Recognizing and Utilizing Queer Pedagogy
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Recognizing and Utilizing Queer Pedagogy Jeffrey D. Zacko-Smith & G. Pritchy Smith The world is not divided into sheep and then controversial work, at a time when never before seen speed, and the relational goats. Not all things are black nor all things issues related to sexuality were topics even complexity created by these connections white. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that more taboo than they are today, there is multiplies rapidly, blurring boundaries, nature rarely deals with discrete categories. still a great deal to be considered when it contravening established frameworks, Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into separated pi- comes to defining and positioning sexual- and often creating confusion and misun- geon-holes. The living world is a continuum ity, sexual orientation, and gender in our derstanding. Are educators completely in each and every one of its aspects. The postmodern world, and particularly in our prepared to embrace the new ways that sooner we learn this concerning sexuality schools and classrooms. In many ways, not people are relating to each other, and are the sooner we shall reach a sound under- only racially, but also economically, reli- they prepared to deal effectively with the standing of its realities. giously, politically, and sexually, our soci- issues that arise from a necessary and life- —Alfred Kinsey, Sexual Behavior ety is more segregated than at any other enriching “full embrace” of diversity? in the Human Male, 1948 time in human history (Kozol, 2007). In order to teach effectively in hyper- It can be viewed as a matter of form diverse contexts, if effective teaching is Rationale and function. Over and above the moral considered to be the creation of knowl- for Knowledge Base Evolution implications that arise from this under- edge, the transmission of ideas, and the standing, people are increasingly inter- “growing” of human beings intellectually, It is the year 2010, and we are still acting with one another, and, quite often, morally and socially, educators at all lev- “trying to force facts into separated pi- then witnessing the friction that occurs els, but particularly those who are new to geonholes,” as described by the famous when form, which can be understood as the field, must be well-versed in multicul- American biologist Alfred Kinsey in the representing our interactions with one an- turalism and diversity. They must also quote above. Although more than 60 years other, does not match function, which can be unafraid to immerse themselves in have passed since Kinsey published his be understood as the desired outcome or the world as it concurrently unfolds and outcomes we are striving for (Zacko-Smith, evolves around them. Jeffrey D. Zacko-Smith is an assistant professor 2009). We are striving for, as an example, Educators must also accept their role and coordinator of the Leadership Minor Program equity in our classrooms and schools, but as mentors who help to define reality for in the International Center for Studies in Creativity often failing to genuinely interact with those they are educating, and they must of the School of Professions each other (and our institutions and sys- commit to redefining that reality as dic- at the State University of New York tems) in ways that support this goal. tated by demands for social justice and eq- College at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York; As educators and, in fact, simply as uity. To ignore these continually emerging G. Pritchy Smith is a professor human beings, all of us are being called requirements means that educators will in the Department of Foundations to operate in what can only be described quickly become outdated and ineffective and Secondary Education as “hyper-diverse” environments (Zacko- at best, and damaging and socially unjust of the College of Education and Human Sciences Smith, 2009); we are connected to other at worst, neither of which are acceptable at the University of North Florida, cultures, ideas, beliefs, values, and prac- outcomes for those who are truly commit- Jacksonville, Florida. tices in unprecedented ways and with ted to the profession. MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION 2 A Call for Teacher Education To Reconsider the Knowledge Base on Sexual Orientation for Teacher Education Programs As has been described in the literature A Comprehensive Update part of their daily lives. It is not a respon- on multicultural and diversity education sibility that should be ignored. While much has been written about over the last two decades, we, as global The book Common Sense About Un- multicultural education from ethnic, racial citizens, can no longer afford to teach or, common Knowledge: The Knowledge Bases economic, social, gender/gender-identity in fact, to do anything at all, in cultural, for Diversity (Smith, 1998) was one of the and sexual-orientation perspectives, the sexual, economic, ideological, religious first efforts to outline, in any truly com- authors of this article have found it neces- or political isolation. We are recognizing prehensive way, a set of knowledge bases sary to provide a comprehensive update for the transdisciplinary nature of virtually deemed crucial for educators and those educators when it comes to the latter cat- every field (Stokols, 2006), and education being prepared for positions that place egories: gender/gender identity and sexual is no exception. Our schools are at least them on the “front lines” in educational orientation. Being supporters of diversity partially responsible for cementing societal contexts. Quite obviously, however, many means that, as educators who are a part of norms and for defining what is considered authors contributed significantly to the ef- students’ daily lives, we must keep up with “normal,” and, as Johansson (2007) indi- fort to describe such knowledge bases both the changing ways that our students both cates, “if hegemony is to be upheld, people before and after the publication of Common define and express themselves. Sexual in the culture must be constantly reminded Sense by the American Association of Col- orientation and gender/gender-identity is- of the natural and rational [that is] inher- leges for Teacher Education in 1998 (see, sues have evolved from the simple fight for ent in what it [the culture] advocates. for example, Reynolds, 1989; Gay, 1993; acceptance prevalent in the 1960s through Through these constant reminders, a Larkin & Sleeter, 1995; Sikula, 1996; Mur- the 1980s, to a burgeoning redefinition of certain normality is segmented in people’s ray, 1996; Irvine, 1997; Sleeter, 2006), and sexual identity and sexuality itself. consciousness” (p. 2). the academic literature has both expanded As Nieto and Bode1 (2008) point out, Viewed through such a lens, educa- upon and redefined each knowledge base becoming a multicultural teacher requires tors are understood to be either upholding over the last decade. becoming a multicultural person first, and the status quo or to be defining/redefining It should be noted, however, that the that becoming a multicultural person re- what is classified as “normal” in their 13 knowledge bases outlined in Common quires learning to see reality from a variety classrooms, and thus in the larger society Sense are still critically important to of perspectives; teachers must cease adher- as well. Continually bringing this respon- teacher education programs, in that they ence to the extremes of “black and white,” sibility to the attention of educators, as still identify informational and experien- and embrace all the shades of grey that well as giving them the tools to begin to tial areas deemed crucial to effective and lie between. Thus, if educators care about expand definitions of what is and what is equitable educational practice in today’s treating all of their students equitably, and not considered “normal” in the realm of classrooms and schools. The knowledge since educators will certainly have gay, les- sexuality and gender, can go a long way to- bases are described as follows: Founda- bian, bisexual, transgender and questioning wards achieving equity and, in particular, tions of Multicultural Education; Socio- students in their classrooms and peers in can help mitigate student’s anxiety when cultural Contexts of Human Growth and their schools, they have a responsibility to it comes to dealing with their own sexual Psychological Development in Marginal- become educated on the issues that are a orientation and gender issues. ized Ethnic and Racial Cultures; Cultural FALL 2010 3 and Cognitive Learning Style Theory and of stories, statistics, and experiences that A Continuing Need Research; Language, Communication demonstrate that problems still exist for for Education and Allies and Interactional Styles of Marginalized gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and Cultures; Essential Elements of Culture; questioning youth in 2010. Such a search During the past 20 years the issue of Principles of Culturally Responsive Teach- will also highlight the many times these sexual orientation has been widely dis- ing and Culturally Responsive Curriculum problems are associated with or embedded cussed and studied; rights for gays and Development; Effective Strategies for within educational settings. lesbians have increased and attitudes Teaching Minority Students; Foundations For example, harassment and bully- have become quite a bit more progressive of Racism; Effects of Policy and Practice ing based on sexual orientation remains and accepting (in other words, we’ve done on Culture, Race, Gender, and Other Cat- persistent in schools in California despite a decent job of teaching tolerance). In ad- egories of Diversity; Culturally Responsive an anti-harassment law that took effect in dition, the LGBTQ population, and their Diagnosis, Measurement, and Assessment; 2000. According to a study released in 2004 accompanying issues, have become more Sociocultural Influences on Subject-Spe- by the California Safe Schools Coalition prominent and “mainstream,” thanks to a cific Learning; Gender and Sexual Orienta- (CSSC),4 7.5 percent of California’s middle level of “legitimacy” lent to them through tion; and Experiential Knowledge.