A series of anarcho-queer engagements about LGBTQ+ teacher identity in STEM disciplines

Horswell, Michael

Abstract

Even in social and professional contexts in which workplace diversity is considered a positive contributing aspect to institutional success, the experience of LGBTQ+ employees has repeatedly been shown to be marked by the adoption of defensive strategies to smooth their way within heteronormative workplaces. STEM disciplines have notably been recognised as stridently masculinist and heteronormative. This research set out to explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ teaching academics in STEM. The commitment to anarcho-queer praxis informed the methodological and interpretative strategies, the ethic of open engagement with collaborators, the refusal of specific research questions, and the adoption of an auto-ethnographic approach to reportage. The series of open engagements with a purposively recruited cohort of collaborators revealed consistent feelings of vulnerability within their work environment, which was exacerbated in classroom situations. Collaborators could relate such feelings back to historic homophobic experiences, albethey of different levels of severity. In response to such feelings, collaborators adopted impression management behaviours in their professional contexts, corroborating the findings of other researchers into the workplace experiences of LGBTQ+ people. Such feelings and behaviours persisted despite the recognition of specific protections afforded by institutional policy. Recommendations focussed on creating an institutional culture to negate the need for LGBTQ+ people to adopt defensive strategies are presented. A framework for supporting open autoethnographic research is presented. Structuring Openness in Autoethnographic Research (SOAR) defines a process integrating four spaces, the Theoretical space – revealing the theoretical network supporting the project, the Contextual space – framing the ethico-relational and social context, the Conceptual space – providing focus within which open engagements can occur, and the Analytical space – defining the approach to data. It is presented as a methodological development arising from the research, which is of use to researchers embarking on similar projects and of value in assessing the quality of qualitative research.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Dec 5, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: May 15, 2024
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11468870
• Award Date: May 15, 2024