Multi-case Study with Canadian Gay Straight Alliances

389 Pages·2015·4.6 MB·English

by  Author Herriot

Multi-case Study with Canadian Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs)

by
Lindsay Herriot

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy
in
Theoretical, Cultural, and International Studies in Education

Department of Educational Policy Studies

©Lindsay Herriot, Fall 2015
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Abstract
School based gay straight alliances (GSAs) are primarily North American extra-
curricular clubs that foster support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
(LGBTQ) and allied middle and secondary students. Founded and led by youth, they can
also take on activist or educational roles, such as lobbying for LGBTQ-inclusive
curricular materials (Micelei, 2005; GSA Network, 2011). The continuing emergence of
GSAs has forced intense public discussions and much debated policymaking decisions on
how schools engage and grapple with LGBTQ topics, and the spectrum of sexual and
gender roles more broadly (Herriot, 2011; Short, 2013a). This is especially true in
educational policy-making, where various jurisdictions have developed, debated,
amended, revised, and resisted GSA affirming policies.
Despite there being nearly 300 GSAs in Canadian schools (mygsa.ca), little is
currently known about how youth members and their teacher advisors perceive the
diverse roles, purposes, and functions of GSAs are and can be. Beyond their immediate
effects on members and their school communities, GSAs mark a new moment in
contemporary theorizing about youth, as they disrupt the dominant notion of youth’s
sexual subjectivity as naturally and universally asexual in practice and heterosexual in
orientation (Bruhm & Hurley, 2004; Robinson, 2013).
The purpose of this study was to understand the pragmatic workings and
theoretical implications of GSAs primarily through working with club members
themselves. Findings from the work with participants were situated within a larger policy
narrative, which was conducted using an interpretive approach using policy documents
relevant to the participating GSAs. Policies generally defined openly or suspected
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LGBTQ students’ safety as the policy problem, which GSAs would then resolve as
designated safe spaces within the school. Although some participants viewed the GSAs’
primary purpose as a harm-reduction strategy in congruence with the policy documents,
many others eschewed its being characterized as such, and resented its reputation as a
“charity case.” In conjunction with recognizing its supportive functions, most participants
emphasized diverse features of their GSA, such as its importance as a valued social
space, or its filling an educational gap regarding LGBTQ content. Not only did
participants from across sites experience the GSA differently, members of the same club
had different reactions to what the club was, and why it was important.
A significant policy revision pertaining to LGBTQ youth in Lower Mainland
schools occurred during data collection. Youth participants’ engagement with the public
consultation process in this policy revision was analyzed as both an extension of the
policy narrative completed prior to data collection, and a close examination of how some
GSA members engage in activism. The dissertation concludes with theory building
related to how youth participants characterized the intersections of youthfulness, voice,
citizenship, and diverse sexual and gender identities.
This research informs theory, practice, and policy-making around how schools
approach youth in general, and LGBTQ and allied youth in particular.
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Preface
This thesis is an original work by Lindsay Herriot. The research project, of which this
thesis is a part, received research ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research
Ethics Board, “Ethnographic Inquiry with Canadian Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs)”, No.
Pro00044137, 10 February, 2014.
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Dedication
This work is dedicated to the participants who so graciously shared their stories and lives
with me, and;
In loving memory of my grandmother, Pte. Gwendolyn Bellows (1921-2015), who
passed away peacefully shortly before this work was completed.
vi
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I need to thank my participants, both youth and adults, who so
generously shared their lived experiences with me. Without their voices and stories, none
of this research would have been possible, and I am utterly indebted to their warmth,
openness, and kindness. I was honoured to share space with them.
Considerable appreciation is owed to my supervisor, Dr. Carla Lee Peck, whose
excellent mentorship in all areas of academic life has been essential to both the
completion of this work, and to my overall growth as a scholar. I have been privileged to
learn from and work with Dr. Peck over the past four years, and have gained invaluable
life lessons from her throughout that time. Her expertise in all matters has been a gift. I
am thankful to my committee members, Dr. Larry Prochner and Dr. Lynette Shultz, who
pushed me to expand my horizons and in so doing, stretched this work to its fullest
potential. Thank you to my external committee member, Dr. Julia Ellis, for your warm
encouragement, and rigorous feedback particularly around methodology. Thank you also
to my external examiner, Dr. Darren Lund, for his time and effort in reviewing the
finalized document, and participating in the defense.
I am thankful to have conducted this research at an institution with such generous
support staff. Thank you to the University of Alberta librarians, in particular those at the
H. T. Coutts branch, and especially to Randy Reichardt, who consistently went above and
beyond in locating the un-findable. Within my home department, thank you to Sandra
Materi, Danielle Stewart, and Joan White for your kindness and patience in teaching me
the ropes in Educational Policy Studies.
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Many thanks to my sister Lara for her superb, eagle-eyed editing of this
manuscript, enthusiastic cheerleading, and general excellence. Thanks also to Dr. Alan
Sears, whose peerless mentorship in both academics and in life over the past seven years
has been a most precious and sacred gift.
I was privileged to have an incredible support system from both within the
academy and outside scholarly life while researching and writing this work. Every
emerging researcher should be so lucky to have an eager team of editors,
conversationalists, and writing companions who will talk through ideas and wrestle with
concepts, both obscure and obvious, until they slowly become clearer. Many thanks for
your friendship, intellectual labours, emotional care, and long dialogues about every
corner of this work, Amy Ashmore; Andrew Merrill; Sarah Bonsor Kurki; Seth Bryant;
Don Cochrane; Julian Dias; Sarah Gilbert; Dr. Mona Gleason; James Grayson; Dr.
Ashley Heaslip; Dr. Dusty Johnstone; Marina Khenson; Joseph Knight; Dr. Rod Knight;
Ali Krahn; Blaine Lewis; Sean Lewis; Mimitch Mahovlich; the late Aaron Mintz; the late
Dr. Stephen Norris; Morgane Oger; Niels Petersen; Kate Reid; Rebekah Sears; Steven
Shea; Rae Ann van Beers; and Leone Wilkinson.
Most importantly, I am deeply thankful to Ryan, my partner in all things. Your
steadfast support, critical feedback, and unyielding encouragement have been essential
from the genesis of this work through to its completion. I am grateful to you most of all.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ ii
Preface ......................................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication ................................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................... viii
List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... xii
List of Figures ......................................................................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of Study .................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Research Questions .................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Clarification of Terminology ................................................................................................... 5
1.3.1 Terms relating to childhood and youth. .................................................................................... 5
1.3.2 Demystifying LGBTT2QAI*. ......................................................................................................... 11
1.4 Brief Description of the Study .............................................................................................. 15
1.5. Organization of Dissertation ............................................................................................... 15
CHAPTER 2: Theoretical Frameworks & Literature Review .................................. 17
2.1 Introduction and Selection of Literature ......................................................................... 17
2.2 Epistemological and Theoretical Perspectives .............................................................. 18
2.2.1. Constructivism. ................................................................................................................................ 18
2.2.2 Feminist theory. ................................................................................................................................ 20
2.2.3 Queer theory. ..................................................................................................................................... 23
2.2.4 Childhood theory. ............................................................................................................................. 27
2.2.4.1 Surveillance and control. ......................................................................................................................... 28
2.2.4.2 Political illegitimacy and children’s participation rights. ......................................................... 29
2.2.4.3 Innocence, sexuality, and schooling. .................................................................................................. 36
2.2.5 Summary of theoretical perspectives. ..................................................................................... 39
2.3 Literature Review ..................................................................................................................... 42
2.3.1 Theoretical constructions of childhood and youth in Canadian schools. ................. 42
2.3.1.1 Compulsory schooling and the Dionysian/Apollonian child. .................................................. 42
2.3.1.2 Educating for gender conformity. ........................................................................................................ 43
2.3.1.3 Educating the ‘good’ youth-citizen. ..................................................................................................... 45
2.3.2 LGBTQ youth in schools. ............................................................................................................... 50
2.2.3.1 Written curricula, legal precedents, and school policy. ............................................................. 50
2.3.2.2 School climate............................................................................................................................................... 54
2.3.3 Gay Straight Alliances: Numbers, locations, and members. ........................................... 59
2.3.3.1 GSA emergence in Canada. ...................................................................................................................... 59
2.3.3.2 A GSA by any other name: Labeling the club. ................................................................................. 63
2.3.3.3 Numbers and locations of GSAs. ........................................................................................................... 64
2.3.3.4 Who attends the GSA?: Youth intersectionality in GSAs. ........................................................... 65
2.3.3.4.1 The ‘straight’ in Gay Straight Alliances. ................................................................................... 65
2.3.3.4.2 LGB- hold the T: Trans exclusion and affirmation in GSAs. ............................................ 67
2.3.3.4.3 Race, class, and faith. ....................................................................................................................... 69
2.3.3.5 Teacher advisors in GSAs. ....................................................................................................................... 69
2.3.4 Purposes, roles, and functions of GSAs ................................................................................... 71
2.3.4.1 Support and ‘safety’ in GSAs. ................................................................................................................. 72
2.3.4.2 Social spaces and belonging. .................................................................................................................. 75
2.3.4.3 Education about queer history and life. ............................................................................................ 77
2.3.4.4 Education as activism. .............................................................................................................................. 78
2.3.4.5 Education as enacting citizenship. ...................................................................................................... 80
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2.3.4.6 GSAs as both continuity and change. .................................................................................................. 82
2.4 Blending Policy, Theory, and GSAs: Ontario’s Bill 13 as Exemplar......................... 83
2.5 Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 86
CHAPTER 3: Methodology and Study Design ............................................................... 88
3.1 Introduction and Rationale for the Methodology ......................................................... 88
3.2 Research Contexts .................................................................................................................... 89
3.3 Methodological Approaches ................................................................................................. 90
3.3.1 Interpretive multi-case studies. ................................................................................................. 90
3.3.2 Interpretive policy analysis. ........................................................................................................ 94
3.3 Ethnographic Methods............................................................................................................ 96
3.4 Study Design: Data Collection .............................................................................................. 97
3.4.1 Selection of policy documents. ................................................................................................... 98
3.4.2 Selection of participating schools. .......................................................................................... 100
3.4.3 Participant profiles. ...................................................................................................................... 101
3.4.3.1 Schools. ......................................................................................................................................................... 102
3.4.3.2 GSAs. .............................................................................................................................................................. 103
3.4.3.3 Participants. ............................................................................................................................................... 105
3.4.4 Observations. .................................................................................................................................. 111
3.4.5 Pre interview activities (PIAs). ................................................................................................ 115
3.4.6 Semi structured interviews and group interview. .......................................................... 116
3.5 Study Design: Data Analysis ................................................................................................ 119
3.5.1 Hermeneutics. ................................................................................................................................. 119
3.6 Researcher Positionality...................................................................................................... 122
3.7 Trustworthiness, Credibility, and Transferability ..................................................... 126
3.8 Challenges of the Research Process ................................................................................. 128
3.9 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 129
CHAPTER 4: Interpretive Policy Analysis ................................................................... 130
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 130
4.2 Policies ....................................................................................................................................... 130
4.3 Interpretive Policy Analysis ............................................................................................... 135
4.3.1 Defining the policy problem. .................................................................................................... 135
4.3.2 Contextual influences on policy problem identification and definition. ................ 138
4.3.3. GSAs as a policy solution. .......................................................................................................... 142
4.3.3.1 GSAs as promoting student safety .................................................................................................... 142
4.3.3.2 GSAs as structural change .................................................................................................................... 145
4.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 146
4.5 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 147
CHAPTER 5: Roles, Purposes, and Functions of GSAs ............................................. 148
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 148
5.2 GSAs as Social Spaces ............................................................................................................ 149
5.2.1 Popularity, social capital, and GSA membership .............................................................. 149
5.2.2 Social relationships within the GSA. ...................................................................................... 157
5.2.3 GSAs fostering a social connection to the school. ............................................................ 165
5.3 Safety and Support in the GSA ............................................................................................ 168
5.3.1 Peer support. ................................................................................................................................... 169
5.3.1.1 Support from allies. ................................................................................................................................. 169
5.3.1.2 Support from queer peers. ................................................................................................................... 178
5.3.2 Support from adults. .................................................................................................................... 182
5.3.3 Support and safety: Overlap and divergence..................................................................... 184
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5.3.3.1 Safe from what? ........................................................................................................................................ 184
5.3.3.2 Safe for whom? .......................................................................................................................................... 190
5.3.3.2.1 Trans. ................................................................................................................................................... 190
5.3.3.2.2 Ethnocultural diversity. ............................................................................................................... 194
5.3.3.2.3 Religion. .............................................................................................................................................. 196
5.3.3.3 Safe to do what? ........................................................................................................................................ 198
5.4 Education, Activism, and the GSA ..................................................................................... 199
5.4.1 Broad conceptions of anti-homophobia education ......................................................... 199
5.4.2 LGBTQ education within the GSA. .......................................................................................... 201
5.4.3 Dialogue. ........................................................................................................................................... 207
5.4.4 LGBTQ education inside the classroom. .............................................................................. 214
5.4.5 GSA-led education and activism throughout the school. .............................................. 219
5.4.5.1 Events. ........................................................................................................................................................... 219
5.4.5.2 Posters. ......................................................................................................................................................... 223
5.4.5.3 Calling out. .................................................................................................................................................. 234
5.5 Overlapping Social, Supportive, and Educative Functions in the GSA ................. 238
5.6 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 240
CHAPTER 6: Activism in GSAs .......................................................................................... 242
6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 242
6.2 Policy ACB (2014): Summary and context ..................................................................... 242
6.3 Policy ACB and washroom access ..................................................................................... 244
6.3.1 Importance of gender-neutral washrooms for trans youth. ....................................... 244
6.3.2 Adult opposition to gender-neutral washrooms. ............................................................. 248
6.4 Policy ACB and Student Voice ............................................................................................ 253
6.5 Policy ACB: Citizenship and the Right to Recognition ............................................... 263
6.6 Situating Policy ACB Within the GSA Policy Landscape ............................................ 267
6.5 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 269
CHAPTER 7: Theory-Building From Work With GSAs ............................................. 271
7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 271
7.2 GSAs in Elementary Schools ................................................................................................ 272
7.3 Surfaced Themes .................................................................................................................... 273
7.3.1 Innocence, homophobia, and the Apollonian child. ........................................................ 273
7.3.2 Childism, exceptionalism, and the Apollonian child. ...................................................... 275
7.3.3. Apollonian rebuttals to contrary evidence. ....................................................................... 278
7.3.4 Children’s homophobia and the Dionysian child. ............................................................ 284
7.3.5 Childism, exceptionalism, and the Dionysian child. ........................................................ 286
7.4. Smothered Themes ............................................................................................................... 288
7.5 Significance of Themes ......................................................................................................... 294
7.5.1 Significance of the surfaced themes. ..................................................................................... 294
7.5.2 Significance of smothered themes. ........................................................................................ 295
7.6 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 296
CHAPTER 8: Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 297
8.1 Summary of Findings ............................................................................................................ 297
8.2 Implications for Policy .......................................................................................................... 301
8.3 Implications for Practice ..................................................................................................... 304
8.4 Recommendations for Future Research......................................................................... 306
References .............................................................................................................................. 308
Appendix A – Participant Information Letter ............................................................ 343