Queering Early Childhood Education: LGBTQ+ Early Childhood Educators Navigating and Challenging Heteronormativity in Early Childhood Education Settings

Harny Carlos Chan Lim

doi:10.18357/jcs513202621795

Authors

Harny Carlos Chan Lim University of Toronto https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0504-6132

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs513202621795

Keywords:

queering, early childhood education, intersectionality, childhood innocence, heteronormativity

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of eight LGBTQ+ early childhood educators (ECEs) in Ontario, Canada to understand the current challenges in navigating the heteronormative spaces within early childhood education settings. Through a queer theoretical framework, with intersectionality in mind, the stories shared remind us that early childhood education operates within the dominant discourses of heteronormativity. The LGBTQ+ ECEs in this study challenge us to uphold our commitment to inclusive and decolonial practices and to acknowledge children as social actors in their learning, which includes grasping the complexities of gender and sexuality.

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