Zsofia Leary knows what it means to move through a school system where queer identities are rarely acknowledged—and what it can mean when educators choose to create something different. An MPA student at NYU Wagner, advocate, former music teacher, and queer person raised in Indiana, Zsofia joins Bryan to talk about the connection between education policy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and the everyday choices that help students feel safe and seen. 

Their conversation explores the difference between visible signs of support and meaningful allyship, including why a Pride flag or inclusive book is only a beginning. Zsofia also shares insights from research with LGBTQ+ people who attended high school in Indiana, reflects on navigating restrictive education policies, and discusses the importance of community, cultural humility, and listening to what marginalized students actually say they need. 

In this episode, you will:

• Explore why meaningful allyship requires action beyond symbols of inclusion, especially when students experience bullying, misgendering, or exclusion. 
• Understand how restrictive education policies and school culture can shape queer students’ sense of safety, belonging, and representation. 
• Consider how educators can build community by listening to marginalized students, intervening in harmful moments, and recognizing the impact even one supportive adult can have. 

Zsofia’s reminder that educators “have more impact than you think” speaks directly to the work of Queering Education: building schools where care, affirmation, and belonging are practiced rather than simply promised. This conversation invites educators to consider the choices they make each day—and how those choices can help a student know they are not alone.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

Tomorrow on Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with Darek Ciszek, a former middle school teacher and UCLA researcher whose dissertation examines LGBTQ-inclusive education in Scotland.

After watching anti-LGBTQ+ education policies spread in the United States, Darek went looking for a different model. He found one in Scotland, where LGBTQ+ inclusion has been integrated across curriculum, grade levels, and subject areas—with implementation support to help educators actually put policy into practice. 

From two dads appearing naturally in a math problem to queer historical figures being incorporated into existing lessons, Darek explains why representation doesn’t always need a special month, designated bookshelf, or standalone lesson. Sometimes the most powerful inclusion happens when queer people are simply part of the everyday curriculum.

Bryan and Darek also explore gender stereotypes, student wellbeing, LGBTQ+ books in school libraries, teacher professional development, and what American educators can learn from Scotland’s approach.

And for educators wondering where to begin, Darek offers a powerful reminder: meaningful change doesn’t have to start with rebuilding your entire curriculum. It can begin by connecting LGBTQ+ inclusion to the lessons, frameworks, and knowledge students already have.

What could education look like if LGBTQ+ students didn’t have to wait for Pride Month to see themselves represented?

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

Tomorrow on Queering Education, Bryan Stanton sits down with Dr. Shanéa Thomas—a social worker, sexuality educator, educator, grief counselor, death doula, and Black queer nonbinary parent—for a conversation about what it really means to teach gender and sexuality inclusively.

Dr. Thomas challenges the idea that queer and trans identities are exceptions we need to explain. Instead, what if we started with the understanding that all of us exist somewhere on spectrums of gender, sexuality, attraction, and identity—and that those things can change throughout our lives?

Together, Bryan and Shanéa unpack how gender socialization begins before children can even speak, why traditional sex education so often fails young people, what accessible and inclusive sexuality education can look like, and why parents need to get comfortable having conversations about bodies, identity, attraction, and consent.

They also talk about queer parenting, disability justice, code-switching, organizational responsibility, burnout among queer and trans service providers, and Shanéa’s work exploring how institutions can better care for the people doing this work.

And through it all comes one powerful reminder: queer people have been here for eons. We may have to change how we move through the world, but we are not going anywhere.

Resources:
Cory Silverberg Books: What Makes a Baby, Sex is a Funny Word, You Know, Sex. 

Connect with Dr. Thomas

LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

What does it look like to keep doing queer and trans work in education when funding is disappearing, scholars are feeling pressure to hide what they study, and institutions are starting to pull back?

Matt Brim joins me to talk about queer studies, higher education, and the work of creating space for LGBTQ+ research and scholarship. Matt is a professor of queer studies at the College of Staten Island and the executive director of CLAGS, the Center for LGBTQ Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center. 

We talk about how Matt found his way from American literature and James Baldwin into queer studies, what the academic job market actually looks like, and why unionized higher education has made such a difference in his own career.

We also get into the work CLAGS is doing to support emerging scholars through conferences, fellowships, research opportunities, and its advanced certificate in LGBTQ studies. And, because this is the reality right now, we talk about funding cuts, pressure on queer and trans research, and how educators and organizations can keep building community without pretending there is one right way to respond.

In this conversation:

•  How Matt found his way into queer studies 
•  The reality of the tenure-track academic job market 
•  How CLAGS supports LGBTQ+ research and emerging scholars 
•  What funding cuts are doing to queer organizations and researchers 
•  Why collaboration and small donations matter 
•  How educators can stay connected while making choices that fit their own circumstances 

If you’re an educator trying to figure out how to keep doing meaningful work while also thinking about safety, visibility, and community, this conversation is for you.

Listen to the full episode of Queering Education and share it with someone who should be part of the conversation.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

Three teachers reported a T-shirt. There weren't even students in the building.

That moment became one of many reminders that for nonbinary special education teacher Alex Holdford, visibility at work isn't just personal. It's political.

Alex joins Bryan Stanton to share what it's like teaching in a self-contained special education classroom while navigating increasingly restrictive policies in Texas. From wearing subtle nonbinary symbols to building trust with students who communicate differently, Alex explains how authenticity, community, and compassion can coexist even when systems make them difficult.

The conversation moves beyond one controversial shirt to explore why special education requires deep relationships, why students know when they're truly safe, and how queer educators continue finding ways to support children without losing themselves in the process.

In this conversation:

•  Why three teachers reported a T-shirt during an in-service day with no students present 
•  Navigating life as a nonbinary educator under changing Texas policies 
•  Why Alex believes special education can be one of the safest places for queer educators 
•  Helping students build communication instead of simply managing behavior 
•  Local LGBTQ+ organizations creating belonging beyond the classroom 
•  Why educators need boundaries that protect their joy 

Whether you teach special education, work alongside LGBTQ+ students, or simply believe every educator deserves to show up authentically, this conversation is a reminder that visibility doesn't always look loud. Sometimes it looks like a lanyard, a coffee cup, or a T-shirt.

Listen, follow, and share this episode with an educator who needs the reminder that they're not alone.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

For many LGBTQ+ educators, the hardest lesson wasn't how to teach. It was believing there was a place for them in the classroom at all.

Richard MacDonald shares how growing up under the legacy of Section 28 shaped his understanding of what it meant to be a teacher, why he believed his queer identity didn't belong at school, and the student who helped change that perspective. Now an assistant principal, English teacher, and PhD researcher exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ educators, Richard reflects on what authentic leadership looks like and why creating schools where educators can be themselves ultimately benefits every student.

Together, Bryan and Richard explore how policies can leave cultural scars long after they're repealed, the importance of learning from experiences different from our own, and how building community can help LGBTQ+ educators move from isolation to belonging.

In this conversation:

•  Why Richard once believed he couldn't be both queer and a teacher 
•  How one student's Pride flag changed his approach to leadership 
•  The lasting impact of Section 28 on LGBTQ+ educators 
•  Teaching queer history through language and literature 
•  Creating school cultures where educators can be authentically themselves 
•  Finding connection through research and international educator networks 

Whether you're an LGBTQ+ educator, an ally, or a school leader, this conversation is a reminder that visibility matters and that no educator should have to choose between authenticity and their profession. Listen, follow, and share this episode with someone helping make schools more welcoming for everyone.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

Every student deserves to see their family and themselves reflected in the classroom. But what does LGBTQ-inclusive education actually look like in an elementary school, especially in a community where support isn't guaranteed?

New Jersey fourth-grade teacher Max Rodriguez (he/they) shares how he thoughtfully weaves inclusive curriculum, family representation, and social justice into everyday teaching while navigating community expectations. Drawing on more than three decades in education, Max reflects on how much schools have changed, why visible support matters, and what it means to become the teacher he wished he'd had growing up.

Bryan and Max also discuss balancing authenticity with professionalism, finding trusted colleagues, and creating classrooms where every child feels like they belong. Their conversation reminds us that inclusion isn't about spotlighting one group. It's about making room for every family and every student to feel seen.

In this conversation:

•  Teaching LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum through elementary civics lessons 
•  Representing diverse family structures in age-appropriate ways 
•  Creating visible signs of safety for LGBTQ students 
•  Balancing authenticity, professionalism, and personal boundaries 
•  Navigating community pushback with administrative support 
•  Why queer educators matter now more than ever 

If you're committed to creating classrooms where every student belongs, this conversation offers encouragement, practical ideas, and a reminder that showing up authentically can make a lasting difference. Follow, share, and continue building schools where every child is seen.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

A library can be more than a place to borrow books. For many young people, it can be the first place they truly see themselves.

Future librarian Hunter shares why they chose librarianship after originally planning to become a social justice lawyer and explains how inclusive library collections can help children, teens, and families feel represented. Drawing from their own experiences as a queer immigrant and person of color, Hunter reflects on the importance of finding characters who mirror your identity and why access to diverse books can shape confidence, belonging, and self-acceptance.

The conversation also explores the realities of entering librarianship during a time of political uncertainty, funding challenges, and growing concerns about the future of public libraries. Hunter offers thoughtful advice for aspiring librarians while reminding educators that the work they do is noticed and deeply appreciated by their students.

In this conversation:

•  Why Hunter chose librarianship over law 
•  The power of diverse and inclusive library collections 
•  Why representation in books helps young people feel seen 
•  The debate over whether audiobooks count as reading 
•  Challenges facing future librarians and public libraries 
•  A message of gratitude and encouragement for queer educators 

If this conversation resonates with you, follow Queering Education, share this episode with a fellow educator or librarian, and help spread stories that remind every learner they belong.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

A welcoming classroom doesn't happen by accident. It grows from the choices educators make every day about representation, belonging, and whose stories deserve to be told.

Seventh grade science teacher Stephan Hoda joins Bryan Stanton to talk about creating affirming classrooms where queer students feel seen while every student benefits. From teaching mythology through a more inclusive lens to advising a middle school Queer Student Alliance, Stephan reflects on how curriculum, history, and authentic relationships shape school culture. He also shares why queer educators matter far beyond representation and how students often surprise us with their insight, empathy, and willingness to challenge assumptions.

Whether discussing Greco-Roman classics, beauty standards, or the importance of trusted adults in schools, this conversation reminds us that inclusive education isn't about removing history. It's about teaching it more honestly and making room for every student to belong.

In this conversation:

•  Why queer educators play an essential role in school communities 
•  Creating affirming spaces that help every student feel safe 
•  Teaching mythology and ancient history through an inclusive perspective 
•  What middle school students can teach adults about empathy and critical thinking 
•  Building community through a middle school Queer Student Alliance 
•  Why representation in curriculum shapes how students see themselves and others 

Listen to the full conversation, follow Queering Education, and share this episode with an educator working to build a more welcoming classroom.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

Bryan Stanton sits down with New Jersey educator and advocate Steve Koumoulis to explore what LGBTQ inclusive teaching actually looks like in everyday classrooms. From queer history to curriculum design, this conversation offers practical ideas for educators who want to create more inclusive classrooms through authentic storytelling rather than token representation.

Steve shares his work helping bring New Jersey's LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum mandate to life, discusses founding one of his school's first GSAs, and explains why queer pedagogy isn't about adding a lesson during Pride Month—it's about helping every student see themselves reflected throughout the curriculum. Whether you teach history, math, science, English, or the arts, this episode offers concrete ways to weave inclusion into the learning experience.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why "heroes and holidays" isn't enough for LGBTQ-inclusive education 
•  How storytelling creates deeper classroom inclusion 
•  Practical ways every subject area can incorporate LGBTQ representation 
•  How queer history helps students connect the past to the present 
•  Why student choice is one of the simplest tools for inclusive teaching 
•  How advocacy and classroom practice work together to support belonging 

If this conversation resonates with you, follow Queering Education, share the episode with another educator, and help build classrooms where every student can see themselves in the story.

Support the show

Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education