Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out

ealised it yet. Um, but they are in this environment where they are surrounded by kids
where it’s like yeah, boys and girls and heterosexual.
SJ: Yeah, um. Well I think it’s obviously really important that um staff are aware of how
they talk to kids. I mean I, I obviously pick up on it all the time cos it’s very relevant to
me, where as I don’t know how much other staff pick up on it. For example in assembly’s
there’s I don’t know why this one in particular sticks out, cos there’s loads, but it happens
a lot, but in assembly’s the head teacher was talking about like when you are older and
you get, you grow up and you get married and boys you are gonna have to look after your
wives and because your wives will do this, your wives will do that. And obviously when
I’m stood in assembly like, it kind of it does get me angry because I’m stood their
thinking, it’s not, well it’s not really the heads fault, obviously he doesn’t have a full
awareness of it, but that does frustrate me because it’s not that much more difficult to say
your partner…
AM: {yeah}
SJ: …might be doing this, your partner might be doing that. Um but again I think that’s
probably just ignorance on a lot of teacher’s part, it’s not because they are purposely not
doing it, they probably just would never think to.
AM: Yeah.
SJ: Whereas obviously I would think to because it’s related to me. Whereas interestingly
enough, when you talk about the fact that in my school they’ll probably be transgender
people, it wouldn’t come immediately into my mind to deal with that issue.
AM: Yep.
SJ: Or even how I would deal with that issue, do you know what I mean, so.
AM: Yeah, I think that’s a good example of when something is close to you, you are
more likely to see what’s going on. Um, and something that I’ve come across a lot is the
assumption that if, which you touched upon earlier, if teachers are seen to challenge
homophobia then they are often presumed to be homosexual themselves.
SJ: Hmmm.
AM: When they are not always. And um [//] I’ve found in my research that it’s becoming
more and more important for people who aren’t lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, to
be being really vocal…
SJ: {umm}
AM: …in this field. And there’s only one or two people um [//] and because people are
kind of, straight people are a bit scared to be associated with…