in the Classroom

The term transgender is used by people whose gender identity or expression falls outside the boundaries of traditional gender expectations. In educational systems, transgender issues are becoming increasingly relevant as both students and staff "come out" as transgender, and as young people explore non-normative gender expression. In comparison to the empirical and theoretical discussions on gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth issues in education, research on transgender youth is sparse, and academic research on transgender teachers is non-existent. Like closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual teachers, transgender teachers are isolated, hidden, and silent about their authentic identities. This exploratory study offers one transgender-identified teacher's story in an urban public school system. The issues addressed include gender dynamics in the classroom, relationships with students, the connections between sexual orientation and gender identity, and discrimination in the work environment.     

Transitioning in elementary school: parent advocacy and teacher allyship

This paper examines how parent advocacy and teacher allyship played an important role in supporting six-year-old Violet Addley’s (a pseudonym) gender transition in elementary school. We first met the Addley family in the spring of 2015 when we interviewed them for a research study on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) families in Ontario schools. The goals of the study are to interview LGBTQ families about issues that come up at school, document how families have worked with schools to create safer and more respectful classrooms for their children, and share the families’ interviews with teachers and principals so they can begin to think about the ways they can best work with LGBTQ parents and their children. Our paper also discusses what a group of teachers learned about parent advocacy and teacher allyship from their engagement with the Addley family interviews.     

GLBTIQ teachers in Australian education policy: protections,suspicions, and restrictions

Recognition of human rights on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status by the United Nations has led to the development of new policies concerning homophobia and transphobia in educational contexts. This paper examines new Australian education policies impacting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) teachers. A policy review uncovered a range of protections for GLBTIQ teachers in contexts such as the State of Victoria, alongside restrictions. Experiences of policy discussed in pilot study data from surveys of 63 Victorian GLBTIQ teachers, and in-depth interviews with nine Victorian GLBTIQ teachers, revealed that GLBTIQ teachers were relatively unaware of the protections available to them, compared to their awareness of protections for students. Many teachers were out as lesbian or gay to some staff members but fewer had come out to students. Teachers in religious schools had more difficulties, causing some to leave the sector. Further promotion of protections and more research are recommended.     

Myra and Me

This study investigates the factors that influence whether teachers with learning disabilities (LD) choose to disclose their disability status within public school settings. Four special education teachers who self-identify as having LD identify and clarify the complex, ongoing issues that “disability disclosure” raises in educational environments. Through narrative, these teachers describe their self-negotiated decisions about why, how, when, and to whom to disclose. Using the metaphor of “the closet,” we make connections between the experiences of people labeled as having learning disabilities and the experiences of people who are gay—exploring their similar positioning in the mainstream as individuals who evaluate the risks and benefits of “coming out.” Drawing upon the emic perspective of teachers with LD, implications for public schools and teacher education programs are discussed.     

“What would you like me to do? Lie to you?” Teacher education responsibilities to LGBTI students

The experiences of lesbian, gay, trans (The use of trans with an asterisk avoids the use of transsexual or transgender and promotes recognition of the inadequacy of such labels), bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) student teachers were recently investigated at a New Zealand faculty of education. Student teachers studying in early childhood education and care, primary and secondary initial teacher education (ITE) were asked about their perceptions of LGBTI visibility and inclusion. Methods used were online questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews. While the study encompassed all aspects of the ITE programme, this work uses one specific question about practicum from the questionnaire, and findings related to practicum and teaching from the focus groups and individual interviews. In this article, the experiences of LGBTI (those who identified as non-heterosexual) student teachers and “straight” (those who identified as heterosexual) are discussed. Findings suggest that both faculty and practicum settings are heteronormative and indicate that LGBTI student teachers felt uncertain about their safety. Both LGBTI and straight students felt they had not been given adequate preparation to manage the complexities of diverse sexualities on practicum or in their future teaching. We argue that addressing heteronormativity in ITE will better prepare student teachers for the rich diversity of students and families they will encounter in their teaching.     

“They Think I Am a Pervert:” A Qualitative Analysis of Lesbian and Gay Teachers' Experiences With Stress at School

Qualitative methodologies were used to identify the demands and resources lesbian and gay (LG) teachers face in their schools. Data sources included 2 interviews each with 11 teachers who each identified as lesbian or gay. Analyses of interview data indicated 3 main findings. First, although all teachers experienced demands because of their sexual orientation, the nature of the demands were different depending on their level of openness. Second, social support from others (e.g., colleagues, administrators, and partners) emerged as a particularly important coping resource for LG teachers. Third, by identifying specific demands unique to participants' roles as teachers, the results suggested the importance of work context in understanding LG teacher stress. Implications for teacher educators and LG teachers are discussed.     

Speaking out: perspectives of gay and lesbian practitioners in outdoor education in the UK

Outdoor education has been shaped historically and culturally by many influences. Physically challenging activities out of doors have been appropriated by a number of traditions. These include militaristic, educational and developmental ideologies. Arguably, central to these ideologies are heterosexual, white middle class values. While women have sought to challenge this and feminist and pro-feminist research is evident, very little research has been undertaken into sexuality in relation to teacher or practitioner perspective and experience. Consequently, gay and lesbian voices within outdoor education are all but silenced. This paper explores the perspectives of three lesbian and four gay men who work in the UK outdoor education ‘industry’.

In-depth interviews were held with the participants exploring a variety of issues relating to their life histories and their experiences of working in a predominantly heterosexist outdoor education culture. This paper focuses upon the ways in which the participants perceived the need to conceal their lesbian and gay identities and the consequential effects of managing their identities.     

Prospects for Identity Formation for Lesbian,Gay, or Bisexual Persons with Developmental Disabilities

The theoretical and practical constraints of identity formation for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons with developmental disabilities are explored. Firstly, disability and queer theory and conceptions of identification and community are presented. This is followed by a synopsis of some of the common societal myths about disability and about homosexuality. Thirdly, we trace how these myths affect and filter into caregiver attitudes, lesbian and gay communities and communities of persons with disabilities, including developmental disabilities. All these factors conspire to inhibit self-identification as LGB for persons with developmental disabilities. It is further argued that neither disability theorists nor queer theorists have adequately accounted for such complex identities, and that, perhaps, a fusion of disability theory and queer theory may provide a more comprehensive lens to capture these complexities. We conclude with tentative yet practical suggestions to begin to create community for LGB persons with a developmental disability.     

Shifting from Sexual Orientation to Relational Orientation: A Discursive Move with Theoretical and Pedagogical Benefits

In this article, I argue that the term “sexual orientation” serves as a mechanism for preserving heteronormative hegemony, with the proposed concept of “relational orientation” encouraging a richer theoretical analysis of the factors that shape identity. The relational orientation approach establishes a more holistic representation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals by granting primacy to romantic partnering choices, as opposed to the traditional emphasis on sexual behavior alone that ultimately functions to derogate this community. Furthermore, the model invites exploration of how the dynamics of all social relationships are profoundly and divergently shaped by one's “orientation.” By promoting greater understanding, this discursive framework offers educators a valuable epistemological and pedagogical tool that has the potential to lead to significant personal and societal transformation.     

Oppression: the experiences of a lesbian teacher in an inner city comprehensive school in the United Kingdom

This article deals with the everyday working life of a lesbian teacher working in a secondary school. It compares her experiences and the problems she faces with those of other lesbian and gay teachers.