Trans and queer children are experiencing discrimination starting in the earliest years of schooling. In a paradoxical era of increased support for transgender and queer children on the one hand, and persistent gender violence on the other, this study examines how the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) gender policy is taken up in Early Childhood Education practice. In particular, I ask: (a) What are early childhood teachers’ understanding of NYCDOE’s policy? (b) How do the larger social and material contexts, shape teachers’ enactments of the policy? (c) What do teachers’ understandings and enactments of NYC gender policy look like in their everyday classroom practices? I use a critical policy-as-practice conceptual framework that does not take policy for granted but understands that embedded in all the policy processes, there is always a great deal of negotiation of power, where some stakeholders are empowered and other perspectives are silenced. Through semi-structured interviews with district policymakers, school administrators, and early childhood teachers, this study unveils how different actors took up NYCDOE’s gender policy in their practice, in accordance with their own ideas, motivations, and broader social and material contexts. Findings indicate that the policy formation processes excluded the knowledge and perspectives of school communities and grassroots trans activist movements. Principals and teachers had little knowledge of the Guidelines on Gender and resources available, while several policy content and procedures reproduced gender and racial violence. Moreover, the sediment construct of childhood innocence shaped early childhood teachers’ gender-justice practices. Shifting understandings of gender, without revising understandings of childhood, this study concludes, hinders the possibility of transformative change.

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The research in this dissertation develops a multiperspective theoretical framework, which I describe as queer criticality, to guide the examination of discursive practices, educational policies, and public discourses that undergird heteronormativity and disproportionately impact the personal safety and professional wellbeing of sexual minority and gender variant (SMGV) teachers and students in Canadian K-12 schools. Queer criticality, as a theoretical construct, seeks to bring together and investigate aspects of critical theory, critical pedagogy, poststructuralism, and queer theory. My aim is not to attempt to reconcile these competing theories to produce a grand narrative or proscriptive way of theorizing; rather, I investigate the productive tensions that a notion of queer criticality can prompt for self-reflexive researchers when these theoretical perspectives are placed in dynamic relationship with one another. Accordingly, this collection of interwoven essays examine critically how research has positioned SMGV youth as both victims and, more recently, resilient survivors who experience a daily onslaught of homophobic, transphobic, and heterosexist violence in their schools, classrooms, and communities; it also explores interpretative frameworks and mobilization strategies used to politicize or privatize SMGV identities and concerns through educational policy and practice; and it utilizes empirical research to interrogate the lived effects of these heteronormative discourses and discursive practices on sexual minority teachers working for inclusive educational and social change; and transsexual teachers searching for a valued space and place for recognition of their personal and professional identities in their public schools. Ultimately, through these connected essays, this poststructural assemblage seeks to open up spaces for difference to be exposed and interrogated within K-12 public schools. It also works to help provide discursive materiality to sexual minority and gender variant identities by demonstrating how heteronormalizing discourses impact and shape the lived experiences of all teachers and students in Canadian schools. Ultimately, this research asks whose lives are deemed intelligible and, thus, liveable in our public schools. / Theoretical, Cultural, and International Studies in Education

<p>Although liberal attitudes toward homosexuality have been increasing in recent years, sexual minority youth continue to face bullying and isolation at school. Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) have recently emerged as a solution to this problem. While research demonstrates positive effects of GSAs, little is known about the specific processes through which GSAs work to improve the school climate. We must also consider that GSAs operate in high schools which function as their own bounded social worlds with unique sets of rules and social hierarchies. These hierarchies influence both gay and straight youth’s experiences, including who gets bullied, and who carries out the bullying. Using qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews with 50 students from 6 Windsor high schools, including 21 lesbian, gay, bisexual, bi-curious, pansexual and queer (LGBPQ) youth, this study explores these issues. I begin by examining how status hierarchies in high schools vary based on the size of the school and average parental income. In doing so, I argue that status hierarchies should be re-conceptualized from being thought of as simply vertical to accommodate multiple sources of status and varying competition. I then delve into an examination of how status and bullying are interconnected. Here, I find that for both gay and straight students, social networks work to prevent isolation as well as bullying. Bullying in high schools also takes on a situational nature, as bullying episodes often predominate in certain areas and in front of certain status group audiences. Finally, I explore how social networks intersect with gay-straight alliances in various social hierarchies, and how GSAs work as social networks that have a protective ability against bullying. I find that GSAs can work to improve school climate and challenge existing hierarchies, but this is tempered by the hierarchies in place. Implications for anti-bullying strategies are also discussed.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A literature search done by the researcher has noted that there is little information available regarding transadolescents’ experience within the South African context. In a society that only acknowledges two genders, transgenderism remains invisible. The transgender minority group tends to be more neglected, misunderstood and stigmatized than their homosexual peers. Transadolescents, who are already in a challenging phase of development, are at risk for negative outcomes such as bullying, scholastic problems, social isolation and depression. The aim of this research is therefore to explore and describe the transadolescents’ subjective experience in their own words. To facilitate this process the research was positioned in the interpretative/constructionist paradigm, in terms of which it is based on the premise that subjective experiences are created during social interaction. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model was used as theoretical framework to illustrate the reciprocal interactions between the various micro- and macrosystems. The qualitative research approach was used to explicate the essence of the participants’ lived experience. Phenomenology was selected as the most appropriate research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three transadolescents and thematic analysis was used to code and organise the data and to present it in the form of a narrative report. Five themes and associated categories were identified. It was found that the transadolescent experiences identity formation as particularly challenging and that there are individual differences between self-identities and gender expressions. The process of disclosure towards parents is accompanied by considerable anxiety and there are major differences in the disclosure practices that are followed. Parents’ reactions differ and can range from acceptance to eviction. Preference is given to friends who are also seen as being ‘different’ and it can be quite a relief to share their identity with friends regardless of their reactions. Even though South Africa has a policy of inclusive education, the reality is one of discrimination, bullying and isolation. Furthermore, medical services in South Africa are inadequate and transadolescents are exposed to discrimination and unsympathetic professionals. Consequently much must still be done to promote understanding of transadolescents, so that the different contexts in which they move can be better prepared to deliver effective and supportive services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tans is daar beperkte inligting beskikbaar omtrent die transadolessent se beleweniswêreld binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Binne ‘n samelewing wat slegs twee genders erken, speel transgenderisme agter geslote deure af. Die transgender-minderheidsgroep word meer afgeskeep, misverstaan en gestigmatiseer as hul homoseksuele eweknieë. Binne ‘n alreeds uitdagende ontwikkelingsfase, is die transadolessent besonder weerloos vir negatiewe uitkomste soos afknouery, skolastiese probleme, sosiale isolasie en depressie. Die doel van die studie is gevolglik om die transadolessent se subjektiewe belewenis in hul eie woorde te verken en te beskryf. Om hierdie proses te fasiliteer is die studie geposisioneer in die interpretatiewe/ konstruksionistiese paradigma wat voorstel dat subjektiewe ervarings tydens sosiale interaksie geskep word. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese model is as teoretiese raamwerk gebruik om hierdie wederkerige interaksie tussen die verskillende mikrostelsels en die makrostelsel te illustreer. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg om ‘n waarheidsgetroue beeld weer te gee van die deelnemers se subjektiewe belewenis en fenomenologie is as mees geskikte navorsingsontwerp gekies. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met drie transadolessente gevoer en die data is met behulp van die tematiese analise gekodeer, georganiseer en in ‘n narratiewe verslagvorm weergegee. Die data-analise het gelei tot die identifisering van vyf temas en gepaardgaande kategorieë. Daar is bevind dat identiteitsvorming ‘n uitdagende proses vir die transadolessent is en dat individue se self-identiteit en uitlewing van hul identiteit verskil. Die openbaarmakingsproses aan ouers gaan met geweldige angstigheid gepaard en daar is groot individuele verskille in die wyse waarop dit geskied. Ouers reageer verskillend en dit wissel van algehele aanvaarding tot uitsetting. Voorkeur word gegee aan vriende wat ook as ‘anders’ bestempel word en ongeag vriende se reaksie, is dit ‘n verligting om hul identiteit te deel. Ten spyte daarvan dat Suid-Afrika inklusiewe onderwyspraktyke voorstaan, is die realiteit een van diskriminasie, afknouery en isolasie. Voorts is die mediese dienste in Suid-Afrika ontoereikend en transadolessente word blootgestel aan diskriminasie en onsimpatieke professionele persone. Te oordeel hieraan, moet daar baie gedoen word om die transadolessente beter te verstaan sodat die verskillende kontekste waarbinne hulle beweeg, beter voorbereid is om effektiewe en ondersteunende dienste te lewer.

Although in recent years there has been increased attention on bullying prevention and bullying legislation in the United States, there is limited research on the implementation of anti-bullying policies. Moreover, few studies have addressed the use of anti-bullying policies to protect LGBT youth from bullying. The present study seeks to examine the role of anti-bullying policies as a means to protect against bullying based on perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. Qualitative interviews with high school teachers, administrators, and staff members within an urban school district in the United States were conducted to gain insight into how those charged with the task of protecting LGBT youth engage with their school and district policy in efforts to create a supportive environment for their students. In this study, I argue the following: 1) the policy structure, both in the language of the state law and district policy on bullying, created barriers for schools to implement the anti-bullying policy; 2) the barriers created by the policy structure limited teachers' ability to protect LGBT youth from bullying; and 3) despite the evident barriers, teachers found ways to create supportive classroom environments for their students. Results indicate that teachers are not knowledgeable of the contents of their school's anti-bullying policy, and have had limited exposure to the policy through training specific to their school's anti-bullying policy. Similar results occurred when teachers and administrators were questioned about their awareness of trainings specific to the prevention of bullying against LGBT youth, posing significant barriers to effective policy implementation. In addition, interview data suggests that although teachers lack the sufficient support in terms of training on the anti-bullying policy, there were multiple examples of teachers serving as advocates for LGBT youth in both their classrooms and in their schools more broadly. The displays of advocacy by teachers, in addition to the presence of district and school administrator support for LGBT students, serve as an example of how school districts can find ways to implement school policies, address bullying in their schools, and raise awareness for the unique experiences of LGBT youth in terms of bullying.

Research to date in South Africa has explored the coming out narratives of lesbian and gay people. Most of this research suggests these people experience their parents’ reactions as largely negative. This negativity is attributed to the patriarchal culture and religious beliefs which insist on compulsory heterosexuality that dominate African discourse in South Africa. However, thus far, little work has been done focusing specifically on the perceptions of the parents of lesbian, gay or bisexual offspring, and on the parents’ own coming out about their children’s alternative sexual orientation. In this qualitative study, I explored the lived experiences of black mothers of lesbian, gay or bisexual children from diverse backgrounds with the aim of capturing their own voices and gaining an understanding of their journeys, from the moment that each discovered that her child belongs to a sexual minority to her acceptance of the child’s alternative sexuality. I conducted semi-structured interviews with six black South African mothers of lesbian, gay or bisexual offspring in order to learn about these mothers’ experiences. I analysed the interview transcripts using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. I identified three main themes, namely the mothers’ journeys; responses to the study’s research questions, and other concerns the black mothers still have regarding their lesbian, gay or bisexual offspring. Each main theme was comprised of several sub-themes. In a nutshell, the study shows that in contrast to the assumption that South African black urban communities are hostile spaces with no visible familial support for lesbian, gay or bisexual youth, in reality, there are examples in urban African communities of parental support for members of sexual minorities. Although all the mothers in this study held Christian beliefs, none subscribed to a ‘same-sex attraction is a sin’ discourse. Instead, most of these mothers regarded their children as special gifts from God, and some saw their children’s alternative sexuality as God’s way of teaching them as mothers about unconditional love. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology: Research Consultation)

Mixed race and African South African parents of children coming out as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Intersex, Queer, Questioning and A-Sexual+ have a unique set of challenges within their cultural, religious and social contexts. The problem statement for the study entails that parents have to deal with familial and societal perceptions and reactions to their child coming out, face their own challenges and fears concerning their child’s sexual orientation or identity, and find coping strategies to deal with their coming out as LGBTIQA+. During my research in the UNISA library and online I found that there is a paucity of literature on this subject matter, especially within the South African context. The aim of this study was to obtain an in-depth understanding of these mixed race and African parents’ experiences, challenges and coping strategies in relation to a child coming out as LGBTIQA+. The Resiliency Theory of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation, as linked to Hill’s Stress Theory and the Strength-based approach, were adopted as related theories within the theoretical framework of this study. A qualitative approach was employed, as I intended to gain insight into the lived experiences, challenges and coping strategies of mixed race and African South African parents in relation to a child coming out as LGBTIQA+, as well as to gain advice on social work support. A phenomenological and collective instrumental case study design, together with an explorative, descriptive and contextual strategy of inquiry, were used to explore, describe and contextualise how mixed race and African parents of LGBTIQA+ children experienced their children’s coming out, what their challenges were, and the coping strategies they employed to manage the challenges experienced. The sample of participants was selected by utilising purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews, contained in an interview guide, were used to collect the data that was analysed using Tesch’s method of analysis (in Creswell, 2014:198). The data were collected by means of individual interviews and presented in a cross-person manner using selected narratives from the participants. Guba’s model, as espoused in Krefting (1991) and Lietz and Zayas (2010), was used and the four aspects of trustworthiness, namely credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability, were applied. Ethical considerations were observed. The findings led the researcher to make recommendations regarding social work practice, education and further research into the phenomenon of parental experiences, challenges and coping strategies in relation to a child coming out as LGBTIQA+. In terms of parental experiences of their child coming out as LGBTIQA+, I found that parents were surprised and unhappy, disappointed, pained and shocked, and fearful for their child’s safety when they realised he or she was LGBTIQA+. When it came to their challenges and fears, the parents openly admitted that what the community, church and external family would make of their child being LGBTIQA+ caused stress for them. Lastly, the parents made recommendations to social workers based on their experiences, challenges and coping strategies, indicating that social workers should focus on sharing information and guiding parents; but firstly, social workers must have self-awareness and understand their own attitudes toward LGBTIQA+ matters. / Social Work / MA (Social Work)