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

eacted badly to her being gay that she would not ‘feel comfortable then to go back there
and teach them’ (Transcript 5: 21).
This discussion with Sandra demonstrates some of the complexities for LGBT teachers
and that those who are not out, rather than thinking their LGBT identity is not an issue,
may in fact be very aware of the power of heteronormative discourses and the problems
that could ensue for them, and that may be why they decide not to be out. Sue agrees with
this possibility, saying that rather than hiding their LGBT identities because they view
this as private and not an issue, some LGBT teachers are perhaps remaining closeted
because they anticipate disclosure will cause problems. When I told Sue about a teacher I
knew who was having a Civil Partnership with her girlfriend over the summer, who is not
out at work and has led the staff and pupils to believe she is marrying a man, Sue said
‘well I do think she does understand it [the power of the issue] because that’s why she’s
created this massive…lie…Because she does know how powerful it is and she is scared’
(Transcript 4: 24).
The possibility that LGBT teachers are not coming out at work because they are scared of
the consequences was reinforced by Sandra describing how she feels particularly
uncomfortable at work due to her sexuality because she is a PE teacher, this she says is a
…major issue in that obviously I’m in the girls changing rooms all the time and, um, that I’ve
always thought that that’s, that is one the main reasons why I’ve not told anybody at school and
why I don’t want to kids to find out
(Sandra, Transcript 5: 3)