‘I’m not going to let this parent control how I teach’

The working environment of schools in the wake of the queer backlash

Abstract

One of the pillars of education in Icelandic curricula is equality education, where students are to learn and take part in subjects concerning, for instance, race, gender, culture, disability, and LGBT+ matters. In recent years, there have been more instances of queer-related hate speech, bullying, harassment, and vandalism, even though Iceland has been regarded as a frontrunner in equality matters. Schools play an important role in educating children and young adolescents about equality. However, the queer backlash in society has, in one way or another, presented itself in the educational system. However, the impact of such a backlash has not been researched in terms of the faculty’s perceptions and experiences.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of school staff who provide queer education following a setback in the fight for the rights of queer people, which has been much debated. The research is qualitative, and data was collected through five individual interviews and the answers of 39 participants in a qualitative questionnaire. All participants work in primary or secondary schools and carry out queer education to some extent in their field of work—all interviewees of the study work in the greater capital area. The participants’ ideas about the backlash are explored. The data was analysed thematically. The analysis resulted in three themes: (1) People feel ignored: lack of queer study material and education, (2) The white heterosexual male is back: hostile rhetoric among the boys, (3) Fear of parental reaction: queer education has become anxiety-inducing. Results indicate that the backlash has shown itself within the walls of the schools. Firstly, when discussing study material, it became clear that there was little to no material available to the participants, resulting in them creating their own, piecing together bits from the internet and the occasional book. Instruction seems to be the responsibility of specific individuals only, which hampers professional work to a certain extent. The interviews revealed that the interviewees feel that people abdicate themselves from responsibility and expect others to see to it that the education is taken care of. So, it can be said that queer education is often ineffective and rare. The answers from the questionnaire and the interviews show an increase in derogatory rhetoric from students towards queer people, especially from boys. Branded as the ‘fag-rhetoric’ by participants and mainly directed at gay men, intersex, and trans people, it seems to be upheld by the students’ perception of heteronormative masculinity and femininity. About the anti-gender debate in society and the media, participants experience anxiety to a greater extent in relation to queer education because of the reactions of parents. Here, interviewees also mention that the support of school administrators is critical to them. The results of this study show the need for further intervention from both the government and school administrators to ensure that inclusion is guaranteed at all school levels.