1. “Out/in Front” Study of GLBTIQ Teachers in Australia
Dr Tiffany Jones
AUSTRALIA
EVIDENCE
Background
Results
Recommendations
Despite the increasing social acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) people in Australia and political initiatives offering legal protection within the workplace, stories of intolerance, homophobia, transphobia and institutional apathy remain. However little research exists which examines the experiences of GLBTIQ teachers in schools.
The “Out/in Front” Study of Teachers in Australia aimed to examine new Australian education policies and contextual influences impacting GLBTIQ teachers. We were particularly interested, given the pressure on gay teachers to be the ones to “handle” homophobia and transphobia in schools in many academic articles, in how GLBTIQ teachers were positioned in practice in relation to managing their own identity and anti-homophobia/ transphobia work in their schools.
Direct national legislative protections exist for all GLBTIQ teachers. Policy protections exist directly in four states (VIC, NSW, WA, SA), indirectly in two (TAS, ACT), and not in QLD or NT.
Only 27% of the teachers knew their school had policy protecting GLBTIQ staff (despite most working in protected govt. schools); 6% worked where policy actively banned their hire.
Only 19% worked in schools with professional learning on GLBTIQs.
Only 36% worked in schools with administrative equality (able to name partners on forms/ use preferred gender).
Most (79%) had felt uncomfortable at school on the basis of being GLBTIQ.
56% were “not supported to be ‘out’”.
However, 60% were out to at least some staff, 26% to some students.
The closeted feared homophobia, being judged and job loss.
Due to discrimination 27% had stopped participating in some work life, 24% took extra sick days, 17% moved schools and several left education.
Only 17% engaged in GLBTIQ activism at school.
Do not rely solely on GLBTIQ staff to deal with homophobia and transphobia in schools; few do this work. Such work must instead be the role of “all staff” and structurally supported. National and state protections for GLBTIQ staff in govt. schools must be more clearly conveyed to staff.
GLBTIQ staff need support to feel welcomed through all staff diversity policies and training.
Religious school bans on GLBTIQ staff do not prevent the hire of GLBTIQs; they may however contribute to such staff taking more sick days or becoming more disengaged on the basis of their experiences of discrimination from the school.
Description
Description
The pilot study comprised a policy review of the provisions available to Australian teachers in law and state policies, an anonymous online survey of 63 Victorian GLBTIQ teachers, and in-depth interviews with nine Victorian GLBTIQ teachers. The focus on Victorian teachers was due to the considerable policy-based support for these Victorian schools to create supportive environments for GLBTIQ students and the added protections teachers had in this state to express their GLBTIQ identities at school.
Map of Australia, highlighting the Sate of Victoria
Contact
Other publications
Dr. Tiffany Jones
University of New England
Jones, T Policy and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Students. Springer: Cham, Heidelberg, New York, Dordrecht and London.
Jones, T., Gray, E. and Harris, A GLBTIQ teachers in Australian education policy: protections, suspicions, and restrictions. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning. Vol 14, No. 3.
Jones, T., and Hillier, L The Erasure of Bisexual Students in Australian Education Policy and Practice. Journal of Bisexuality. 14 (1). Jones, T Comparing rural and urban education contexts for GLBTIQ students. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education. Accepted 12 March 2014.
Jones, T. (2013). Understanding Education Policy. Dordrecht: Springer.
Jones, T. and Hillier L Comparing Trans-Spectrum and Same-sex-Attracted Youth in Australia: Increased Risks, Increased Activisms. Journal of LGBT Youth, Vol. 10, No. 4.
Jones, T How sex education research methodologies frame GLBTIQ students. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, Vol 13, No. 6.
Jones, T. and Hillier L Sexuality education school policy for GLBTIQ students. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, Vol. 12, No. 4.
Hillier, L., Jones, T., Monagle, M. et al Writing themselves in 3: the third national study on the sexual health and wellbeing of same sex attracted and gender questioning young people. Melbourne, La Trobe University.