When
15 APR 2024
2.00 PM - 3.30 PM
2.00 PM - 3.30 PM
Where
Online via Zoom
School leaders face many challenges in leading schools. Identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) and being a school leader places additional layers of complexity on the person. Research suggest LGBT-identifying persons experience marginalisation, oppression, silencing, inauthenticity, and disenfranchisement. This paper seeks to explore the challenges and complexities they face, the impact this has on their ability to effectively lead, and ways these challenges and complexities can be ameliorated.
A major theory underpinning the research field is identity management. This refers to the hypervigilant analysis that LGBT school leaders make in any of their surroundings, and all the subconscious adjustments they make to protect the integrity of their identity.
Drawing on narrative theory and identity management, the proposed paper will examine the experiences of LGBT primary school leaders in Australia from public, Catholic, and independent school sectors. Using narrative theory and drawing on semi-structured interviews with Australian LGBT school leaders, their responses will be used to create a framework that highlights the challenges and complexities they face. Suggestions for ways to ameliorate their complexities will be extracted from their responses.
The proposed paper will contribute new insights to this under-researched area within the primary school Australian context. Currently, most research available is limited to American high schools and universities with Caucasian participants. It is hoped that these findings can be used to create positive change for Australian LGBT primary school leaders, and that the paper can be replicated globally and provide positive change.
Keywords: LGBT school leader, primary school, grounded theory, semi-structured interview, Australia
For more information, please email the Graduate Research School or phone 0746 311088.