163. What Happens When Queer Educators Bring Radical Empathy Into Graduate Classrooms

“Our presence in the classroom is revolutionary, even if all you do is show up with your nails painted.”

In this powerful episode, we dive deep with Lisa Salvador (she/they) and Dr. Fran McLean (she/they), two out queer educators whose work in graduate mental health programs is shaking up what it means to be visible, caring, and unapologetically themselves in higher ed.

Join us as we unpack why queer teachers and LGBTQ+ educators bring unmatched empathy, advocate for inclusive curricula, and model radical acceptance for every student. You’ll hear about:

• How queerness shapes the way teachers build trust, community, and resilience in the classroom
• Why being “out” is a political act—and the subtle, everyday revolutions that matter most
• Real-world strategies for pushing back on heteronormativity, fostering empathy, and bringing queer joy into schools

Whether you’re an LGBTQ+ teacher, an ally, or a queer youth looking for hope, this conversation centers voices often left out of education and mental health. Tap play to discover why your story—and your visibility—matter.

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This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies. It centers support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to combat isolation and foster community.

The podcast explores the challenges and successes of Queer representation in education, addressing issues such as burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the importance of advocacy in creating inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies, with a focus on supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers and gender identity in schools to combat the feeling of isolation and lack of community.

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