Queering Education: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Teaching, Queer Pedagogy, and Real Classroom Practice

Zsofia Leary knows what it means to move through a school system where queer identities are rarely acknowledged—and what it can mean when educators choose to create something different. An MPA student at NYU Wagner, advocate, former music teacher, and queer person raised in Indiana, Zsofia joins Bryan to talk about the connection between education policy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and the everyday choices that help students feel safe and seen. Their conversation explores the difference between visible signs of support and meaningful allyship, including why a Pride flag or inclusive book is only a beginning. Zsofia also sha...

Tomorrow on Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with Darek Ciszek, a former middle school teacher and UCLA researcher whose dissertation examines LGBTQ-inclusive education in Scotland.After watching anti-LGBTQ+ education policies spread in the United States, Darek went looking for a different model. He found one in Scotland, where LGBTQ+ inclusion has been integrated across curriculum, grade levels, and subject areas—with implementation support to help educators actually put policy into practice. From two dads appearing naturally in a math problem to queer historical figures being incorporated into existing lessons, Darek explains why representation doesn’t alw...

Tomorrow on Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with Dr. Shanéa Thomas—a social worker, sexuality educator, educator, grief counselor, death doula, and Black queer nonbinary parent—for a conversation about what it really means to teach gender and sexuality inclusively.Dr. Thomas challenges the idea that queer and trans identities are exceptions we need to explain. Instead, what if we started with the understanding that all of us exist somewhere on spectrums of gender, sexuality, attraction, and identity—and that those things can change throughout our lives?Together, Bryan and Shanéa unpack...

What does it look like to keep doing queer and trans work in education when funding is disappearing, scholars are feeling pressure to hide what they study, and institutions are starting to pull back?Matt Brim joins me to talk about queer studies, higher education, and the work of creating space for LGBTQ+ research and scholarship. Matt is a professor of queer studies at the College of Staten Island and the executive director of CLAGS, the Center for LGBTQ Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center. We talk about how Matt found his way from American l...

Three teachers reported a T-shirt. There weren't even students in the building.That moment became one of many reminders that for nonbinary special education teacher Alex Holdford, visibility at work isn't just personal. It's political.Alex joins Bryan Stanton to share what it's like teaching in a self-contained special education classroom while navigating increasingly restrictive policies in Texas. From wearing subtle nonbinary symbols to building trust with students who communicate differently, Alex explains how authenticity, community, and compassion can coexist even when systems make them difficult.The conversation moves beyond one...

For many LGBTQ+ educators, the hardest lesson wasn't how to teach. It was believing there was a place for them in the classroom at all.Richard MacDonald shares how growing up under the legacy of Section 28 shaped his understanding of what it meant to be a teacher, why he believed his queer identity didn't belong at school, and the student who helped change that perspective. Now an assistant principal, English teacher, and PhD researcher exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ educators, Richard reflects on what authentic leadership looks like and why creating schools where educators can be themselves...

Every student deserves to see their family and themselves reflected in the classroom. But what does LGBTQ-inclusive education actually look like in an elementary school, especially in a community where support isn't guaranteed?New Jersey fourth-grade teacher Max Rodriguez (he/they) shares how he thoughtfully weaves inclusive curriculum, family representation, and social justice into everyday teaching while navigating community expectations. Drawing on more than three decades in education, Max reflects on how much schools have changed, why visible support matters, and what it means to become the teacher he wished he'd had growing up.Bryan...

A library can be more than a place to borrow books. For many young people, it can be the first place they truly see themselves.Future librarian Hunter shares why they chose librarianship after originally planning to become a social justice lawyer and explains how inclusive library collections can help children, teens, and families feel represented. Drawing from their own experiences as a queer immigrant and person of color, Hunter reflects on the importance of finding characters who mirror your identity and why access to diverse books can shape confidence, belonging, and self-acceptance.The conversation...

A welcoming classroom doesn't happen by accident. It grows from the choices educators make every day about representation, belonging, and whose stories deserve to be told.Seventh grade science teacher Stephan Hoda joins Bryan Stanton to talk about creating affirming classrooms where queer students feel seen while every student benefits. From teaching mythology through a more inclusive lens to advising a middle school Queer Student Alliance, Stephan reflects on how curriculum, history, and authentic relationships shape school culture. He also shares why queer educators matter far beyond representation and how students often surprise us with their insight...

Bryan Stanton sits down with New Jersey educator and advocate Steve Koumoulis to explore what LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually looks like in everyday classrooms. From queer history to curriculum design, this conversation offers practical ideas for educators who want to create more inclusive classrooms through authentic storytelling rather than token representation.Steve shares his work helping bring New Jersey's LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum mandate to life, discusses founding one of his school's first GSAs, and explains why queer pedagogy isn't about adding a lesson during Pride Month—it's about helping every student see th...

Daniel “Dan Dan” Clark joins Queering Education live from the NJEA Carol Watchler LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Conference to discuss LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, school counseling, and creating truly inclusive classrooms where students feel seen, supported, and safe. As an openly queer school counselor, Daniel shares how visibility, authenticity, and relationship-building can transform a student's experience in school.From discovering his path into school counseling to navigating today's political climate, Daniel offers a grounded look at what it means to support LGBTQ students while balancing mental health, academic success, and career readiness. He also reflects on the power of representation, why safe...

How can LGBTQ-inclusive teaching and queer pedagogy help students find their voice? In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with dance educator Micah Gary-Fryer to explore how movement, social justice, and arts education create more inclusive classrooms where students feel seen, valued, and empowered. Drawing from more than two decades in education and the performing arts, Micah shares how dance can become a powerful tool for student expression, body confidence, community building, and social justice learning. From immigration stories to student-created performance art, this conversation highlights what happens when educators trust students to connect t...

For decades, Carol Watchler has been at the forefront of LGBTQ education advocacy, helping educators create more inclusive classrooms while navigating shifting political climates. In this conversation, she reflects on the history of queer pedagogy, LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, and the power of community in sustaining educators through challenging times.Drawing on years of experience with the New Jersey Education Association, the NEA LGBTQ+ Caucus, and statewide advocacy efforts, Carol shares practical wisdom for educators working to support LGBTQ students and foster belonging. This episode explores what today's teachers can learn from past struggles, why community matters more than...

What does it mean to be the teacher you needed when you were young? In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton talks with educator and author Joe Chianakas about LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer visibility, and why representation remains essential in both K–12 and higher education.Drawing on more than 25 years in education, Joe reflects on his journey from a closeted high school teacher to an openly queer professor. Together, Bryan and Joe explore queer pedagogy, community building, mentorship, and the impact that visible LGBTQ educators can have on students searching for belonging and possibility.In...

When we talk about LGBTQ inclusive teaching, many educators assume meaningful support requires a major initiative. Sue Granzella’s story suggests something different: inclusive classrooms are often built through small, visible acts of care, consistency, and courage. In this conversation, we explore queer pedagogy, classroom inclusion, allyship, and what educators can do to better support LGBTQ students and colleagues.After retiring from more than three decades in Title I schools, Sue began documenting how teachers and librarians are navigating today’s culture wars. From conversations about drag story hour protests to stories of educators facing harassment for supp...

Host Bryan Stanton (they/them) sits down with agender educator, sj Miller (none) to discuss ways to support students navigating their identities and socialization. This episode dives into LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer pedagogy, and the realities of building inclusive classrooms in today’s policy climate. Through lived experience and classroom practice, we explore what it actually means to show up for queer and trans students when systems aren’t built for them.From navigating anti-trans legislation to redefining what classroom inclusion looks like, this conversation centers real educator strategies—not theory. It’s about how teachers are protecti...

What does LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually look like in real classrooms—not theory, not policy, but day-to-day practice? This episode explores how queer pedagogy and inclusive teaching show up through kindness, boundaries, and honest conversations with students.Bryan Stanton sits down with educator Christian Shearhod to talk about what it means to create inclusive classrooms in a time when even basic respect feels politicized. From teaching consent and boundaries to navigating parent pressure and online backlash, this conversation stays grounded in what students actually need.In this episode, you’ll learn: How to te...

What does LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually look like beyond posters and policies? This episode digs into the real work of building inclusive classrooms through queer pedagogy, lived experience, and practical strategies educators can use right now.Bryan sits down with Shelby Hall Denney from PFLAG NYC’s Safe Schools program to unpack what it means to move from performative allyship to meaningful classroom inclusion. From navigating policy confusion to supporting LGBTQ students through authentic representation, this conversation stays grounded in the realities educators face every day.In this episode, you’ll learn: How t...

This episode dives into LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer pedagogy, and what it really means to create inclusive classrooms—not through curriculum alone, but through presence. Featuring trans educator Hill Werth, this conversation explores how identity, visibility, and authenticity shape student experiences in powerful ways.We get into the realities of teaching while trans, navigating different education systems, and how simply existing as a queer educator can shift classroom culture. This isn’t theory—it’s lived experience, from safety and policy differences to the emotional labor of being visible in education spaces.<...

In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton (they/them) sits down with Emilia (she/her), a graduate teaching assistant and first-year PhD student at the University of California Davis, to talk about discovering your teaching identity while navigating queerness, accessibility, and classroom culture.Emilia reflects on her journey from the U.S. South to a more affirming academic space, and how that shift shaped her approach to teaching. Together, they explore what it means to build classrooms rooted in kindness, trauma-informed practices, and genuine inclusion—not just as theory, but as daily practice.In th...