Gay Teachers' Negotiated Interactions with Their Students and (Straight) Colleagues

Abstract

In this article, the author examines two sets of complex relationships at school: one between gay teachers and their students and another between the same gay teachers and their colleagues at school. Some researchers have maintained that gay teachers fail to advocate for gay and questioning youth because they fear showing support for these students places their jobs in jeopardy. The author found, however, that the gay teachers in this study responded to gay students' needs and demonstrated support in a variety of ways, despite working in school environments that were often hostile toward the GLBT community. The author also discusses an array of relationships found between gay teachers and their heterosexual colleagues at school. These relationships uncovered no particular pattern, but reinforced the idea that gay teachers must negotiate each faculty interaction and make decisions about revealing their sexual orientation accordingly. The author closes with recommendations for school administrators and teacher educators, and strongly suggests that all faculty members take responsibility for the well being of gay and questioning students.