‘The standard system … is heteronormative’: deconstructing the (re)production of ‘family’ in schools using a binary lens

Abstract

ABSTRACT A diverse array of families navigate society in current times, yet despite increasing visibility of this diversity within schooling contexts, notions of family as nuclear continue to be (re)produced in these spaces. While this has implications for all children and their families, for gender and sexuality diverse parented families, this state of affairs can create specific challenges. In this article, I draw on conceptualisations of binaries and interpellation to theoretically unpack how family is constructed in schools through ‘mum/dad’ or ‘parent one/parent two’ binaries. The analysis presented provides insights into the normative (re)production of family which has potential to impact on gender and sexuality diverse families and their sense of belonging in schools. In deconstructing ways in which binaries work to (re)produce families in educational contexts, implicit norms are exposed. This provides a critical opening for rethinking ways in which families are constructed through language, discourse, and practice.