Chapter 10: “Come Out, Come Out, Where You Are!”: Bringing LGBT Matters Out of the Early Childhood Education Closet

To Current and Future Queer Early Childhood Educators,

Deciding to become an early childhood educator was the best decision of my professional life. When I made this decision, however, I did not plan addressing social justice, particularly LGBT matters, with 4 year olds. I now recognize this as one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. If I am honest, it has also been the most challenging. These challenges stemmed from being uncertain how to bring LGBT matters in the classroom, knowing that there would be resistance to this and wondering how it could be best addressed. There seemed to be precious few examples for me to follow. So these challenges have bought learning earned through tried and tested attempts to incorporate LGBT matters into early childhood education. The successes have taught me that heteronormativity can be challenged successfully even by one person. It has also shown me the benefit of being prepared to address resistance to change. I have learned also that LGBT specific resources can be used in meaningful ways to dismantle the stronghold of heteronormativity in the silence of LGBT matters by creating spaces for discussions. Finally, I have learned the value of the perspective of a queer educator. I share these with you now and offer some tangible examples of what worked in the hope that they will ignite within you an interest and a sense of possibility for what might be.