Manifestations of Heterosexism in Icelandic Upper Secondary Schools and the Responses of LGBT Students

Abstract

How does institutionalized heterosexism manifest itself in Icelandic upper secondary schools and how do lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students respond to these manifestations? In addressing these questions, interviews were conducted with six current and former LGBT upper secondary school students, using queer theory and thematic analysis. It is argued that institutionalized heterosexism prevails in the structure and culture of the schools under investigation, although to varying degrees. LGBT youth experienced institutionalized heterosexism daily in their dealings with faculty and fellow students. The LGBT students who were interviewed responded to the oppressive nature of institutionalized heterosexism in various ways. Some tried to resist the system actively while others did so more subtly. In general, their stories can be interpreted as having destabilizing effects on the heterosexual system.

KEYWORDS:

• Agency
• hidden curriculum
• discourse
• heterosexism
• Iceland
• LGBT students
• queer theory
• secondary schools

Acknowledgements

We would very much like to give our gratitude to Guðrún Kristinsdóttir, professor at the University of Icleand; Pétur Hrafn Árnason, editor and historian; and Sigrún Sveinbjörnsdóttir, professor at the University of Akureyri, for their good advice, comments, and reading through the manuscript.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jón Ingvar Kjaran

Jón Ingvar Kjaran holds an MA in Human Resource Management from the University of Iceland. He is a doctoral fellow at the University of Iceland, School of Education.

Ingólfur Ásgeir Jóhannesson

Ingólfur Ásgeir Jóhannesson holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has a joint appointment as Professor of Education at the University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri.