102083 - Diversity, Social Justice and Learning My y lay Nguyen - 17644671

This assignment requires you to critically evaluate your own ethical understandings,

personal and social capabilities and intercultural understandings. Your essay will

examine the impact of policies on the equity and quality of school education, reflect on

how these policies affect marginalised students and how teachers’ cultural assumptions

impact teaching and learning.

Chose one contemporary social justice issue currently being focused upon in the media such

as sexuality, gender, language, refugees or ethnicity and discuss how Australian schools are

meeting the challenge of equity and access for minority groups.

The social justice issue of sexuality is a constant challenge against the heterosexual

norm within the institution of education. Many students, who identify as lesbian, gay,

bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (LGTBIQ) often question their gender identity, or the

“gender they were assigned at birth” (Jones et al., 2016, p.157). Those who are sexually

diverse have been the subject of discrimination and face prejudice from peers, teachers and

the institution. Understanding diversity allows students to freely express themselves despite

being discriminated; however such understanding of sexual diversity has not been the case

for many students. Either being deemed too taboo or inappropriate, sexual diversity is not

discussed as much as it should be within the school environment. This essay will discuss the

social justice issue of sexuality, with a specific focus on those who identify as LGTBIQ. The

essay will also discuss how teacher’s dispositions can create conditions that foster success in

attempts at anti-discrimination practices, in relation to post-structuralist and critical theory

(Sever, 2012). The essay will further question policies Safe School Coalition Victoria, and

the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (De Plevitz, 2005; Ward, 2010), as well as the safety of the

students in expressing their sexual diversity within the school environment. The focus of this

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essay will be on the sexuality of a person who identifies as LGTIBQ, and how this identity

might influence the student’s life chances within the institution of education.

For many years, the Australian institution of education has not provided adequate

support for those who identify as LGTBIQ. Many students feel left behind, as they are

attempting to conform to social norms, limiting the “spaces of [their] gender expression”

(Ullman, 2015, p.45). Limitations, such as those found in gender equality education and

choices in school uniform, create “gender normalcy,” which deem as normal and acceptable

in society (Huppatz & Goodwin, 2013, p. 295). The very idea of students conforming to their

gender expectation limits their access to resources, and prevents access to equity that creates

inequality for sexual diversity. While some school’s do attempt to promote equal

opportunities for all, this does not address the underlying issue that goes beyond the

acceptance of diverse sexuality. There is a fear of coming out and “being singled out for

comment” (Ferfolja, 2015, p.60). It is the negative association through historical context

which has resulted in the feeling of exposure, vulnerability, “non-acceptance, fear and/or

anxiety” (Ferfolja, 2015, p.60). Coming out is a challenging experience and unfortunately,

the educational institution can assist the marginalised group to a certain extent. This is due to

the fact that there is not enough being done to address the attitudes of those who have a

preconceived notion of what is socially acceptable within a school environment. As a result,

assumptions are made on the basis of the identified need for those who are outwardly

mobilised by their limited equity and access, for fear of being ridiculed by others.

The foundation of sexuality can be understood through the post-structuralist theory of

language as a social construction, unpacking the challenges against the expectation of gender

norms. High School, in particular, is a manifestation of homophobia, founded through the

power of language (Richard et al., 2015). According to Ullman (2015), “language invoke[s] a

power differential” (p.44), creating meaning within the ideologies of femininity and

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masculinity. There are expectations for how students should act according to their gender

roles, as naming or labelling these students constructs a particular knowledge of their gender

(Ferfolja, 2015). Those who do challenge the heteronormative ideals are often referred to

with such derogatory names as “faggot” or “poofter” words, which have come to be

associated with femininity (De Plevitz, 2005, p.180). The representative notion of language

can greatly affect what people perceive as being gay or lesbian; therefore people are

uncomfortable with being identified as LGTBIQ (Richard et al., 2015). In this sense, males

often have it worse than females, due to the domineering expectations of manliness. A male

that is identified as gay becomes problematic due to that particular identity's threat against

gender norms, that is reserved for females manifesting the idea of “sexism” (Richard et al.,

2015, p. 431). What these identified issues fail to address is that there is more to sexuality

than its preconceived ideas and associations. The marginalised are often ridiculed due to such

little knowledge on the LGTBIQ community being promoted (Richard et al., 2015).

Individuals make associations based on what the have been told by the people around them,

they do not realise that an LGTBIQ student is no different from themselves, they do not fit

into the category that the individual previously assumed (Richard et al., 2015). Essentially,

language plays a powerful role in what is expected of students, in relation to how they should

behave and present themselves.

Another theory that is connected to the idea of sexuality is the critical theory of

viewing the dominant discourse as the way of life. People have their own expectations of the

world and make assumptions of what is socially acceptable, especially for those who do not

conform to the gender expectation, which then becomes problematic within the institution

(Ullman & Ferfolja, 2015). While “masculine capital may hold more value than feminine

capital,” males are considered to be more advantaged due to the devalued nature of the

female’s menstruation (Huppatz & Goodwin, 2013, p. 302). Menstruation creates a negative

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connotation, often seen as dirty, which gives males an excuse to exercise their social capital

(Harrison, 2010). This is just one of the ways the world is viewed through the critical theory

approach. There are also many anxieties surrounding the preconceived notion of what is

appropriate for students when providing sexual education (Ullman & Ferfolja, 2015). The

concept of “childhood” is socially constructed viewed as innocent, and believe that their

minds should not be tarnished (Allen et al., 2014, p.35). It creates a resistance in the right to

exercise sexual diversity in school, creating a set of ideals that society must follow,

preventing students from freely expressing themselves. Society rewards those who conform,

and condemns through discrimination and ridicule those who challenge the social norms. Due

to a fear of acting out, the school institution develops their own preconceived notions of the

ideal safe environment, creating a spaces that are no longer safe for students to express

themselves within, resulting in a symbolic violence that reinforces the dominant culture.

Therefore, the student’s idea of these people are misconstrued by their own preconceive

notion of an LGTBIQ person.

One key issue that arises in light of these preconceived notions is the power guidance

and support for the marginalised of LGTIBIQ within the educational institution. The idea of

the heteronormative influences the way people present themselves (Harrison, 2000). There

are expectations that if one is female, they must act according to the social structure that

defines the female, which involves such milestones as to marry and have kids (Richard et al.,

2015). The idea of expectation is a social reproduction that creates the norm, and such

policies as the Safe School Coalition do not help those who wishes to exercise their identity

(Sever, 2012). By seeking out help is asking to be ridiculed and discriminated against

(Harrison, 2012). People act a certain way because it has been long embedded within history.

The consensus is that if spoken out loud, it creates the fear for students who are identified as

being an LGBTIQ of being condemned by the people around them (Ullman & Ferfolja,

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2015). While, if one chooses to speak up and come out, they feel the need to be responsible

and become advocates for change (Jones et al., 2016). It creates a sense of duty to represent

the LGTBIQ community, and this places a lot of burden and responsibility upon these

individuals. They are advocating for a change is saying that Australia has not done enough

because they are fighting for rights to exercise their own identity. This essentially is the

inequality of power imbalances and marginalisation of sexuality.

Attempts have been made to assist LGTBIQ identified students through the Safe

Schools Coalition Victoria, and the anti-discrimination policies. The Safe Schools Coalition

Victoria policy is about providing resources and training to better assist in the understanding

of diversity and acceptance within the community (Ward, 2010). While these attempts do

recognise the importance of sexuality, it is questionable whether they effectively assists those

who are marginalised. The neoliberal nature of a “public/private partnerships” approach to

the safe school coalition policy is problematic due to its membership base, as they are still

“currently looking for schools or individuals to become members” (Ward, 2010, p.57). Given

that it is a choice of signing up, rather than compulsory, this does not change the attitude of

those who may have their own cultural biases of sexuality. While students may not feel

comfortable within the school environment, teachers have their own “deep-seated biases

toward and misconceptions,” that does not allow students to freely express themselves (Gay,

2010, p.144). A teacher’s lack of knowledge on sexuality can negatively impact a student, as

they must change their attitude about the misconception of the culture itself (Obidah &

Howard, 2005). Similar to the Anti-Discrimination Act, it does not eradicate the attitudes of

people’s perception, but rather brings forth the case of discrimination into court (De Plevitz,

2005). Wanting to sue someone for discrimination or signing up for the resources can help

assist the LGTBIQ students is one thing. Teachers themselves who identify as LGTBIQ, have

the same fear of risk and exposure of their identity and being ridiculed (Ullman & Ferfolja,

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2015). There are limitations on what policies can do, as schools must start with promoting

sexual diversity for teachers in order for students to accept themselves as it is not enough to

eradicate the attitude of those who have their own cultural bias.

Reflecting on my key learning area of English, it is important to be aware of gender

diversity and the impact and social repercussion from the ideals that has been embedded in

our knowledge throughout history. Sexuality has always been a taboo topic that is not

typically discussed during class, and in most situations, it is associated with diseases such as

HIV and STI (Harrison, 2000; Ullman & Ferfolja, 2015). Rather than emphasising the

negative aspects of sexual diversity, teachers must explore it in a more positive light. Being

an English teacher does have its advantages over other key learning areas, as it allows

teachers to teach critical thinking, and to critically analyse and question the way of life by

providing opportunities to explore gender roles and diversity through history. By exploring

the theme of sexuality, it will provide a space of freedom to speak (Harrison, 2000). This will

ultimately allow students to feel safe in exploring their own identity, but also allow other

students to understand diversity and the different perspectives of all social injustices within

society. Novels with LGBTIQ protagonists may also be incorporated into the classroom,

provide students with a range of fictional role models, and allow them to view these

individuals in a range of circumstances and settings. Online resources can be a useful

medium for accessing engaging and inspiring content, like iO Tillett Wright from TedX, or

Ingrid Nilsen, an influential YouTube sensation. Adding inspirational stories allow people to

see that “LGB people [are] normal people, but also suggests that the guest speakers’ gender

presentation is both noticed and interpreted by students as confirming or contradicting

prejudices they may have regarding gay men lacking masculinity or lesbian women lacking

femininity” (Harrison, 2000, p.427). It is a way to fill in the gaps of our own preconceived

bias of sexuality to actually understanding and acceptance of a student from diverse

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backgrounds. I believe that this will allow me to provide an understanding of sexuality for

my students to freely express themselves and to see the inspirational stories from the experts

that can make a difference.

An understanding of the social injustices of sexuality through post-structuralist and

critical theory, and the policies around the educational institution, has allowed for true

consideration of the actual representation of diversity. For LGTBIQ identified students,

further analysis is required to understand how they fit into the bigger picture of society as a

whole. Rather than allowing them to feel ridiculed and prejudiced by their peers, further

studies are needed to investigate ways in which to provide full support for those who are

marginalised. It is clear that there is not enough being done for the LGTBIQ community

within the school system to allow them to freely express themselves, from fear of being

ousted by teachers and peers. As the educational institution struggles to address and confront

the issue of sexuality, the result is that school has never been a safe environment for the

marginalised, and further research is clearly needed in light of this. Teachers must do what

they can to create a supportive environment, and find ways to leave fear aside so they may

push to make a difference in their classroom. The sense of diversity required in Australian

classrooms must not only support the LGTBIQ community, but go beyond and see that

Australia is a lot more diverse with other marginalised community.

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References

Allen, L., Rasmussen, M. L., Quinlivan, K., Aspin, C., Sanjakdar, F., & Brömdal, A. (2014).

Who's afraid of sex at school? The politics of researching culture, religion and

sexuality at school. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 37(1),

31-43.

De Plevitz, L. (2005). Take-home lessons for gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual school

students. Alternative Law Journal, 30(4), 180-183.

Ferfoljia, T. (2015). Sexual diversities, policy approaches and the construction of the subject.

Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices. Australia: Cambridge

University Press.

Gay, G. (2010). Acting on beliefs in teacher education for cultural diversity. Journal of

Teacher Education, 61(1-2), 143-152.

Harrison, L. (2000). Gender relations and the production of difference in school-based

sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in Australia. Gender and Education, 12(1), 5-19.

Huppatz, K., & Goodwin, S. (2013). Masculinised jobs, feminised jobs and men’s ‘gender

capital’ experiences: Understanding occupational segregation in Australia. Journal of

Sociology, 49(2-3), 291-308.

Jones, T., Smith. E., Ward, R., Dixon, J., Hillier, L., & Mitchell, A. (2016). School

experiences of transgender and gender diverse students in Australia. Sex Education,

16(2), 156-171.

Obidah, J. E., & Howard, T. C. (2005). Preparing teachers for "Monday morning" in the

urban school classroom: Reflecting on our pedagogies and practices as effective

teacher educators. Journal of Teacher Education, 56(3), 248-256.

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Richard, G., Vallerand, O., Petit, M. P., & Charbonneau, A. (2015). Discussing sexual

orientation and gender in classrooms: A testimonial-based approach to fighting

homophobia in schools. The Educational Forum, 79(4), 421-435.

Sever, M. (2012). A critical look at the theories of sociology of education. International

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Ullman, J. (2015). Regulating ‘gender climate’. Understanding Sociological Theory for

Educational Practices. Australia: Cambridge University Press.

Ullman, J., & Ferfolja, T. (2015). Bureaucratic constructions of sexual diversity: ‘Sensitive’,

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Ward, R. (2010, November). Safe schools for all. Teacher: The National Education

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