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The experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual students and staff at a Further Education college in South East England
Author(s) -
White Adam J.,
Magrath Rory,
Thomas Bryan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1002/berj.3443
Subject(s) - lesbian , heteronormativity , homosexuality , gender studies , qualitative research , context (archaeology) , sociology , narrative , pedagogy , psychology , human sexuality , social science , paleontology , philosophy , biology , linguistics
Research exploring the educational experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual ( LGB ) students and staff members has traditionally been characterised by homophobia, hostility, victimisation and marginalisation. Recent research has evidenced a shift in the experiences of LGB young people, to somewhat more accepting and positive narratives, including within post‐compulsory schooling. Yet, there is limited research exploring the lived experiences of LGB staff members in the Further Education context. Utilising inclusive masculinity as a sociological paradigm, this research explores the qualitative data from the narratives of 26 LGB staff and students at one Further Education college in the south of England. The results find a distinct lack of homophobia within this college, a nuanced understanding of homosexually themed language, and an organisational culture of inclusivity and widespread symbolic visibility of the LGB community. Overall, our research aligns with broader social patterns that the experiences for LGB persons is improving.