‘Queering’ Gender: Heteronormativity in early childhood education

1. ‘Queering’ Gender: Heteronormativity in early childhood education By: Kerry H. Robinson Australian Journal of Early Childhood June 2005, Vol. 30(2) Presentation: Meagan Montpetit October 28, 2009

2. Purpose of Article • To identify how heternormativity is perpetuated in common educational discourse • To offer possible explanations for heternormativity • To offer pedagogical practices to change dominant ideals

3. What is heternormativity? “The term is used to designate how heterosexuality is constituted as the norm in sexuality” (Robinson, 19) • It is constructed through the process of normalisation. • It is often related to biological definitions of male and female.

4. What is heternormativity? Video on children’s representations of gender http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWc1e3Nbc2g&feature=related

5. Butler’s concepts of performativity and ‘heterosexaul matrix’ • Performativity refers to establishing societal norms through the repetition and recitation of specific discourses. • Children ‘act’ out hegemonic representations of gender specific roles that are historically and culturally significant

6. The invisible nature of heternormivity Children who are exposed to homosexuality on a regular basis, must question dominant norms of sexuality, children who are not exposed to homosexuality do not.

7. The invisible nature of heternormivity • Adult fear of sexualizing children, but... • Children are being exposed to sexuality • Popular media, adult reinforcement of gender stereotypes. • Many children do not discuss sexual abuse, possibly because sexual topics are so taboo • Ruin child’s innocence. • Fear that discussing homosexuality with children will ‘make them gay’

8. Heternormativity in early childhood education

9. Heternormativity is represented in: • Books • Common childhood role playing games • Movies • Ads • Toys geared toward gender

10. Queer Theory • Sexual identities are not fixed or stable, but shifting, dynamic, and constructed • Challenges the normality of heterosexuality, and the ‘othering’ of non-heterosexual identities • Challenges that one’s sexuality and gender are fixed in one’s biological sexed body

11. Queer pedagogy • Informed by queer theory • Critically examine representations of heteronormativeity • Seeks to indentify ‘commonsense’ practises that perpetuate gender and sexual stereotypes • Identify normalising discourses that attribute power to specific sexual identities • Encourages educators to ask questions that critically unpack discourses that normalise specific gender and sexual roles • Examine the heteronomalization of children’s worlds contribute to the development of the gender and sexual identities.

12. Discussion • Breakout 1: Judith, David, Pazit, Daniel, Roger Discuss adult fear over prematurely exposing children to sexuality. What are the implications of not discussing sexuality with children, in your opinion? • Breakout 2: Andree, Tahani, Lisa, ,Tara Discuss where you have seen examples of representations of homosexuality within education. Is homosexuality presented as normal as heterosexuality in these instances? • Breakout 3: Maria, Liliam, Audrey, Sonia, Discuss examples of how gender roles, explicitly express heternormavity and your experiences of this in the classroom. • Breakout 4: Sarah, Lauren, Amy, Vicki Many parents are apprehensive about their children being exposed to homosexuality, how as an educator can you approach the subject with your students to ensure parents feel comfortable?