Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools
Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli
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.
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 290 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9½
978-0-7425-1035-7 • Hardback • June 2010 • $119.00 • (£92.00)
978-0-7425-1036-4 • Paperback • June 2010 • $56.00 • (£43.00)
978-1-4422-0383-9 • eBook • May 2010 • $53.00 • (£41.00)
Series: Curriculum, Cultures, and (Homo)Sexualities Series
Subjects: Social Science / Gender Studies, Education / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects, Education / Student Life & Student Affairs, Social Science / Sociology / Marriage & Family
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.
Chapter 1 "Messing Up the School Sex-Filing Cabinet": Introducing The Research
Chapter 2 "On the Bi- and Poly-Borders": Theorizing Dichotomy and Diversity
Chapter 3 "We're the X-Files": When Bisexuality "Messes Up" Sexual Dichotomy in Schools
Chapter 4 "Messing Up the Couples-Cabinet": Polyamorous Families in Schools
Chapter 5 "From Difference to Diversity": From "X-files" to "whY- files?"
Sexual identity is a hot topic today, with the national debates over the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy and same-sex marriage, and the increasing numbers of university programs in queer studies. Pallotta-Chiarolli (Deakin Univ. Melbourne, Australia) asks readers to set aside a bifurcated view of sexual identity (gay/straight) and consider the lives of those who are bisexual and/or are involved in committed polyamorous relationships....Recommended.
— Choice Reviews
Pallotta-Chiarolli seeks in Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools to show us how bi students and poly family members need educators' attention and compassion as well....Pallotta-Chiarolli has set herself an ambitious task, and she rises to the occasion again and again....Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools is a compelling study of overlooked students. Moreover, it functions as an academic and an activist text, calling attention to the needs of bi students and those from alternative family structures, while also showing us ways to address their concerns and, in the process, making education truly more accessible, more enlightened and more humane.
— Journal of Bisexuality
Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools is a timely publication, given the recent press attention given to teenage suicides as a direct result of homophobic bullying-mistreatment by their peers relating to perceived or actual sexual orientation….The book is a first of its kind, and as such, takes great pains to do background work and to share first hand experience by students and their parents.
— Lisa Keele; Bi Women Magazine At Biwomenboston.Org.Au
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.
— Wayne Martino Ph.D, University of Western Ontario
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.
— Loraine Hutchins Ph.D, Bi Any Other Name, BiNet USA, Towson University
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.
— Geri Weitzman, PhD
Pallota-Chiarolli describes her aims in writing this book as, 'broadening, interrogating and adding to ongoing debates and activism regarding sexual diversity and relationship diversity'. She does so in a passionate, yet well-documented manner.
— Sex Education:Sexuality, Society and Learning
·The first book that has ever been written on bisexual students and "queerly mixed", polyamorous families in schools
·The book spans health, education, sociology, psychology, gender, family and sexuality studies
·The book has a strong multicultural, post-colonial, feminist queer theoretical framework
·The book constructs a schema for exploring the various strategies "border sexualities" and "border families" use to minimize discrimination, marginalisation and harassment in schools: passing (normalization), bordering (negotiation) and polluting (non-compliance).
·For the first time, a book foregrounds the voices and narratives and experiences of these students and families in schools
·The book pulls together and provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of existing research, policy, publications and media/popular cultural texts on these issues.