33. Gender and Education
Paper
Including the History of LGBTI People in School Curricula
Olivier Berton
Université Paris-Est Créteil, France
Presenting Author: Berton, Olivier
In 2011, the California Legislature passed the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act (California Legislature, 2011) and, in doing so, became the first state in the United States and in the world to mandate public schools to teach about the role and contribution of LGBT people to national history. Since 2019, similar legislations were adopted in six other states: New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Nevada, and Connecticut. In addition, in 2018, following recommendations from the charity Time for Inclusive Education, the Scottish government issued regulations to include the teaching of the “history of LGBTI movements” in Scotland’s school curriculum (Scottish Government & Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, 2019). Indeed, since the early 2010s, the reference framework of various institutional, political and social actors has been used to construct the establishment of LGBTI inclusive school policies as a means of fighting against discrimination. These actors are:
- advocacy organisations, whether national (GLSEN in the United States, Stonewall in the United Kingdom, Time for Inclusive Education in Scotland...) or international (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Youth & Student Organisation, Global Alliance for LGBT Education, OutRight Action International…);
- intergovernmental organisations, with either a global mission (UNESCO, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Bank, OECD…) or a regional one (Council of Europe, European Parliament, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights...).
In the case of California and Scotland, entrepreneurs have lobbied to have these recommendations transposed into local educational policies—in these specific cases, they can be considered as “norm entrepreneurs” (Sunstein, 1996, p. 909) and sometimes “identity entrepreneurs” (Martin et al., 2010, p. 85).
Anchored in the theoretical framework of the sociology of the curriculum—while borrowing elements from the sociology of social problems, on the one hand, and didactical science, on the other hand—, my paper analyses how the discourses of policy actors on LGBTQI+ issues influence not only the educational policies that are put in place, but also the teaching practices at school level. In order to characterise this influence, I propose to use the concept of regime of sexual and gender minorities’ identities, which I define as the frames within which individuals, social groups and institutions conceive the identities of individuals or groups that are socially constructed as part of “the sexual and gender minorities”.
This analysis is based on the following hypotheses:
- The inclusion of LGBQI+ content in the school curricula is directly correlated with the construction of a social problem, which is that of discrimination and bullying against LGBTQI+ students and its consequences on their mental health (McCormack; 2020; Rofes, 2004);
- Following Prathois and Biland (2022), who argue that discourses produced by policy actors organise and transform gender and sexuality, I hypothetised that the recommendations of intergovernmental organisations and the educational policies that these actors support are influenced by their conceptions of the rights of sexual and gender minorities (Langlois, 2019)—which I refer to as a liberal regime of sexual and gender minorities’ identities.
- In turn, discourses produced by teachers on their representations of teaching LGBTI issues, on the one hand, and their practice, on the other hand, were assumed to be influenced by this liberal regime of sexual and gender minorities’ identities. More specifically, my hypothesis was that the approach of LGBTQI+ problematics would tend to be homogenised amongst school subjects, with an emphasis on the issue of rights, and that sexual and gender categories would be essentialised (Smestad, 2018).
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedMy research work consisted in:
- Analysing a corpus of around 50 texts produced by intergovernmental and supranational organizations which all recommend to include LGBTQI+ issues in the school curricula. This part of my research focused on European organisations, specifically the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Commission, as well as advocacy organizations such as the International Lesbian and Gay Association Europe.
- Analysing the discourses produced by policy stakeholders in the countries that have made it mandatory to teach the history of LGBT people. This part of my research focused on several U.S. states and Scotland; comparisons were also made with countries that made this teaching optional—such as England and Norway—and liberal countries which are reluctant to such inclusion—specifically, France. The actors whose discourses were analysed were: political actors (minutes of parliamentary debates, legislative materials…); social actors (research reports from private actors, public discourses by advocacy associations…); and institutional actors (school syllabi, guidelines for teachers, administrative guidance documents for internal use, didactic resources (co-)produced by the ministry in charge of education, related executive agencies or local school authorities).
- A field survey which aimed at comparing these different discourses with teaching practices through class observations, semi-directive interviews with educational actors (teachers, teacher trainers, groups of students...), and the collection and analysis of teaching materials (school textbooks, lesson plans, course materials...) and work produced by students.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsMy paper highlights the following findings:
- The analysis of international organisations’ discourses has confirmed that the institutional emphasis is on the rights of sexual and gender minorities. These rights are highlighted within the frame of two main fields of action: inclusive education and comprehensive sexual education. As a consequence, LGBQI+ rights tend to be associated with sexual rights and to be treated from the perspective of both biological and relationships skills, at the expense of civic and historical skills.
- At a national level, my research found that the same liberal regime of sexual and gender minorities’ identity has characterised the promotion and implementation processes of LGBTI inclusive education in Scotland. This has resulted in a dilution of the issues that are central to the history of sexuality and gender, in favour of presentist social demands.
- However, in the U.S. states that have made it mandatory to teach LGBT history, the situation has proved to be more complex. While promotional discourses from political and social entrepreneurs are distinctive of the liberal regime, the “transcoding” operation (Lascoumes, 1996)—which includes, but is not limited to, the external didactic transposition process (Chevallard, 1982)—that has been at play in the development of the new history curricula has had an impact on the regime of sexual and gender minorities’ identities at the teaching level, in favour of a historicist-epistemological regime (Dilthey, 1976). As a consequence, the making of the new curricula has led to a change of the “historiographical configuration” (Prost, 2006) of the teaching of LGBTQI+ issues, through the inclusion of gender and sexuality as useful categories of analysis—which, in the Banks model (2015, p. 156), corresponds to a transformative approach to inclusive curricula.
ReferencesBanks, J.A. and McGee Banks, C. A. (2015). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives (9th ed.). Wiley. (Original work published 1989.)
Chevallard, Y. (1982). Pourquoi la transposition didactique? [paper]. Actes du séminaire de didactique et de pédagogie des mathématiques de l’Institut d’informatique et mathématiques appliquées de Grenoble (pp.167–194). http://yves.chevallard.free.fr/spip/spip/article.php3?id_article=103
Dilthey, W. (1976). Selected writings (H.P. Rickman, Trans.). Cambridge University Press.
Lascoumes, P. (1996). Rendre gouvernable: de la «traduction» au «transcodage». L’analyse des processus de changement dans les réseaux d’action publique. In Centre universitaire de recherches administratives et politiques de Picardie (ed.), La gouvernabilité (pp.325–338). Presses Universitaires de France.
Langlois, A.J. (2019). Making LGBT rights into human rights. In M.Bosia, S.M.McEvoy et M.Rahman (ed.), The Oxford handbook of global LGBT and sexual diversity politics [online]. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190673741.013.21
Martin, D.-C. and Groupe IPI. (2010). Écarts d’identité, comment dire l’Autre en politique ? Dans D.-C. Martin (ed.), L’identité en jeux. Pouvoirs, identifications, mobilisations (p.13-134). Karthala.
McCormack, Mark. (2020). Advocacy research on homophobia in education: Claims-making, trauma construction and the politics of evidence. Sociology, 54(1), 89–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038519858585
Prauthois, L. and Biland, É. (2022). L’État des LGBTI. Comment politiques et administrations publiques ordonnent et transforment le genre et la sexualité. Gouvernement et action publique, 11(1), 11–35. https://doi.org/10.3917/gap.221.0011
Prost, A. (2006). Comment a évolué l’histoire de la Grande Guerre? Le Cartable de Clio, 6. https://ecoleclio.hypotheses.org/625/clio6
Rofes, E. (2004). Martyr-target-victim: Interrogating narratives of persecution and suffering among queer youth. In M. L.Rasmussen, E.Rofes and S.Talburt (ed.), Youth and sexualities: Pleasure, subversion, and insubordination in and out of schools (pp.41–62). Palgrave Macmillan.
Romesburg, D. (2016). When historians make help history: California’s groundbreaking new K-12 framework. Perspective on History, 54(7). https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/october-2016/when-historians-help-make-history
Scottish Government & Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. (2019, May 8). Guidance Note to Education Authorities on LGBT Inclusive Education. https://www.gov.scot/publications/lgbt-inclusive-education-guidance-to-education-authorities-may-2019/
Seixas, P. (2017). Historical consciousness and historical thinking. Dans M.Carretero, S.Berger et M.Grever (dir.), Palgrave handbook of research in historical culture and education (p.59-72). Palgrave Macmillan.
Smestad, B. (2018). LGBT issues in Norwegian textbooks. Shared or fragmented responsibility? Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education, 2(4), 4–20. https://doi.org/10.7577/njcie.2208
Sunstein, C.R. (1996). Social norms and social roles. Columbia Law Review, 96(4), 903–968. https://doi.org/10.2307/1123430
Wineburg, S. (2001). Historical thinking and other unnatural acts. Charting the future of teaching the past. Temple University Press.
33. Gender and Education
Paper
Australian Trans and Gender Diverse Children’s and Young People’s Experiences of Schooling: A matter of policy, pedagogy, and inclusion
Kerry Robinson1, Cristyn Davies2
1Western Sydney University, Australia; 2The University of Sydney
Presenting Author: Robinson, Kerry;
Davies, Cristyn
Research Question: What are the schooling experiences of trans and gender diverse children and young people in Australia? How do these experiences compare to those of TGD children and young people in European Schools? What core educational policies across both jurisdictions impact these experiences?
Theoretical Framework:
Core to this research is acknowledging childhood as a socially constructed category and recognising children as critical, thoughtful, and agentic subjects who make valuable contributions to knowledge production. Within this context dominant discourses of childhood constitute the child and young people as white, middle-class, cisgender and heterosexual. Childhood, gender and the lived experiences of trans and gender diverse children and young people are framed within feminist poststructuralist, queer and trans theories. Theorists such as Alex Sharpe, Judith Butler, and key trans theorists are influential to the discussion and to viewing gender and how it is embodied and negotiated as a relationship between the material and discursive. Trans theory integrates this embodiment with the self and socially constructed aspects of identity through lived experiences, challenging essentialist ideas. The significance of social values and expectations about gender and how it shapes perceptions of ‘normalised’ gendered bodies is central. Schools are largely cis-heteronormative sites that perpetuate and police gender norms and bodies through schooling structures, curricula, pedagogy and the (not-so)hidden curriculum. However, schools can simultaneously be sites of resistance, in which children and young people challenge normative gender discourses.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThis presentation is based on two research projects. One is a current and ongoing qualitative pilot study, involving focus groups and interviews with trans and gender diverse children aged 7-12, and with their parents/carers. Interviews and focus groups are held either face-to-face or online. Experience of schooling is one key component of a broader study exploring TGD children’s and parents’ experiences of social gender affirmation, social networks, health and wellbeing, educational experiences and outcomes, access to support services, and perceptions of children’s future lives. This study also involves creative methods including using cultural probes and children’s arts-based activities. Cultural probes included images depicting a broad range of representations of gender and gender diversity found in popular culture, advertising, media, and children’s literature. The creative arts-based activity provides children with an alternative additional means through which to represent their experiences. A brief discussion is held with children about their artwork, and they are also given the option of providing a brief written description of their creative pieces.
The second study informing this presentation is an Australian Research Council grant titled Gender Matters (CI’s Gannon & Robinson), which explores the changing nature of gender equity and policy in secondary schools. The experiences of TGD young people in senior secondary colleges and those attending first or second-year university, recalling their high school experiences are explored. This study also involved focus groups and interviews with students, and interviews with teachers, school executives, and key policymakers.
A Foucauldian discourse analysis is/was conducted in both studies identifying discourses arising from participants’ narratives. This critical analytical approach combines social theory and discourse analysis to describe, interpret and explain the ways in which discourse constructs and represents participants’ knowledge, beliefs and ways of constructing their social worlds. It explores the complex power relationships operating in interrelationships between text, discursive practice, and social practice, and demonstrates the extent to which the interrelationships between systems of signification (in particular, written, and visual texts) and other social systems (e.g., families, schools, healthcare settings) function in the constitution of subjectivities and the production of meanings. A thematic analysis is conducted on children’s artwork, and a discursive analysis is conducted on children’s discussions and written comments on their artwork. Children’s artwork serves as a cross reference with the children’ and parents’ focus group data.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe findings across both studies show that TGD children and young people encounter serious discrimination and equity issues from early ages - through primary and secondary schooling. Cis-heteronormative and transphobic discourses are foundational to these experiences, which also intersect with discourses of childhood and childhood innocence, impacting interventions to these problems. Transphobia and homophobia are fuelled by broader social politics in Australia that influence school policies and practices. TGD children and young people and their families negotiate everyday practical school matters that can become stressful experiences, for example, accessing appropriate toilets, attending school camps, and pedagogical practices that reinforce binary gender. However, changing attitudes about gender amongst many young people generally, has opened up more positive and supportive spaces for TGD young people, indeed all young people, to do gender differently. Schools that have policies, structures, and practices in place to support TGD children and young people, are making important differences to their health and wellbeing and to the e/quality of schooling experiences. Supportive school leadership, teachers’ positive practices, cisgender peer support, and state and federal policies are foundational to more inclusive practices.
ReferencesButler, J. 1990. Gender Trouble, London: Routledge.
Gray, S.A.O., A.S. Carter, and H.Levitt, A critical Review of Assumptions about gender variant children in Psychological Research. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental
Health, 2012. 16: p.4-30.
Hill, AO et.al.,2021. Writing Themselves In 4: The health and wellbeing of LGBTQA+ young people in Australia.National Report, monograph series number 124. Australian Research Centre inSex, Health and Society, La Trobe University: Melbourne. ARCSHS
Mcbride, Ruari-Santiago, and Aoife Neary. 2021. “Trans Youth Resisting Cisnormativity in School.” Gender and Education. (Online).
Neary, A. 2021. Tran children and the necessity to complicate gender in primary schools. Gender and Education
Robinson, K.H., et al., 2014.Growing up Queer: Issues Facing Young Australians Who Are Gender Variant and Sexuality Diverse. Young and Well Cooperative
Research Centre: Melbourne.
Robinson, K.H., Innocence, Knowledge and the Construction of Childhood: The contradictory nature of sexuality and censorship in children’s contemporary lives. 2013, London: Routledge.
Sharpe, A., Foucault's Monsters and the Challenge of Law. 2010, London:
Routledge.
Shannon, B. (2022). Sex(uality) Education for Tran and Gender Diverse Youth in Australia. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Smith, E., et al., 2014. From Blues to Rainbows: Mental health and wellbeing of gender
diverse and transgender young people in Australia. 2014, The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society: Melbourne.
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