Unnormalizing Education

Recently, with the number of students from higher education and K-12 settingscommitting suicide, it is apparent that homophobia and homophobic bullying aretremendous problems in our schools and universities. However, educators areunclear about an appropriate process for addressing these challenges. In this book,Jones postulates that we must begin exploring the culture of educationalenvironments as they relate to sexual difference, in order to begin conceptualizingways in which we may begin to address homophobia and heteronormativity. To thatend, this book addresses how educators (at all levels) must begin examining how their concepts about differentsexual identities are normalized through socializing processes and schooling. In doing so, this book examineshow individuals construct meanings about homophobia and hate language through contextual oppositions, how educational environments maintain a ''false tolerance when claiming to be tolerant of different sexualidentities, how a hierarchy of hate language exists in educational environments, among other issues related tocreating safe places for all students. In essence, the book attempts to unnormalize society's constructions ofsexual identity by deconstructing the social norms.