Abstracts
Abstract
This study explores the experiences of eight LGBTQ+ early childhood educators (ECEs) in Ontario, Canada to understand the current challenges in navigating the heteronormative spaces within early childhood education settings. Through a queer theoretical framework, with intersectionality in mind, the stories shared remind us that early childhood education operates within the dominant discourses of heteronormativity. The LGBTQ+ ECEs in this study challenge us to uphold our commitment to inclusive and decolonial practices and to acknowledge children as social actors in their learning, which includes grasping the complexities of gender and sexuality.
Keywords:
- queering,
- early childhood education,
- intersectionality,
- childhood innocence,
- heteronormativity
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Appendices
Biographical note
Harny Carlos Chan Lim (they/he) is a registered early childhood educator and a graduate of the Master of Arts in Early Childhood Studies Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Currently, they are a PhD candidate in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Harny is interested in research that engages queer and trans* studies and a queer of colour critique to inform queering early childhood education, which includes gender and sexuality education in early childhood. They are also a part-time instructor in the Early Childhood Education Program at Centennial College in Toronto, Canada. Email: harny.chanlim@mail.utoronto.ca
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