Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative, life history study was to explore the cumulation of life and lived work experience and perceptions of gay male K-12 teachers in Southern California, and how school leadership has affected that journey. Theoretical Framework. Queer theory was the theoretical framework used in this story. The theory studies…

Gilbert Valadez recalls how, when he was a 1st grade teacher, he worked with a student to overcome a situation related to her gender identity. He suggests that any teacher working in public school adopt an inclusive attitude about all students and help students become comfortable with their own gender expressions.

Nearly three decades of research have examined the experiences of LGBTQ students in schools. These include numerous studies documenting elevated rates of school victimization, as well as how an LGBTQ affirming school climate may enhance safety among LGBTQ students. Of the studies conducted, research has focused mostly on LGBTQ students in urban…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth face hostile and exclusionary learning environments. A qualitative phenomenographic method involving semistructured interviews of seven secondary school administrators was conducted to identify perceptions of experiences creating a safe and inclusive environment for students…

This study explores the opinions of 42 California superintendents on the LGBT-inclusive instructional provisions and the implementation needs of the FAIR Education Act with school district enrollment size as a considering factor. Few studies have explored the provisions of the FAIR Education Act inclusive of the instructional approaches to…

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ) high school students experience higher rates of homelessness than their heterosexual peers. Moreover, LGBQ high school students are more likely to stay in riskier locations (eg, with a stranger) and less likely to stay in a shelter. This study tested whether these trends also apply to…

College students in the U.S. are increasingly participating in study abroad opportunities; for example, from the 2010-2011 academic year, 273,996 U.S. students studied abroad, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year (Institute of International Education, 2012). Participation in study abroad has more than tripled over the past two decades…

In this article, I examine the relationship between large-scale social discourses and local, school discourses as it plays out in conversations about gender and sexuality with and among teachers, specifically in the context of the passage of the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act in California. Grounded in feminist…

This study focused on the association between 3 school-level supports for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward LGBT youth. Framed within social support theory, the study used survey method with a sample of 98 teachers in Grades 6-12. The purpose was to examine the relation…

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals disproportionately report negative academic outcomes and experiences as a result of stigma and discrimination. No research to date has investigated how being out in different social relationships may affect these youth. We compare youth who are out to family, friends, and people at school to understand…

Highlighting a hero is a common response to including the history of marginalized people in the curriculum. Harvey Milk is becoming that hero as social studies curriculum responds to calls for including LGBTQ people. By studying Milk, what might young people learn about LGBTQ people, issues, and movements? What opportunities and limitations exist…

For nearly 2 decades, lawsuits filed on behalf of students who have endured anti-queer bias in schools have resulted in favorable verdicts and settlements for the plaintiffs, thus spurring an increasing number of school districts across the United States to establish antidiscrimination policies and other initiatives to protect students from…

This paper outlines an approach to incorporating project-based learning (PBL) in a master's level educational administration diversity course. It draws on the qualitative methodology of autoethnography, and details the characteristics of this technique. In alignment with that method, the author discusses his positionality and engages in…

In higher education, the people working in student affairs are as diverse as the students who are served by these professionals. Those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are often faced with challenges to moving up the career ladder. Many who seek senior-level administrative positions, such as director, dean of students, vice president or…

Implementing curriculum that is inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) people has the potential to create an equitable learning environment. In order to learn more about students' experiences of LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, 26 high school students with diverse racial/ethnic, sexual, and gender identities…