Black Queer Epistemologies and Rebellious Possibilities in Teacher Education

• In Event: Black Queer World-Making and the Pursuit of Truth in Educational Research

Abstract

By generating knowledge that disrupts hegemonic narratives of truth, Black queer epistemologies (Allen, 2022; Gilbert, 2022; Snorton, 2017) can critically inform the professional and personal development of preservice educators. This paper explores how Black queer epistemologies can reshape common conceptions of sexuality encountered by new educators in teacher education programs. Through an intersectional analysis (Collins, 2015) of the narratives of four Black queer sexuality educators, this paper details how Black queer epistemologies may emphasize four rebellious pedagogical possibilities: centering collective care, erotic pleasure, sexiness development (Gilbert, 2022), and sexual intimacies. While emanating from the embodied knowledge and professional expertise of Black queer sexuality educators, these four pedagogical possibilities demonstrate the capacity of Black queer epistemologies to help preservice teachers of various identities—not just those who identify as Black and queer—to understand their own sexualities and to address sexuality education across K-12 curriculum. Thus, this paper engages the 2023 Annual Meeting theme by illustrating how Black queer epistemologies can shape original and consequential research at the intersection of sexuality education and teacher education.

Author

• Monique Yvonne Perry, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author