Reciprocity of the Identity: Perception of Students and Influence of LGBTQIA+ Teacher A Qualitative Study

Education should champion inclusivity, yet prejudice against LGBTQIA+ educators persists globally. Schools, meant to foster open-mindedness, often reinforce discrimination, forcing teachers like me to navigate systemic biases and conceal our identities. Across regions, LGBTQIA+ teachers face microaggressions, job insecurity, and exclusion, affecting their well-being and professional growth. In the Philippines, cultural conservatism exacerbates these challenges, leaving many feeling isolated and unprotected. This prejudice impacts students too, depriving them of diverse role models. Urgent change is needed to create safer, more affirming educational spaces. This study aimed to understand grade 12 students’ perceptions of LGBTQIA+ teachers’ social interactions and identity. Using a descriptive qualitative approach with 10 purposively sampled students’, sub-themes emerged such as the family and social peers influence, and the school and classroom influence under student–teacher social interaction as perceived by the students. While in the identity of LGBTQIA+ teachers as perceived by the students includes the following sub-themes, fostering acceptance, effective and engaging teaching, creating a safe and supportive spaces, encouraging equality and inclusivity, building confidence and support, and empowering, academic growth through feedback and motivation. Future research should explore LGBTQIA+ teachers’ social interactions and identity formation, using emerging sub-themes as key indicators. A phenomenological approach will help examine my lived experiences as an educator, focusing on identity shaped through interactions with students, colleagues, and the school community. Through narrative inquiry, I will document personal stories, while classroom observations and student focus groups will provide insights into real-time interactions. Thematic analysis and in-depth interviews with educators will deepen discussions on inclusivity and representation in education.