Teacher positioning on the teaching of sexual diversity in South African schools
Francis, D.A.
Culture Health and Sexuality 14(6): 597-611
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1369-1058 PMID: 22574876 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2012.674558Document Number: 564063
This paper reports on research with 11 high school teachers in Durban and draws on positioning theory to raise important questions on the teaching of issues relating to homosexuality and bisexuality within sexuality education. Using data collected from classroom observations and in-depth interviews, it demonstrates that issues related to sexual diversity were in most cases ignored or avoided by teachers and when teachers did include aspects of homosexuality, they took up positions that endorsed the idea of 'compulsory heterosexuality'. I conclude by paying attention to ways we can deepen the teaching of homosexual and bisexual issues.