Inqueeries conference explored successes in LGBTQ education

November 6, 2012

By Fred Michah Rynor

Teachers who graduated from OISE's groundbreaking Inqueeries course over the past ten years gathered for a celebratory conference in September to share their successes and challenges in the classroom – as well as their memories of a program that changed the way they view education.

OISE is renowned throughout North America for this unique anti-homophobia teacher education course which teaches students how to deal with homophobic violence, bullying and misconceptions as they impact on LGBTQ students, teachers and school administrations.

The 'Ten Years of Inqueeries Reunion Conference' saw over 60 grads and allies come together to discuss such topics as ethical dilemmas regarding queer students; using queer pedagogy to create a transformative practice for at-risk youth; and creating a positive space for all students.

"It was a really successful event and it was excellent to be able to see how all the grads have been able to further anti-homophobia education over the past decade," says Austen Koecher, a U of T undergrad specializing in equity studies and anthropology and the conference communications lead.

"OISE has been at the forefront of this kind of research and teaching experience and by the end of this term we'll have 200 graduates which is a remarkable achievement."

Koecher adds that, despite major gains both in education and society, this kind of academic course (a 36-hour elective) is still very much a necessity because teachers need to be able to relate to the needs of all of their students.

"Teachers must have the background and knowledge to combat classroom injustice when a group is consistently marginalized and so a conference such as this helped us learn from educators working in the field who can relate their many and varied experiences."

"It was wonderful to reconnect with former graduates of the course and to hear about the work they've been doing since graduation," says Professor Tara Goldstein, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning and one of the first instructors of Inqueeries. "I'm very proud of the work they've accomplished and the leadership they have taken in their classrooms and schools."

Heather Sykes, an instructor in curriculum studies, queer theory and curriculum and critical ethnography and qualitative methodology at OISE, was another original leader of the very first Inqueeries course. She says that the eradication of homophobia in the classroom has been a long process as it’s been part of the history of schooling for decades.

"I believe that teacher candidates are now coming to OISE with more developed backgrounds and literacies about social justice and how to combat homophobia, racism and other forms of discrimination and that's why many students are seeking out this type of LGBTQ specialization."

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Heather Sykes is an Associate Professor in the department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at OISE specializing in physical education and sport sociology, and serves on the Steering Committee of the Sexual Diversity Studies program. Her research explores issues of sexuality, gender and body-based discrimination in sport and physical education using psychoanalytic, poststructural, queer, trans and disability theories. Her early work examined homoeroticism and homophobia in the lives of lesbian physical education teachers. This research has been produced as a performed ethnography titled 'Wearing The Secret Out'. Her current research focus on the intersections between fat phobia, ableism, transphobia and heterosexism in physical education and sport. She teaches in the OISE initial teacher education program and also offers a graduate course called 'Queer Theories, Bodies and Curriculum'. She is currently editor of the journal Curriculum Inquiry and serves on editorial boards for The Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education and The Journal of Sociology of Sports.