| Using critical discourse analysis as a methodology, this study examined how 4 preservice teachers who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or queer negotiated their identities within sociohistorical discourses on teaching and sexualities. Through analysis of interviews with the participants, the study worked to better understand the local experiences of individuals, while also illuminating global theories of how people shape and are shaped by language. The analysis suggests that multiple and often conflicting discourses surfaced within both family and educational settings. In family settings, the construct of the “abject,” the unthinkable other, was invoked. In teacher education settings—including universities and schools—multiple discourses rendered heteronormativity invisible, even though it was felt by the participants. The invisibility of heteronormativity led to the participants engaging in the emotional work of negotiating their identities in relationship to the historical conflict between “teacher” and “queer.” Being in or out of the closet was not a one-time proposition, but an ongoing aspect of being in relation to others. The results of this study suggest that attention experiences of being a queer teacher can help unveil heteronormativity and encourage others to share in the emotional work of this endeavor. It also suggests that conceptualizing the self as a process, built in relation to others, may allow for more fluid ways of being in the world. The final chapter discusses implications for teacher educators, including strategies for critiquing heteronormativity in schools. |
