The first book of its kind internationally, Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools explores the experiences of bisexual students, mixed sexual orientation families, and polyamorous families in schools. For the first time, a book foregrounds the voices and experiences of these students and families who are "falling into the gaps" or on the borders of a school's gay/straight divide in anti-homophobia policies and programs, and schools recognizing families as meaning either heterosexual couples, or, increasingly, homosexual couples. Drawing from interviews and online research with students, parents, and teachers, as well as providing a comprehensive overview and analysis of international educational and health research, and media/popular cultural texts, this book addresses the following:
· what are the problematic and/or empowering experiences and strategies of bisexual students, multisexual and polyamorous families in educational systems?
· what could schools be doing to promote healthy sexual, emotional and social relationships for bisexual students and multisexual/polyamorous families in school communities?
· what recommendations/implementations do bisexual students and multisexual/polyamorous families suggest in regard to school curriculum, school policies, and student welfare in order to acknowledge and support family diversity in school communities?
In particular, the research findings which are reported in this book show that "border sexualities" and "border families" use three types of strategies:
· passing or normalization and assimilation in school settings;
· bordering or negotiation and navigation between the private world of home and public world of school; and
· polluting or non-compliance and resistance, thereby outing their sexualities and families within the school world. Within a social deconstructionist, multicultural, post-colonial, feminist, queer theoretical framework, this book spans health, education, sociology, psychology, gender, family, sexuality and cultural studies.
Dr. Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli is Senior Lecturer in Social Diversity in Health and Education in the School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
1 "Messing Up the School Sex Filing Cabinet": Introducing the Research 1
2 "On the Bi- and Poly-Borders": Theorizing Dichotomy and Diversity 29
3 "We're the X-Files": When Bisexuality "Messes Up" Sexual Dichotomy in Schools 75
4 "Messing Up the Couples Cabinet": Multisexual and Polyamorous Families in Schools 161
5 From Difference to Diversity: "X-Files" to "whY-Files?" 221
References 237
Index 265
About the Author 277
What People are Saying About This
Ph.D - Loraine Hutchins
All educators, all families need this book. It asks questions that must be asked, yet have not been asked, and shares thoughtful perceptions and suggestions, in ways that may help humanity grow more whole.
Ph.D - Wayne Martino
This is an important and provocative book that challenges conventional notions of family, sexuality and identity. It takes the reader beyond the heteronormative and binary limits for imagining a politics of difference to a place that exposes the erasure of the silenced voices of bisexual and multi-sexual subjects from the field of equity and social justice education.
Ph.D - Geri Weitzman
Border Sexualities is a groundbreaking work which gives an in-depth glimpse of the issues that face sexual minority students, families and teachers within the school system. Furthermore, Pallotta-Chiarolli offers realistic ideas about how to address these issues. This book is a must-read for educators who wish to make their schools safer for all, and for bi, poly and gender-queer folks who are looking for ways to survive and thrive at school.
