Queering Education: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Teaching, Queer Pedagogy, and Real Classroom Practice

Every student deserves to see their family and themselves reflected in the classroom. But what does LGBTQ-inclusive education actually look like in an elementary school, especially in a community where support isn't guaranteed?

New Jersey fourth-grade teacher Max Rodriguez (he/they) shares how he thoughtfully weaves inclusive curriculum, family representation, and social justice into everyday teaching while navigating community expe...

A library can be more than a place to borrow books. For many young people, it can be the first place they truly see themselves.

Future librarian Hunter shares why they chose librarianship after originally planning to become a social justice lawyer and explains how inclusive library collections can help children, teens, and families feel represented. Drawing from their own experiences as a queer immigrant and person of color, Hunter ...

A welcoming classroom doesn't happen by accident. It grows from the choices educators make every day about representation, belonging, and whose stories deserve to be told.

Seventh grade science teacher Stephan Hoda joins Bryan Stanton to talk about creating affirming classrooms where queer students feel seen while every student benefits. From teaching mythology through a more inclusive lens to advising a middle school Queer Student ...

Bryan Stanton sits down with New Jersey educator and advocate Steve Koumoulis to explore what LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually looks like in everyday classrooms. From queer history to curriculum design, this conversation offers practical ideas for educators who want to create more inclusive classrooms through authentic storytelling rather than token representation.

Steve shares his work helping bring New Jersey's LGBTQ-inclusive cu...

Daniel “Dan Dan” Clark joins Queering Education live from the NJEA Carol Watchler LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Conference to discuss LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, school counseling, and creating truly inclusive classrooms where students feel seen, supported, and safe. As an openly queer school counselor, Daniel shares how visibility, authenticity, and relationship-building can transform a student's experience in school.

From discoverin...

How can LGBTQ-inclusive teaching and queer pedagogy help students find their voice? In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with dance educator Micah Gary-Fryer to explore how movement, social justice, and arts education create more inclusive classrooms where students feel seen, valued, and empowered. 

Drawing from more than two decades in education and the performing arts, Micah shares how dance can beco...

For decades, Carol Watchler has been at the forefront of LGBTQ education advocacy, helping educators create more inclusive classrooms while navigating shifting political climates. In this conversation, she reflects on the history of queer pedagogy, LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, and the power of community in sustaining educators through challenging times.

Drawing on years of experience with the New Jersey Education Association, the NEA L...

What does it mean to be the teacher you needed when you were young? In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton talks with educator and author Joe Chianakas about LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer visibility, and why representation remains essential in both K–12 and higher education.

Drawing on more than 25 years in education, Joe reflects on his journey from a closeted high school teacher to an openly queer professor. ...

When we talk about LGBTQ inclusive teaching, many educators assume meaningful support requires a major initiative. Sue Granzella’s story suggests something different: inclusive classrooms are often built through small, visible acts of care, consistency, and courage. In this conversation, we explore queer pedagogy, classroom inclusion, allyship, and what educators can do to better support LGBTQ students and colleagues.

After re...

Host Bryan Stanton (they/them) sits down with agender educator, sj Miller (none) to discuss ways to support students navigating their identities and socialization. This episode dives into LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer pedagogy, and the realities of building inclusive classrooms in today’s policy climate. Through lived experience and classroom practice, we explore what it actually means to show up for queer and trans student...

What does LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually look like in real classrooms—not theory, not policy, but day-to-day practice? This episode explores how queer pedagogy and inclusive teaching show up through kindness, boundaries, and honest conversations with students.

Bryan Stanton sits down with educator Christian Shearhod to talk about what it means to create inclusive classrooms in a time when even basic respect feels politicize...

What does LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually look like beyond posters and policies? This episode digs into the real work of building inclusive classrooms through queer pedagogy, lived experience, and practical strategies educators can use right now.

Bryan sits down with Shelby Hall Denney from PFLAG NYC’s Safe Schools program to unpack what it means to move from performative allyship to meaningful classroom inclusion. From navi...

This episode dives into LGBTQ inclusive teaching, queer pedagogy, and what it really means to create inclusive classrooms—not through curriculum alone, but through presence. Featuring trans educator Hill Werth, this conversation explores how identity, visibility, and authenticity shape student experiences in powerful ways.

We get into the realities of teaching while trans, navigating different education systems, and how simply...

In this episode of Queering Education, Bryan Stanton (they/them) sits down with Emilia (she/her), a graduate teaching assistant and first-year PhD student at the University of California Davis, to talk about discovering your teaching identity while navigating queerness, accessibility, and classroom culture.

Emilia reflects on her journey from the U.S. South to a more affirming academic space, and how that shift shaped her ap...

In this solo episode, Bryan Stanton (they/them) walks through what inclusive teaching actually looks like when policies feel vague, pressure is real, and every classroom decision carries weight. This isn’t theory—it’s what you can do tomorrow to support students while staying grounded in your professional role.

If you’ve ever found yourself editing your language, second-guessing your curriculum, or wo...

What if inclusive education isn’t political—or optional—but necessary for learning itself?

In this solo episode, Bryan Stanton (they/them) breaks down what’s actually happening in education right now and reframes inclusion as a core pedagogical issue, not a cultural debate. From Universal Design for Learning to culturally responsive teaching and queer pedagogy, this episode connects theory to real classroom p...

In this episode of Teaching While Queer, host Bryan Stanton (they/them) sits down with Damon Carbajal (he/el), Director of Chapter Network and Program Integration at Glisten, to talk about the resources available to educators who want to better support LGBTQ+ students.

From lesson plans and GSA support to affirming book programs and national student initiatives, Damon shares how Glisten is evolving to meet the needs of today’s...

In this episode, host Bryan Stanton talks with Deb Fowler about the work of History UnErased, a nonprofit bringing LGBTQ+ history into K–12 classrooms through primary sources, theater, and creative learning.

Deb shares how their project “The Past Is Always Present” helps students explore LGBTQ+ history through original plays, music, and improv exercises grounded in real historical documents. The result? Students ar...

In this episode, host Bryan Stanton (they/them) talks with Katherine Bogen (she/her), a sixth-year doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Nebraska. Katherine’s work focuses on bisexual identity, experiences of violence, and how disclosure impacts relationships and healing. She shares what it means to conduct “me-search” that honors queer lived experience—and what it felt like when fed...