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Navigating the heteronormative public education system: lesbian and gay educators' experiences in educational leadership

Description

The experiences of lesbian and gay (LG) administrators in school and district-level positions are different than their heterosexual counterparts, not just because their social lenses are different, but because the policies and climates of the communities where they work has a significant impact on their relationships with stakeholder groups in the schools/offices. In this qualitative study I document and analyze the stories of LG educators, how they navigate their professional relationships, how they evolve as leaders, and their understanding of how their choices to be out or not have influenced their careers and professional relationships. The study also explores how performativity and sexuality relate to the professional relationships of the participants. Finally, the leaders' stories provide insight into the experiences of marginalized groups of professionals whose stories are often absent from the professional and research literatures on school administration. These eight school and district administrators live in the Southwestern and Northwest, many of them are out at work and a few are not. They range in age from mid-20s to late 50s, and their experiences as educational leaders spans from just one year to over 25 years. The participants sat for two to three interviews each over the course of approximately four months. The names of the participants, institutions, and specific communities have been changed to maintain confidentiality. I found that all the participants' relationships with stakeholders groups and individuals were impacted to varying degrees by fear - specifically the fear that results from the heteronormative rules, biases, and expectations of the public school system. The heteronormativity of the public education system is often a reflection of its community's belief system, as well as a reflection of the larger, more unconscious heteronormative belief system that shapes schools and educational leadership, a leader's professional capacity, and the relationships that are critical to being an effective leader. Essentially, the heteronormative fear reflected in the policies and practices of a community, an educational institution, and its members has a dramatic effect on the decisions and relationships that educational leaders have with key stakeholder groups on both an unconscious and conscious level.

ContributorsAnderson, Shannon (Author) / Powers, Jeanne (Thesis advisor) / Fischman, Gustavo (Thesis advisor) / Carlson, David Lee (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2014

Me, myself and BI: an expression of sexuality

Description

Bisexuality is a unique kind of sexual identity, as a gray area between heterosexuality and homosexuality. The piece You made up the Story and I Played with all the Parts explores bisexuality as a lived artistic experience based on my sexual journey within a society that advocates heterosexuality. The piece includes movement phrases and text derived from conversations with intimate partners, characters based on former partners, storytelling, a 1950s-style sex education video parody, and audience participation via dialogue. The creation of movement and dialogue manipulated heteronormative social stigmas into a canny social acceptance of bisexuality. The multifaceted nature of the piece provokes viewers to consider how sexuality is constructed socially through my own interpretation. As a result, the work suggests that bisexuality is a legitimate sexual identity and represents a culture within American society.

ContributorsBedford, Crystal (Author) / Corey, Frederick (Thesis advisor) / Dove, Simon (Thesis advisor) / Jackson, Naomi (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2011

The LGBTQ+ Student Experience in Greek Life Organizations

Description

This project consists of both a research paper and a qualitative and quantitative analysis of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more (LGBTQ+) college students in Greek Life sorority and fraternity organizations. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the experiences and social climate that LGBTQ+ students face when navigating the intersections of gender, sexuality, and their involvement in Greek Life. Themes that emerged include heteronormative and cisgendered aspects of sororities and fraternities; lack of education on the LGBTQ+ community and how to support them; and exclusion of LGBTQ+ students in Greek Life organizations, especially those outside of the gender binary. As many sororities and fraternities are over 100 years old, many aspects of these organizations have changed over the years. However, there is always room for improvement and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have been slowly developing with these organizations amending their official documents based on the gendered language used that is outdated. The next step for better supporting LGBTQ+ students in Greek Life organizations is for these organizations to discuss nonbinary and transgender membership at their annual conventions, as well as universities seeking to begin either incorporating a gay-straight alliance for fraternity and sorority life, or better educating their members on aspects of the community.

ContributorsRome, Julia (Author) / Miller, April (Thesis director) / Wynn, Bridgette (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)

Created2023-05