Abstract
Expressions of homo/transphobia continue to rupture and sometimes even erase the lives of persons with sexual/gender identity‐difference across the globe. Despite this, experiences with violence of this nature largely go unexamined in peace education scholarship. In order to begin a discussion about sexuality/gender identity‐difference within a peace education context, the author reports on findings from a qualitative research project that he facilitated in which five peace educators from various gender and sexual orientations described their journeys and experiences towards building peace in their respective communities. Findings from this study suggest that these individuals require: (1) an element of workplace cohesion; (2) a steadfast commitment for organizational change; (3) supportive alliances; and (4) an element of forgiveness on their parts in order to move past wrongs done to them and to cement any type of peace‐building continua. Furthermore, a significant thread in this study points toward how peace, for these specific individuals, enters an indeterminate space that is largely responsive to circumstance, timeliness, relationships, conditions and behaviors that the author refers to as ‘peace‐in‐action’.
Acknowledgements
An earlier draft of this paper was delivered at the AERA Annual Conference (2008), New York City. The author would like to thank the following people for their valuable feedback in developing this concept and paper: André Grace, Toh Swee‐hin, Virginia Floresca‐Cawagas, Zane Hamm and the anonymous reviewer(s) with the Journal of Peace Education. He would like to especially thank the five participants in his study for donating their time and knowledge towards this important topic.