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Heterosexism in Quebec High School Textbooks Julia R. Temple

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Heterosexism in Quebec High School Textbooks Julia R. Temple “PeopleȱWhoȱAreȱDifferentȱfromȱYou”:ȱ HeterosexismȱinȱQuebecȱHighȱSchoolȱTextbooksȱ JuliaȱR.ȱTempleȱ ȱ ȱ HeterosexismȱexistsȱthroughoutȱCanadianȱsociety,ȱbutȱtoȱwhatȱdegreeȱisȱitȱpresentȱinȱ classrooms?ȱInȱthisȱarticle,ȱIȱexploreȱthisȱquestionȱthroughȱcontentȱanalysisȱofȱtwentyȱ francophoneȱ Québecȱ secondaryȬschoolȱ textbooks,ȱ examiningȱ howȱ sexualityȱ andȱ relationshipsȱareȱdiscussedȱinȱfiveȱdifferentȱsubjects.ȱTheseȱtextsȱareȱpersistentlyȱandȱ overwhelminglyȱ heterosexist:ȱ 95ȱ perȱ centȱ ofȱ pagesȱ discussingȱ sexualityȱ orȱ relationshipsȱmakeȱnoȱreferenceȱtoȱsameȬsexȱsexualityȱorȱsameȬsexȱrelationships,ȱandȱ 80ȱperȱcentȱofȱreferencesȱthatȱdoȱoccurȱappearȱinȱaȱnegativeȱcontext.ȱHeterosexismȱinȱ textbooksȱ isȱ notȱ anȱ isolatedȱ phenomenon,ȱ however,ȱ butȱ partȱ ofȱ aȱ largerȱ processȱ ofȱ institutionalisedȱheterosexismȱandȱhomophobia.ȱȱ Keyȱwords:ȱheterosexism,ȱtextbooks,ȱcontentȱanalysis,ȱsexuality,ȱcurriculum,ȱgenderȱȱ L’hétérosexismeȱestȱuneȱdonnéeȱomniprésenteȱdansȱlaȱsociétéȱcanadienne,ȱmaisȱqu’enȱ estȬilȱdansȱlesȱécolesȱ?ȱȱDansȱcetȱarticle,ȱl’auteureȱabordeȱcetteȱquestionȱenȱanalysantȱleȱ contenuȱdesȱmanuelsȱscolairesȱutilisésȱpourȱcinqȱmatièresȱdistinctesȱdansȱvingtȱécolesȱ secondairesȱfrancophonesȱduȱQuébec,ȱnotammentȱenȱceȱquiȱconcerneȱlaȱsexualitéȱetȱ lesȱrelationsȱhumaines.ȱȱCesȱtextesȱsontȱtrèsȱlargementȱhétérosexistesȱ:ȱdansȱ95ȱ%ȱdesȱ pagesȱtraitantȱdeȱsexualitéȱouȱdeȱrelations,ȱilȱn’yȱaȱaucuneȱréférenceȱàȱlaȱsexualitéȱentreȱ desȱpersonnesȱdeȱmêmeȱsexeȱouȱàȱdesȱrelationsȱentreȱdesȱpersonnesȱdeȱmêmeȱsexeȱetȱ 80ȱ %ȱ desȱ mentionsȱ quiȱ yȱ fontȱ référenceȱ sontȱ négatives.ȱȱL’hérérosexismeȱ dansȱ lesȱ manuelsȱscolairesȱn’estȱpasȱunȱphénomèneȱisoléȱetȱs’inscritȱdansȱunȱvasteȱprocessusȱ d’hétérosexismeȱetȱd’homophobieȱinstitutionnalisé.ȱ ȱ Motsȱclésȱ:ȱanalyseȱdeȱcontenu,ȱsexualité,ȱprogrammeȱscolaire,ȱrapportsȱsociauxȱentreȱ lesȱsexes.ȱ _________________ȱ ȱ Forȱdecadesȱeducationȱscholarsȱhaveȱraisedȱconcernsȱaboutȱprejudiceȱinȱ textbooksȱandȱcalledȱforȱanȱemphasisȱonȱdiversity,ȱyetȱthisȱhasȱgenerallyȱ beenȱinȱtheȱcontextȱofȱstudiesȱofȱracismȱandȱsexismȱ(e.g.,ȱFerreeȱ&ȱHall,ȱ 1990,ȱ1996;ȱGaskellȱ&ȱWillinsky,ȱ1995;ȱMcDiarmidȱ&ȱPratt,ȱ1971).ȱȱInȱthisȱ article,ȱhowever,ȱIȱargueȱthatȱmuchȱmoreȱattentionȱisȱneededȱonȱtheȱwaysȱ CANADIANȱJOURNALȱOFȱEDUCATIONȱ28,ȱ3ȱ(2005):ȱ271Ȭ294ȱ 272ȱ ȱ JULIAȱR.ȱTEMPLEȱ thatȱtextbooksȱexhibitȱheterosexism:ȱtheȱassumptionȱthatȱheterosexualityȱ isȱsuperiorȱtoȱallȱotherȱtypesȱofȱsexuality.ȱȱThisȱpresumptionȱisȱpervasiveȱ inȱ Canadianȱ societyȱ todayȱ (Canadianȱ Teachers’ȱ Federation,ȱ 2002),ȱ manifestingȱ itselfȱ inȱ subtleȱ expectationsȱ andȱ assumptionsȱ asȱ wellȱ asȱ blatant,ȱevenȱviolent,ȱhomophobia.ȱButȱtoȱwhatȱextentȱdoesȱheterosexismȱ existȱinȱCanadianȱtextbooks?ȱȱ Thisȱ studyȱ respondsȱ toȱ thisȱ questionȱ throughȱ aȱ contentȱ analysisȱ ofȱ highȬschoolȱ textbooksȱ inȱ Québec,ȱ arguablyȱ oneȱ ofȱ theȱ mostȱ liberalȱ regionsȱinȱtheȱcountryȱinȱregardȱtoȱsexualȱdiversity.ȱInȱ1977ȱQuébecȱwasȱ theȱ firstȱ provinceȱ toȱ addȱ sexualȱ orientationȱ toȱ itsȱ Humanȱ Rightsȱ Code,ȱ civilȱunionȱlegislationȱhasȱincludedȱsameȬsexȱcouplesȱsinceȱitsȱinceptionȱ inȱ2002,ȱandȱsameȬsexȱmarriageȱisȱnowȱlegalȱasȱwell.ȱTherefore,ȱIȱviewedȱ Québecȱasȱanȱidealȱlocationȱtoȱanalyzeȱtheȱcontentȱofȱtwentyȱfrancophoneȱ secondaryȬschoolȱ textbooksȱ (Appendixȱ 1)ȱ toȱ examineȱ howȱ theseȱ textsȱ addressedȱissuesȱofȱsexualityȱandȱrelationships.ȱThisȱanalysisȱenabledȱmeȱ toȱ describeȱ theȱ natureȱ andȱ extentȱ ofȱ heterosexismȱ inȱ theseȱ texts,ȱ examiningȱ theȱ oftenȱ subtleȱ waysȱ thatȱ theȱ schoolȱ systemȱ canȱ bothȱ reinforceȱandȱresistȱheterosexism.ȱȱ ȱ FEMINISTȱCRITICALȱREALISTȱPERSPECTIVEȱȱ ȱ Iȱ wishȱ toȱ clarifyȱ theȱ perspectiveȱ fromȱ whichȱ Iȱ approachȱ theȱ topicȱ ofȱ heterosexismȱ inȱ education.ȱ Followingȱ Newȱ (1996),ȱ Iȱ considerȱ myȱ perspectiveȱaȱ“feministȱcriticalȱrealist”ȱapproach.ȱByȱthisȱIȱmeanȱseveralȱ things.ȱIȱrecognizeȱthatȱeachȱpersonȱcanȱknowȱtheȱworldȱonlyȱfromȱherȱorȱ hisȱ ownȱ perspective,ȱ andȱ thatȱ claimsȱ toȱ objectivityȱ simplyȱ serveȱ toȱ disguiseȱtheȱstandpointȱbeingȱtakenȱ(Fraser,ȱ1989)ȱandȱtoȱexcludeȱotherȱ perspectivesȱ fromȱ otherȱ experiencesȱ (Smith,ȱ 1987).ȱ Iȱ seeȱ theȱ worldȱ asȱ existingȱindependentlyȱfromȱdescriptionsȱofȱitȱatȱanyȱparticularȱmoment,ȱ “thoughȱitȱmay,ȱtheȱnextȱmoment,ȱbeȱaffectedȱbyȱsuchȱdescriptions”ȱandȱ assertȱ thatȱ althoughȱ peopleȱ canȱ knowȱ thingsȱ aboutȱ theȱ world,ȱ “ourȱ knowledgeȱ isȱ alwaysȱ fallibleȱ andȱ incomplete”ȱ (New,ȱ 1996,ȱ pp.ȱ 6Ȭ7).ȱȱ Therefore,ȱ althoughȱ Iȱ presentȱ myȱ ownȱ analysisȱ ofȱ theseȱ textbooksȱ andȱ argueȱ forȱ itsȱ usefulness,ȱ Iȱ alsoȱ acknowledgeȱ thatȱ myȱ readingȱ isȱ oneȱ ofȱ manyȱ possible.ȱ Finally,ȱ Iȱ considerȱ myȱ approachȱ feministȱ inȱ thatȱ Iȱ payȱ particularȱ attentionȱ toȱ theȱ powerȱ dynamicsȱ ofȱ sexȱ andȱ gender,ȱ andȱ theȱ “PEOPLEȱWHOȱAREȱDIFFERENTȱFROMȱYOU”ȱȱ 273ȱȱȱ waysȱtheseȱareȱintertwinedȱwithȱheterosexism.ȱȱ THEORETICALȱBACKGROUND:ȱEDUCATIONȱANDȱHETEROSEXISMȱȱ Manyȱtheoristsȱhaveȱexpressedȱconcernsȱaboutȱtheȱrelationshipȱbetweenȱ educationȱandȱdominant,ȱoppressiveȱideologiesȱ(Apple,ȱ2000;ȱBernstein,ȱ 1996;ȱ Giroux,ȱ 1989;ȱ Wotherspoon,ȱ 1991),ȱ arguingȱ thatȱ educationȱ inȱ Westernȱsocietyȱcanȱbeȱseenȱasȱpartȱofȱaȱhegemonicȱprocess,ȱoneȱwhereȱ theȱ worldȱ isȱ taughtȱ fromȱ theȱ pointȱ ofȱ viewȱ ofȱ dominantȱ groupsȱ whileȱ ignoringȱ theȱ knowledgeȱ ofȱ marginalizedȱ groups.ȱ Inȱ thisȱ way,ȱ studentsȱ learnȱ thatȱ onlyȱ certainȱ typesȱ ofȱ knowledgeȱ areȱ legitimateȱ (Apple,ȱ 2000;ȱ Bernstein,ȱ 1996;ȱ Giroux,ȱ 1989).ȱ Throughȱ thisȱ processȱ ofȱ legitimation,ȱ “schoolsȱ reproduceȱ theȱ socialȱ organizationȱ ofȱ inequalityȱ atȱ multipleȱ levels”ȱ(Smith,ȱ2000,ȱp.ȱ1148).ȱYetȱschoolsȱareȱinvolvedȱinȱaȱcontinuousȱ processȱofȱcompromise,ȱandȱthereforeȱ“areȱalsoȱplacesȱwhereȱdominantȱ andȱ subordinateȱ groupsȱ defineȱ andȱ constrainȱ eachȱ otherȱ throughȱ anȱ ongoingȱ battleȱ andȱ exchange…”ȱ (Giroux,ȱ 1989,ȱ p.ȱ 141).ȱ Textsȱ areȱ anȱ importantȱ partȱ ofȱ thisȱ process,ȱ andȱ canȱ playȱ aȱ keyȱ roleȱ inȱ organizingȱ socialȱ relations.ȱ Studyingȱ texts,ȱ then,ȱ canȱ revealȱ theseȱ ”relationsȱ ofȱ ruling”ȱ(Smith,ȱ1990,ȱp.ȱ5).ȱȱ Iȱunderstandȱheterosexismȱasȱtheȱpresumptionȱthatȱheterosexualityȱisȱ superiorȱtoȱallȱotherȱformsȱofȱsexuality,ȱoftenȱthroughȱclaimsȱthatȱitȱisȱtheȱ onlyȱ naturalȱ orȱ normalȱ sexualityȱ (Bustonȱ &ȱ Hart,ȱ 2001;ȱ Shortall,ȱ 1998).ȱ Anȱ understandingȱ ofȱ heterosexism,ȱ however,ȱ dependsȱ inȱ largeȱ partȱ onȱ howȱoneȱdefinesȱsexuality.ȱEarlyȱtheoristsȱarguedȱthatȱsexualityȱcannotȱ simplyȱbeȱdividedȱintoȱheterosexualityȱandȱhomosexuality,ȱbutȱisȱinsteadȱ moreȱ ofȱ aȱ continuumȱ ofȱ sexualȱ behaviourȱ (Kinsey,ȱ Pomroy,ȱ &ȱ Martin,ȱ 1948).ȱȱLater,ȱothersȱpointedȱoutȱthatȱitȱisȱnotȱsoȱmuchȱbehaviourȱitselfȱ thatȱ isȱ key,ȱ butȱ theȱ meaningsȱ attached,ȱ includingȱ sexualȱ andȱ romanticȱ feelingsȱ (Weinbergȱ 1994).ȱȱFoucaultȱ (1978)ȱ furtherȱ complicatedȱ sexuality’sȱconnectionȱtoȱidentity,ȱarguingȱthatȱtheȱideaȱofȱaȱhomosexualȱ asȱaȱtypeȱofȱpersonȱdidȱnotȱexistȱuntilȱtheȱnineteenthȱcentury.ȱOthersȱsawȱ heterosexualityȱitselfȱasȱaȱmodernȱinvention,ȱinsistingȱthat”theȱconceptȱofȱ heterosexualityȱ isȱ onlyȱ oneȱ particularȱ wayȱ ofȱ perceiving,ȱ categorizing,ȱ andȱimaginingȱtheȱsocialȱrelationsȱofȱtheȱsexes”ȱ(Katz,ȱ1990,ȱp.ȱ7;ȱseeȱalsoȱ Sedgwick,ȱ 1990).ȱ Today,ȱ theoristsȱ oftenȱ useȱ theȱ termȱ queerȱ toȱ denoteȱ 274ȱ ȱ JULIAȱR.ȱTEMPLEȱ sexualityȱ thatȱ defiesȱsexȱandȱ genderȱ norms,ȱandȱ theȱ termȱ queerȱ theoryȱ “toȱ proposeȱ aȱ focusȱ notȱ soȱ muchȱ onȱ specificȱ populationsȱ asȱ onȱ sexualȱ categorizationȱ processesȱ andȱ theirȱ deconstruction”ȱ (Gamson,ȱ 2000,ȱ p.ȱ 349).ȱ Theȱ distinctionsȱ betweenȱ heterosexuality,ȱ homosexuality,ȱ andȱ bisexualityȱ areȱ sociallyȱ constructedȱ inȱ manyȱ waysȱ then,ȱ butȱ theseȱ conceptsȱ canȱ alsoȱ haveȱ importantȱ meaningȱinȱ everydayȱlives,ȱ “shapingȱ theȱveryȱwayȱinȱwhichȱ‘reality’ȱisȱexperienced”ȱ(Epstein,ȱ1994,ȱp.ȱ162).ȱȱ Heedingȱ Fraser’sȱ (1989)ȱ reminderȱ thatȱ “ideologyȱ lovesȱ dichotomies”ȱ (p.ȱ8),ȱIȱsuggestȱthatȱitȱisȱpossibleȱtoȱcomplicateȱsexualityȱevenȱfurtherȱbyȱ critiquingȱ theȱ conceptȱ ofȱ sexȱ itself.ȱ Butlerȱ (1990),ȱ forȱ instance,ȱ suggestsȱ thatȱ“’sex’ȱisȱasȱculturallyȱconstructedȱasȱgender”ȱ(p.ȱ7);ȱthatȱinȱfact,ȱtheȱ physicalȱandȱpsychologicalȱdifferencesȱbetweenȱindividualsȱmayȱbeȱmoreȱ complexȱthanȱtheseȱtwoȱcategoriesȱrepresent.ȱButlerȱgoesȱonȱtoȱargueȱthatȱ society’sȱ conceptualizationȱ ofȱ sexȱ (andȱ sexuality)ȱ reinforcesȱ “institutionalizedȱ heterosexuality,”ȱ thatȱ “[t]heȱ institutionȱ ofȱ aȱ compulsoryȱ andȱ naturalizedȱ heterosexualityȱ requiresȱ andȱ regulatesȱ genderȱasȱaȱbinaryȱrelationȱinȱwhichȱtheȱmasculineȱtermȱisȱdifferentiatedȱ fromȱaȱfeminineȱterm,ȱandȱthisȱdifferentiationȱisȱaccomplishedȱthroughȱ theȱ practicesȱ ofȱ heterosexualȱ desire”ȱ (p.ȱ 22).ȱ Thusȱ “compulsoryȱ heterosexuality”ȱandȱtheȱheterosexistȱoppressionȱofȱotherȱsexualitiesȱareȱ deeplyȱconnectedȱtoȱtheȱoppressionȱofȱwomenȱ(Rich,ȱ1980,ȱp.ȱ631)ȱasȱwellȱ asȱofȱmenȱwhoȱdoȱnotȱfitȱintoȱtheȱhegemonicȱmasculineȱnormȱ(Connell,ȱ 1995).ȱȱ Wittigȱ (1996)ȱ arguesȱ thatȱ aȱ patriarchal,ȱ heterosexistȱ systemȱ createsȱ aȱ “straightȱ mind”ȱ thatȱ “cannotȱ conceiveȱ ofȱ aȱ culture,ȱ aȱ societyȱ whereȱ heterosexualityȱwouldȱorderȱnotȱonlyȱallȱhumanȱrelationshipsȱbutȱalsoȱitsȱ veryȱ productionȱ ofȱ conceptsȱ andȱ allȱ theȱ processesȱ whichȱ escapeȱ consciousness,ȱ asȱ well”ȱ (p.ȱ 146).ȱ Itȱ isȱ important,ȱ then,ȱ toȱ lookȱ atȱ “heterosexualityȱasȱaȱsocialȱandȱpoliticalȱorganizingȱprinciple”ȱ(Seidman,ȱ 1996,ȱ p.ȱ 9),ȱ examiningȱ “theȱ waysȱ theȱ
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