Classroom Experiences
A Qualitative Study with (and about) Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Teachers
Supporting Agencies
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- Consejo Superior de Deportes
Abstract
The growing visibility of the LGTBI collective and the claim for their rights have drawn the attention of the academic community, shedding light on a still discriminatory reality; for lesbian, bisexual, and gay teachers experience their sexual orientation and its visibility problematically. The aim of the article is to compile and interpret the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, and gay teachers to make their teaching experiences visible. To do this, 19 Primary and Secondary teachers were interviewed in depth. The inductive analysis yields results in accordance with the international literature on the matter: giving visibility to sexual orientation is decisive in the teacher’s perception while at work. Although ‘coming out’ implies liberation and gives teachers the possibility of being a model for other colleagues and students, many factors lead lesbians, bisexual, and gays not to make their sexual orientation known, especially to the students and their families. The fear of discrimination, the type of educational centre, the relationship with the rest of the teaching staff and with families, or the wish not to reveal intimate details about their lives lead some teachers not to disclose their sexual orientation. As such, it is concluded that it is necessary to improve initial and ongoing teacher training programs to provide educators with the necessary tools to develop educational materials and proposals that make diversity visible and fight against LGTBI-phobic attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, the involvement of heterosexual teachers and the publication of additional research on the matter is also deemed under a positive light.
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