Note: This interview features a public school teacher in Tennessee – for privacy, her story is shared using a pseudonym, Alex.
For many LGBTQ+ students, school can serve as an escape from a difficult home life. Faced with families who are unsupportive of their LGBTQ+ identity, many queer and trans students seek a space where they can be themselves without judgment. Because of this, teachers play a particularly important role in shaping the lives of queer and trans youth. In some instances, teachers serve as one of the first supportive role models for queer and trans youth.
A recent wave of legislation that intends to restrict teachers’ ability to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students puts these important student/teacher relationships at risk. States across the country have passed “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” curriculum restriction laws which restrict or ban mention of LGBTQ+ identity in school curriculum, curricular materials, and even school library books. Many “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” laws, like SB 49 in North Carolina, force school staff to “out” trans students by telling parents of a change in their name or pronouns. This “forced outing” is incredibly harmful, as some students may feel safe and ready to come out at school, but not at home. Seven states currently have “Don’t Say LGBTQ+” laws; and five states have “forced outing” laws (Movement Advancement Project). This year, states are expanding these anti-LGBTQ+ attacks by working to ban pride flags in schools, with a bill in Tennessee nearing passage (The Guardian).
These anti-LGBTQ+ policies create a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students and supportive teachers. As a result, we are seeing more and more LGBTQ+ supportive teachers leaving the profession, citing their fear of punishment for openly supporting LGBTQ+ youth and the impact that working in an environment hostile to LGBTQ+ people has on their mental health. This was the case for Alex, a teacher in Knox County, Tennessee, who recently made the difficult decision to leave her teaching career after constant backlash and anti-LGBTQ+ policies prevented her from protecting some of her most vulnerable students.
When Alex’s own daughter came out as transgender, her worldview shifted, and she decided to use her position as a teacher to create safer spaces not just for her child, but for all students. “Bullying is a big issue for many students, and I wanted to be an advocate in the best way possible to help show students that you are not alone and that there is someone here to stand up for you”, she said.
Bullying is a big issue for many students, and I wanted to be an advocate in the best way possible to help show students that you are not alone and that there is someone here to stand up for you.
Sharing her daughter’s trans identity helped to establish empathy among Alex’s colleagues and create dialogue that eventually led to a larger conversation around pronoun usage and its impact on LGBTQ+ students. From there, like-minded staff at her school joined together to create a “Culture Committee” in the hopes of creating more inclusive environments for students and championing for diversity.
The Culture Committee’s efforts to champion the needs of LGBTQ+ students were met with little support – and even significant resistance – from the administration. “Time and time again, we would request to meet with the administration and share the key learnings that we found in our discussions with students, and we would be dismissed and not given the opportunity to speak altogether,” Alex said. Even with the pushback and lack of support, the committee continued to advocate for the needs of the students. In addition to her work with the Culture Committee, Alex supported efforts led by the school’s Diversity Club, a student-led organization that works to advocate for and create inclusionary practices for all students, including those who identify as LGBTQ+.
Alex made an effort to signal to every student who entered her classroom that it was a safe space for all. “In my classroom, I have a flag with colors representing the LGBTQ+ flag, which has the word ‘HUMAN’ on it,” Alex said. “To me, this flag represents all of my students and is a reminder that no matter your background, we are all the same at the end of the day.” Alex said that displaying the flag made her the subject of gossip among the school community; gossip that, at times, made her fear for her safety. This fear was not unwarranted. For some teachers, openly showing support for the LGBTQ+ community has led to harassment, violence, and even bomb threats (Media Matters for America). If Tennessee’s pride flag ban passes into law this year, which it very well may, Alex’s flag would be made illegal.
In my classroom, I have a flag with colors representing the LGBTQ+ flag, which has the word “HUMAN” on it. To me, this flag represents all of my students and is a reminder that no matter your background, we are all the same at the end of the day.
Beyond displaying the flag, Alex encouraged students to engage with equity issues. She did the hard work of calling people in, rather than calling them out, when discussing difficult topics. When a student in her class wanted to do a presentation about why transgender girls should not be allowed to play on girls’ sports teams, Alex explained to the student why such a presentation would be harmful to the transgender students in the class. Ultimately, the student agreed that the presentation would not be appropriate.
Having grown up in a conservative community herself, Alex had empathy for folks who did not yet understand how harmful anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and policies can be to LGBTQ+ people. She was always willing to have those tough conversations and meet people where they were. It was the conversations that occurred behind her back and behind closed doors that ultimately led to her leaving her teaching career. A few months before leaving her job, a school administrator requested a meeting with Alex. During the meeting, he presented her with three pictures of models she used in her class, taken without her consent. The models were examples of how Alex brought current events and equity issues into her teaching. After showing her the photos, he reminded her of the school district policy against discussing “controversial issues” at school, and told her that she was not creating a “respectful environment” in her classroom. This was the last straw for Alex. She could clearly see that her school did not welcome her attempts to create a safe environment for LGBTQ+ and all marginalized students. The only concern was for those students and parents whose comfort was threatened when discussions of equity are brought to the forefront and all students’ identities are celebrated.
For Alex, the stress of battling the school administration was compounded by stress at home. Alex’s transgender daughter had been struggling with her mental health, as is unfortunately common for transgender young people. Her daughter’s struggles were only worsened by the State of Tennessee’s elevating attacks against gender-affirming care and the civil rights of transgender people. In the end, something had to give, and Alex was forced to make the decision to leave her lifelong teaching career.
“I have to prioritize my family. I can’t allow myself to be so mentally drained that I am incapable of taking care of my own family,” Alex said. “For me, teaching was a calling where I felt that I could make a difference in the world, in hopes of making life better for others. But I don’t think I can make the change that I wish to see from inside the classroom.”
I have to prioritize my family. I can’t allow myself to be so mentally drained that I am incapable of taking care of my own family.
Alex’s resignation comes at a time when teachers across the country are leaving the profession in unprecedented numbers. From 2020 – 2022 more than eight percent of teachers left the profession, citing issues such as low salary, limited retirement benefits, and poor work-life-balance (National Center for Education Statistics). Some teachers, like Alex, are leaving the profession because of anti-LGBTQ+ hostility. Just last year, a Florida teacher resigned from her school after receiving backlash for showing a Disney film, which featured a same-sex couple (CNN). The backlash she received was in part to recent Florida legislation, which bans certain instruction around sexual orientation and gender identity.
We know from research that LGBTQ+ affirming teachers save lives. According to a report done by the Trevor Project, a national nonprofit working to offer mental health services to LGBTQ+ youth, students who received support from their teachers were less likely to experience anxiety and attempt suicide. For many students, especially LGBTQ+ youth, a single supportive adult can decrease the likelihood of bullying, depression and anxiety, according to a report by GLSEN. For the sake of their LGBTQ+ students, we urge states, cities, and school districts to protect LGBTQ+ affirming teachers like Alex, rather than driving them out.
Despite leaving the teaching profession, Alex’s heart remains committed to education and combating injustice and inequality. “While I may not be in a classroom anymore, I will always use my voice to advocate for others whether I am in a classroom or not.”
