A reflection of resistance : discourses of heterosexism and homophobia in teacher training classrooms

Training pre-service teachers about lesbian and gay issues and heterosexism is crucial to counteracting the harassment of young people and teachers in schools, in promoting social change and enhancing the quality of life of lesbian and gay individuals. However, this discussion focuses on pre-service teachers' resistance to addressing lesbian and gay issues in schooling. The forms of resistance encountered are many, and include the personal perception of the relevance of lesbian and gay issues to teaching in schools and the various discourses in which these perceptions are situated. This discussion reflects upon the experience of the authors, who have taught social justice issues in education to pre-service teachers in a metropolitan university in Sydney, Australia.