Making the Invisible Visible: Negotiating (In)Visibility and Transparency for LGBT Issues in Education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Historically, schooling has been a point of contention and restless agitation for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in North America who may feel trapped in prisons of invisibility. Traditionally, queer people's existence in educational settings has been denied or made invisible, not just physically (in school hallways and classrooms, etc.) but also in terms of discourse, curricular representation, and policy design. This review discusses five books: (1) I Could Not Speak My Heart: Educational and Social Justice for Gay and Lesbian Youth, (2) Fit to Teach: Same-Sex Desire, Gender, and School Work in the Twentieth Century, (3) Disputing the Subject of Sex: Sexuality and Public School Controversies, (4) Sexual Orientation and School Policy: A Practical Guide for Teachers, Administrators, and Community Activists, and (5) the second edition of One Teacher in 10: LGBT Educators Tell Their Stories. Each book speaks to the complexity of how LGBT individuals and allies negotiate their visibility within contemporary school policy, curriculum, discourse and space.