Can I Be Myself Here? LGBTQ+ Teachers in Church of England Schools

Set against the current societal and religious contexts that Church of England schools find themselves positioned in, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) teachers must navigate the contested space between their embodied identity and expectations of others. Whilst this research focuses specifically on Church of England schools in England, broader questions of belonging, purpose, and pedagogy are argued to transcend geographical and denominational boundaries. In this series of six interviews with teachers at different career stages who work, or have worked, in Church of England secondary and primary schools, we explore their lived experience of balancing their queer identity against the professional standards of teaching and the views of the school community. Five LGBTQ+ teachers and one ally were interviewed—all but one of whom hold or held senior leadership positions. Key foci for the researchers were discussions around the often-unacknowledged pressure and responsibility that teachers might feel for being a role model for the LGBTQ+ community, with particular nuances due to the Church school context, and, in particular, if the teachers felt that the school environment enabled them to be their authentic selves. An overarching concern was the extent to which LGBTQ+ teachers felt that they were able to thrive in these communities. One consideration for the authors was a hope that key messages could be shared with Diocesan Education Leaders that might enable future generations of LGBTQ+ teachers to feel that they were being appropriately supported and enabled.