7: LGBTQ+ Leadership in the Catholic School Context

‘Can you be a Catholic and transgender teacher?’ This was a question asked directly to me by a student when I first started teaching as Mr White at the Catholic secondary school I attended and was baptised in. I was blindsided. The question necessitated a complex response about what makes a teacher, a Catholic and how those roles can co-exist. Prior to this point, I had not really spoken about my transition at school. During my interview, I was told that I did not need to respond to students’ questions about my private life. In hindsight, I wish I had been more open from the outset.