What About Us?: The Omission of Queer Experiences in Criminology and Criminal Justice Curricula

• In Event: Centering Diverse Experiences in the Teaching and Graduate School

Abstract

Criminological and criminal justice curricula often stratify core subject matters into weekly or biweekly themes. Although topics such as gender and sexuality have increasingly been included in courses, the identities and experiences highlighted within these conversations primarily reflect cisgender and heterosexual people. When included, conversations about LGBTQIA+, or queer, people are often presented as fragmented “subthemes” that center on victimization and tend to neglect the diverse and resilient experiences within queer communities. In this presentation, we argue that the subversive erasure of queerness within classrooms can be a form of symbolic victimization for LGBTQIA+ students and communities more broadly. Drawing upon diverse bodies of literature and guided by our personal experiences as queer graduate students and educators, this presentation explores the ways in which the scarcity or haphazard inclusion of queer experiences within the classroom can compound feelings of victimization and trauma for queer students. As such, we argue that the choice of if and when to discuss queerness not only communicates whose experiences are worthy of academic attention but also shapes the interaction(s) between future criminal justice practitioners and LGBTQIA+ communities. We conclude by offering recommendations for best and sensitizing practices for the inclusion of queerness within the classroom.

Authors

• Alessandra Early, University of Missouri - St. Louis

• Brian Edward Rainey, University at Albany, SUNY