Incorporating LGBTQ Issues into Family Courses: Instructor Challenges and Strategies Relative to Perceived Teaching Climate

Abstract

This study investigated the experiences of 42 college/university‐level instructors with regard to incorporating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) content into their family‐oriented courses. Based on how supportive they rated their colleagues, departments, and institutions for their teaching about LGBTQ issues, and how open they deemed their students to learning about such perspectives, participants were categorized as working in one of three teaching climates: the least positive, moderately positive, or the most positive. Notably, the authors found that educators faced resistance from other faculty members in addition to students. Further, most faculty assessed their students as open to learning about LGBTQ issues, yet teaching about transgender and queer issues appeared to be particularly challenging for some. Perceived challenges varied by the teaching climates in which participants reportedly worked. The challenges and strategies shared by participants have implications for both faculty and administrators concerned with creating more inclusive classrooms and departments.