Queer Decisions in Early Childhood Teacher Education: Teachers as Advocates for Gender Non-conforming and Sexual Minority Young Children and Families
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Queer Decisions in Early Childhood Teacher Education: Teachers as Advocates for Gender Non-conforming and Sexual Minority Young Children and Families
A good article outlining the pressures faced by gender and sexual diverse children and families, the need for affirming environments, and the role of schools as settings for validation and advocacy.
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Published in: International Critical Childhood Policy Studies. 2017. Authors: Janice Kroeger, Lis Regula
“In this paper, we highlight the social challenges faced by sexual minority populations, and we include a short internationally-framed literature review to illuminate the complexity of experience for children and families who might be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, gender non-conforming or gender expansive (LGBT+). Using both personal and professional stories from practice, the anecdotes illustrate key moments in teaching that help to frame the complexity of advocacy for LGBT+ young children and families. The larger social challenges faced by this group help the field make informed decisions about educating both LGBT+ young children and those who teach them. Our purpose is to continue to inspire other teachers and teacher educators to be courageous in noticing and supporting the gender development of children as a starting place. We suggest ways (as others have) to become comfortable when adding sexuality and gender difference advocacy in their work with and for young children (Blaise, 2005; Cahill & Theilheimer, 1999a; Derman-Spa rks & Edwards, 2010; Kissen, 2002; Newman, 2016; Silin, 1995; Thorne, 1993)…”
“We work toward full inclusion of LGBT+ children and families in our practice(s) consistent with a history of literature in early childhood. Scholars have argued to increase the seriousness of topics when we teach young children and to include, rather than ignore, gender and sexuality or family differences (Cahill & Theilheimer, 1999a & b; Casper & Schultz, 1999; Kissen, 2002; Silin, 1995; Robinson, 2003). Researchers have found that early childhood educators are likely to deny their responsibilities to young children or deny their impact upon children’s sexuality or gender development by acts of omission (Robinson, 2003). Additionally, heteronormative silencing via surveillance, or perceived irrelevance and exclusion of lesbian and gay equity is a concern in early childhood classrooms (Robinson, 2003; Surtees, 2005).”
“Drawing on a host of complex points, it is our hope that the article inspires readers to raise levels of individual responsibility leading to social change, further policy development, and anti-bias early childhood practice. If society is to make progress with this group, educators must move toward larger-scale inclusion of children and families who are LGBT+, and have reasoned arguments for doing so (Ehrensaft, 2011; Newman, 2016; Nutt, 2015; Mosso-Taylor, 2016; Surtees, 2005). We know early childhood teachers can resist heteronormativity, with specific skill sets (Gunn & Surtees, 2011), but having a strong rational for doing so matters…”