Negotiating the Closet: Emotional Labor and Identity Challenges of Queer Educators

• In Event: Exploring Contextual Factors in the Lives of Teachers

Abstract

This research investigates the intricate relationship between the theory of the closet and labor in
the lives of queer educators by employing an interpretive, critical social justice theory paradigm
and application of Quare Studies. Derived from a narrative inquiry study involving 15 openly queer K12 educators, this work aims to understand how queer educators experience, identify, and create support systems to foster a sense of belonging in schools. The data reveal the emotional, social, and professional labor involved in navigating the closet and its impact on queer educators.
Keywords: Quare, K12, queer, LGBTQIA+, closet, labor

Author

• Whitney Neumeyer Roach, University of South Carolina