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

Introduction
Bullying in schools on the grounds of one’s sexual and/or gender orientation is nothing
new. However, a significant amount of work still needs to be done in the UK to support
LGBT pupils and staff in education. Research on the implementation of policies and the
effect of queerphobia 2 in schools is minimal. Furthermore, it is perhaps the case that
rather than looking at overt discrimination of LGBT people we need closer focus on
addressing heteronormativity, as queerphobia could in fact be a result of this underlying
social relation. I use the term ‘heteronormativity’, first used by Warner (1991),
throughout this work to signify everyday practices of society, which are implicitly
heterosexual, marginalizing LGBT people.
Within schools and throughout society,
heterosexuality appears as the default position of social relations.
This imbues
compulsory heterosexuality (Rich 1980), whereby heterosexuality takes precedence as
the only legitimate relationship type. Heteronormativity, and thus compulsory
heterosexuality, are the outcomes of institutional attitudes to sexuality and gender (see
Foucault, 1990) and the school, which is the primary concern of this paper, is one of the
first of those institutions we encounter. 3 Therefore, experiences at school may influence
us for the rest of our lives, perhaps contributing to queerphobic attitudes.
2 In this work I use ‘queerphobia’ to encompass homo, bi, and transphobia or any combination thereof. The
lack of focus in current policy on transphobic bullying, means that whilst I refer to homo, bi and
transphobic bullying, under the term queerphobia, when trans and/or bi issues are neglected, it is because
the research I refer to has not acknowledged these issues as separate. Where the term homophobia is used
rather than queerphobia it is because I am referring to homophobia only. Note however, that the meaning of
'queer' itself is highly contested and that by using it in my work as an umbrella term to encompass LGBT, I
am restricting ‘queer’ to particular identities (See Jagose, 1996; Sullivan, 2003; Whaley, 2008). I recognise
that this is not ideal and agree with Whaley (2008) that where possible queer should not be restricted in this
way. However, for the purpose of this work I decided that 'queer' would mean lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender.
3 The hospital and family are perhaps the first instances where the institutionalization of sexuality and
gender occur (Warner, 1993) and thus queerphobic development could begin here.