WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:02.640 200 episodes in? 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.360 And this is the question I'm hearing more than ever. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:09.919 How do I teach inclusively when I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say? 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:22.879 Welcome to Teaching While Queer, the podcast that gives LGBTQ educators a place to feel seen, supported, and a little less alone. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:26.719 So you can show up fully and teach as your authentic self. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:28.480 Let's get into it. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:37.439 Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Teaching While Queer. 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:39.119 I'm your host, Brian Stanton. 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:40.399 My pronouns are they, them. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:46.640 And before we get into today's episode, I want to take a moment to acknowledge something really special. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:51.920 This is our 200th episode of Teaching While Queer. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.920 And I just want to say thank you. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:01:05.680 Thank you for listening, for sharing the podcast, for supporting this work, and for continuing to show up for your students and for each other, especially in moments when that isn't easy. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:19.920 This space exists because of you, because educators are choosing every day to build classrooms rooted in belonging, care, and authenticity, even when the conditions are challenging. 00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:24.079 So truly, thank you for being part of this community. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:27.680 And with that, let's get into today's episode. 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:46.480 In this episode, we will discuss how to teach inclusively in uncertain environments, how to design your classroom so inclusion is built into everyday practice, and how to apply policies consistently so they don't disproportionately target queer students or educators. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:02:05.920 You'll walk away with three practical takeaways: simple language shifts you can implement immediately, a framework for adding inclusive content without drawing unnecessary attention, and a strategy for applying rules consistently so your classroom stays equitable and professionally grounded. 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.319 Here is the question I keep getting right now. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:16.240 How do I teach inclusively when I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say? 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:20.080 And it's not being asked hypothetically. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:22.560 It's not a what-if question. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:34.719 It's coming from teachers who are in their classrooms every day making real-time decisions about what to include, what to leave out, and what might come back to them later. 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:41.199 So today, I want to walk through what that actually looks like in practice. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:42.560 Not theory. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:46.560 Not what we wish schools looked like. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:53.199 What you can do tomorrow that is inclusive, accurate, and is still grounded in the reality you're working in. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:59.280 Because before we get into strategy, we have to be honest about the conditions we're teaching in right now. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:03.919 I'm hearing things like, I had a parent email me because I used the word partner. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:09.840 Or an admin told me to be mindful, but couldn't explain what that meant. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:15.919 Or I stopped using a text because I didn't want to deal with the fallout. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.800 That's not abstract. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:21.280 That's daily decision making. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:25.360 And what happens over time is that we start editing ourselves. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:33.039 You skip an example, you redirect a conversation, you decide something isn't worth the risk today. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.400 And I want to pause there for a second because that matters. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:41.439 That is not a personal failure. 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:43.840 That is a response to pressure. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:46.560 But those small decisions add up. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:54.879 Because when we consistently remove people from examples, from language, from curriculum, they disappear. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:57.680 And we actually have data on that. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:11.039 Glisten's National Schools Climate Survey shows that when LGBTQ topics are absent or avoided, students report lower levels of belonging and higher levels of harassment. 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:20.399 And they've just come out with a new report, so if you haven't been to Glisson's site to see it, go check out their new National Schools Climate Survey. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:24.079 This isn't just about representation as a value. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:28.879 It's about the conditions students need in order to learn. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:39.120 Belonging impacts attendance, it impacts engagement, it impacts whether students even feel like school is a place for them. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:42.800 So instead of asking, what am I allowed to say? 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:46.399 I want to shift the question slightly. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:50.399 How am I designing my classroom? 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:53.279 Because teaching is design. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:56.800 Every choice you make is a design decision. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:06.480 The language you use, the examples you bring in, how students participate, what gets normalized, what gets ignored. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:08.399 That's pedagogy. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.199 And this connects directly to universal design for learning. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:24.160 We've talked about this before, and for those of you who don't know, this is kind of my area of focus with my research: Universal Design for Learning and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:31.199 UDL reminds us that barriers are not in the learner, they're in the design of the environment. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:37.759 So if students aren't seeing themselves or don't feel like they belong, that's not accidental. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.360 It's by design. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:42.639 And I want to be really clear about something here. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:45.920 This is not about trying to get away with something. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.480 This is about doing your job well. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:54.000 Because an education that leaves people out is not neutral. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:55.680 It's incomplete. 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:01.839 Freire talks about this idea that education is never neutral. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:06.720 It either reinforces systems or it challenges them. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.199 So even when we think we're staying out of it, we're not. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:13.360 We're making a choice. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:19.040 So what I want to do is break this down into a few areas where you actually have control. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:24.160 Your language, your curriculum choices, your design structures. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:31.759 And I understand that in some places curriculum is dictated, so we'll work as much as we can within the bounds of your system. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:35.439 And finally, your classroom culture. 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:44.399 Because if you shift those, you're already changing your classroom, whether you ever name it or not. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:54.800 Let's start with language, because this is the lowest risk, highest impact place to begin. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.279 Language tells students what you assume to be a normal. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:05.839 So when we say something like, have your mom and dad sign this, it seems neutral. 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:18.879 But for students with two moms, or a student living with a grandparent, or a student in foster care, they now have to translate themselves into your language before they can even complete the task. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:24.240 That's extra cognitive load that has nothing to do with the learning goal. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:29.839 UDL talks about reducing unnecessary barriers, and this is one of them. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:33.600 So instead, you say, have someone at home sign this. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:37.759 No announcement, no explanation, just access. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:44.800 Or when you're getting attention and you say, Alright, boys and girls, try alright, everyone. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:48.160 Or even better, something specific to your space. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:53.279 Alright, performers, design team, scholars, bring it in. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:01.360 Now you're not just being inclusive, you're reinforcing identity within your discipline. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.759 And sometimes students will ask about it, why do you say they? 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:09.279 And you don't need a full explanation. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:14.800 You can just say, I try to use language that includes everyone, and move on. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:19.279 You're modeling a norm, not opening a debate. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:22.560 And this aligns with culturally responsive pedagogy. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:29.040 It asks us to pay attention to whose norms we've been centering without even realizing it. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:32.559 Language is one of the first places that shows up. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:40.639 From there, we move into curriculum, which is where people tend to feel more pressure because it feels more visible. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.039 So here's the approach I use. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.399 Add, don't announce. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:51.519 You don't need to walk in and say, today we're doing an inclusive curriculum. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:53.440 You just include it. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:56.480 You choose examples that reflect reality. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:07.600 You bring in artists, designers, historical figures, scientists, who are not all the same, and you present them as standard, not as an exception. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:14.639 In theater, this is actually one of the easiest places to do this because queer people have always been part of this field. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:17.679 So including them isn't political, it's accurate. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:32.000 If you're teaching design, instead of showing one classic example, you show multiple designers with different aesthetics and identities, and you don't label one as the diverse example, you just present them equally. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.559 If you're teaching acting, you open up casting choices. 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:40.960 Let's explore how this scene shifts depending on who is in the role. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:45.200 Now you're queering the space through inquiry, not declaration. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.399 And if you're teaching something like history or literature, you include figures who are queer. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:52.960 But you don't reduce them to that identity. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.360 You present them as full people. 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:58.320 And we know this matters. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:09:59.440 Rudine? 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.919 Rudine Sims Bishop talks about mirrors and windows. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.639 Students need to see themselves reflected and they need to see others. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:12.480 That's not an add-on, that's effective teaching. 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:19.360 Then we move into design, which honestly is where you have the most flexibility. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:25.919 The way your classroom is structured communicates meaning before you even say a word. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.240 What's on your walls? 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.200 What examples are consistently showing? 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:36.960 Do students see a range of people, or do they see the same type of person over and over again? 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.759 Because students notice patterns. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:41.919 Think about your assignments. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:48.960 If every assignment has one correct way to complete it, you're reinforcing a very narrow idea of success. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:59.679 But if I say, show me what you understand, you can write it, perform it, design it, present it, now you're opening up multiple pathways. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:02.720 That's straight out of Universal Design for Learning. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:05.440 Multiple means of action and expression. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:07.840 Support deeper learning. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:13.200 And it also matters for students who don't see themselves in traditional structures. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:15.039 Even something like group work. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:16.720 Who ends up building? 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.799 Who ends up designing costumes? 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:20.480 Who ends up leading? 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:22.879 Who ends up writing everything down? 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.879 Are you unintentionally reinforcing gendered expectations? 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.080 Or are you rotating roles intentionally? 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:38.639 In theater spaces especially, you can shift this by asking, what role do you want to explore? 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.360 Instead of assigning based off assumptions. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:45.759 But that same question can be asked in any group work for any classroom. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:50.240 It creates agency, and agency builds belonging. 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:55.519 And when inclusion is built into the structure, it becomes normal. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.120 It doesn't rely on you constantly stepping in. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:02.159 It's just how the space functions. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:09.519 Then there's classroom culture, which is where things can escalate quickly if you don't feel prepared. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:13.679 A student says something harmful, everyone looks at you. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:18.399 And in that moment, it can feel like you have to respond perfectly. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:19.919 You don't. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.039 You need to respond consistently. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.679 We're not gonna use that language here. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:27.360 Let's refocus. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:31.039 That doesn't align with how you treat each other in this space. 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:32.320 That's it. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:36.799 Clear, calm, consistent. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:39.200 You're not debating. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:43.600 You're not escalating, you're maintaining the environment. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.120 And that's important. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:53.679 Because trauma-informed practice reminds us that predictability and consistency create safety in learning spaces. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:58.399 If a student shares something personal, you don't turn it into a lesson. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:00.080 Thank you for sharing that. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.320 You don't have to go into detail. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:05.279 Let me know how I can support you. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.720 You acknowledge without putting them on display. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.120 And through all of this, your role is not to fix everything. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.320 Your role is to design the environment. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:21.360 And that brings me to one more piece that I think we need to talk about. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.759 Because sometimes the question isn't just how to include. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:32.799 Sometimes the question is what to do when the rules themselves feel targeted. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:39.840 This is where I want to introduce something I think a lot of educators are already doing, even if we don't always name it. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.159 Strategic compliance. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.120 Some people call it malicious compliance. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:50.720 I'm gonna frame it as applying policies consistently and professionally. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:58.559 Because if a rule only works when it targets one group, then the issue isn't the group, it's the rule. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:03.519 So let's say you're told keep personal identity out of the classroom. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:06.480 Okay, apply that consistently. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:10.320 No assumptions about heterosexual relationships. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:14.240 No mom and dad framing, no gendered examples. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:19.039 You're not removing queerness, you're removing assumptions across the board. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:28.159 And if someone questions it, you can say, I'm following the policy by avoiding assumptions about students' personal identities in all examples. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.200 That's aligned, that's professional. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.399 Or you're told, stick to the standards. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.360 Great. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:39.600 Standards don't say only include certain identities. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:45.840 So you say these materials align with the learning objective and reflect the field accurately. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.879 Again, ground it in your role. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:53.360 Or you hear keep it appropriate. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.080 Hate that one. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.519 Then define appropriate through consistency. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:03.360 If relationships are allowed, they're allowed across identities. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:07.519 If affection is referenced, it's referenced neutrally. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:12.879 You're not adding anything new, you're applying the same standard to everyone. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:18.399 And this works because inconsistent enforcement is where bias lives. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:24.879 There's a lot of research showing that when policies are vague, they tend to be enforced unevenly. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:32.960 So one of the most effective things you can do is make your practice consistent enough that uneven enforcement becomes visible. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:38.080 And I want to be clear, this is not about pushing until something breaks. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:46.000 This is about staying aligned with policy, documenting your decisions, and grounding everything in standards and pedagogy. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:51.679 Write down your objective, your standard, why you chose the example you chose. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:58.000 So if something comes back to you, you're not responding emotionally, you're responding professionally. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.360 And this doesn't just protect you, it helps students. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.679 Because when rules are applied consistently, students notice. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:13.759 They see that the space is fair, they see that no one group is being singled out, and that builds trust. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:23.039 So if you're sitting there thinking, I want to do this, I just don't know how far I can go, I want to bring it back to something simple. 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.840 You don't have to start with everything. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:34.320 You start with what you can control: your language, your examples, your structures, your responses. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:39.679 Because those things shape your classroom more than any single lesson ever will. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:47.039 And over time, those choices build a space where students don't have to question whether they belong. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.720 They just do. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.399 You don't need permission to teach some. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:56.639 You don't need permission to teach honestly. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:01.039 You need to be intentional about how you design your space. 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:07.039 Thank you for joining us on this episode of Teaching While Queer. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:12.799 Please head over to teachingwhilequeer.org to see amazing resources to help you in your educational efforts. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:19.759 Let's continue working together to create spaces where every student and teacher can see themselves represented and supported. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:26.160 Until next time, keep advocating, keep celebrating, and keep teaching while queer.