“They Didn’t Have Out There Gay
Parents—They Just Looked Like Normal
Regular Parents”: Investigating
Teachers’ Approaches to Addressing
Same-Sex Parenting and Non-normative
Sexuality in the Elementary
School Classroom
WAYNE MARTINO
University of Western Ontario
London, ON, Canada
WENDY CUMMING-POTVIN
Murdoch University
Perth, Australia
ABSTRACT
In this article we draw on queer theoretical and critical literacy perspectives to
investigate elementary school teachers’ pedagogical approaches to addressing
same- sex parenting and non-normative sexuality in the elementary classroom.
Through undertaking case study research, we examine two Australian elementary
school teachers’ reflections on using literacy resources in their classrooms which
include representations of same-sex families/relationships. Our overall aim in
reporting on this study is to provide further insight into the pedagogical potential
for interrupting heteronormativity in the elementary school classroom and within
the broader context of English education. Implications of the research for pre-
service teacher education and for the professional learning of teachers more gen-
erally are outlined.
INTRODUCTION
In this article we draw on interviews in Western Australia with two teachers
who were provided with the opportunity to reflect on the potential for
using literacy resources depicting same-sex parenting and non-normative
sexuality in the elementary school classroom. Such teacher reflections are
© 2011 by The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto
Curriculum Inquiry 41:4 (2011)
Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA, and 9600 Garsington Road,
Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK
doi: 10.1111/j.1467-873X.2011.00557.x