The Nimbleness of Neoliberalism in Queerness and EDI policy

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore how queerness has been mobilized in this current historical context of neoliberal Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies. First, I will briefly overview the historical materialism of queerness under racial colonial capitalism. I will discuss what the lenses of surplus populations and social reproduction can and cannot help us see about queerness. Then, I will discuss how the mechanisms of neoliberalism both mobilize and repress queerness, as convenient. Finally, I will interrogate how (queer) EDI policy is implemented and negotiated in educational institutions, and situate it specifically within K-12 schools in Alberta.