Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out
Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out
Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out
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U: Ur when I was at high school what happened was um one of my friends came out <strong>in</strong><br />
year n<strong>in</strong>e <strong>and</strong> like I wasn’t out at the time but he was <strong>and</strong> I just like noticed everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that happened to him <strong>and</strong> it k<strong>in</strong>d of put me off for a few years. Cos um, like I even<br />
noticed <strong>in</strong> ur um science classes um it was k<strong>in</strong>d of split <strong>in</strong>to like gender, so like all the<br />
lads like all the lads were just all on him <strong>and</strong> just putt<strong>in</strong>g him through like a load of crap<br />
<strong>and</strong> then like <strong>in</strong> the PE lessons he was k<strong>in</strong>d of um like um made to stay <strong>in</strong> a room on his<br />
own cos the rest of the year made him like not allowed to do PE cos they said they<br />
weren’t comfortable with him do<strong>in</strong>g it <strong>in</strong> front of them…<br />
H: {Yeah I didn’t do PE, I went to the library}<br />
U: …they just put him <strong>in</strong> a little room for like two hours a week, which was crap.<br />
AM: And what did the teachers do about this, did they just…?<br />
U: {Noth<strong>in</strong>g they just discrim<strong>in</strong>ated aga<strong>in</strong>st him, it was quite ridiculous<br />
AM: OK, um, Helen.<br />
H: Um well, <strong>in</strong> RE they always used to have these really heated discussions about th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
<strong>and</strong> my teacher would always just like target me cos she knew I had op<strong>in</strong>ions on th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
like gay marriage <strong>and</strong> th<strong>in</strong>gs like that. So one day she asked us to categorise th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong>to<br />
s<strong>in</strong>s <strong>and</strong> crimes or both like so a diagram with two circles. So she had th<strong>in</strong>gs like rape,<br />
steal<strong>in</strong>g, hitt<strong>in</strong>g a child, <strong>in</strong> the middle it was like homosexuality <strong>and</strong> I was like, I just said<br />
that I wasn’t go<strong>in</strong>g to participate <strong>in</strong> it cos I thought it was just wrong…<br />
AM: {right}<br />
H: …<strong>and</strong> then like afterwards like when we were all like hav<strong>in</strong>g a discussion about it<br />
where people put th<strong>in</strong>gs, everyone had just put it <strong>in</strong> the middle <strong>and</strong> she knew I wasn’t<br />
comfortable with it, but she still asked me about it <strong>and</strong> I just got like heckled by everyone<br />
cos I said well I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k it belongs here <strong>and</strong> she just did this consistently throughout<br />
the year because she knew she could always get a reaction out of me.<br />
AM: So that’s another example of teachers um creat<strong>in</strong>g it…<br />
H: {yeah}<br />
AM: …a lot of what’s been said so far, um is actually (sigh) I would argue that it actually<br />
is bully<strong>in</strong>g but some resources say its not direct bully<strong>in</strong>g its more what we call<br />
heteronormativity <strong>in</strong> schools, is that someth<strong>in</strong>g that’s familiar with anybody?<br />
V: What’s normal…<br />
H: {Assum<strong>in</strong>g everyone’s….}<br />
V: …basically
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