Chapter 1: “We’Re in The Freaking Bible Belt”: A Narrative Analysis of the Complexities of Addressing LGBTQ Topics while Teaching in the Deep South

“I mean, how am I supposed to teach this stuff if all I’m getting is pushback because of my students’ religious beliefs?” Harper¹, a pre-service teacher, expressed her frustration to her peers in a discussion group, describing the ways that her desire to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer (LGBTQ) students rubbed against the prevailing religiously-based cultural values of her practicum placement school and the school’s community. All of those present, excluding me, were in their final year of a teacher certification program and were teaching in public high schools in a variety of communities (urban, suburban, and rural) in the Southeastern United States. As Harper looked around at her other peers, she noted their nods of agreement. Jane spoke up, “Every time I try to bring up a LGBTQrelated topic or deal with homophobic language, my students start quoting scripture at me. They really believe that being gay—hell, being different in just about any way related to gender or sexuality—is a sin. I don’t know how to fight that.”