Homotolerance and heteronormativity in Norwegian classrooms

Abstract

This article is based on classroom observations and discusses sexual education that addresses homosexuality. Tolerance of queer lifestyles as well as support for judicial equality between heterosexual and homosexual couples is generally perceived as being high in the Norwegian political context. Norwegian sexual politics is, however, based on a binary understanding of sexuality, linked to stable and authentic sexual identities, and this perspective is highly influential in Norwegian education on sexuality. Homotolerance appears to be the most prominent ambition when teachers deal with homosexuality in their teaching. Informed by queer theory, I intend to investigate how teaching that sets out to create homotolerance reproduces heteronormativity. I will argue that even though education on homosexuality may create increased homotolerance, the very same education does also marginalise and stigmatise homosexuality as well as reproduce binary and heteronormative concepts of sexuality.

Keywords:

• sexual education
• heteronormativity
• homosexuality
• queer theory
• antioppressive education
• Norwegian curriculum
• Norwegian sexual politics

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Stine Helena Svendsen and Emily Gray for encouragement and very helpful comments while working on this article.

Notes

1. Though it is not obvious from the question that the problem at hand concerns homosexuality, this was the intended reading of the test’s question.