Tina, a special education elementary school teacher in the south is my guest today! At 21 years old, fresh out of college, she was asked a simple question by a seventh grader:

“Do you listen to Girl in Red?”

In that split second, she had to decide whether she was going to out herself to an entire classroom. She said yes — and from that moment on, she became “the gay teacher.”

In this episode, we talk about what it’s really like to be a queer educator in a conservative Southern district — from safe space stickers being banned to a megachurch's influence on a school board, scripted curriculum surveillance, and year-to-year contracts with no permanent status.

We also discuss: • Teaching special education in a moderate-to-severe classroom • Being moved into roles you aren't licensed or credentialed for • “Nook and crook” curriculum walkthroughs • Teachers quitting mid-year • Why burnout is hitting harder than ever

This is a raw, honest conversation about identity, integrity, and what it costs to continue working in public education in the United States right now.

If you’ve ever wondered why teachers are leaving — or what it takes to remain — this episode is for you.

Sorry for the abrupt ending! Tina and I began talking about something else, and we never said goodbye to you all! ^~^

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In this episode, I’m joined by Alex, a lesbian band teacher in Texas, for an honest conversation about teaching while queer in a political climate that often feels hostile to both educators and LGBTQ+ people.

Alex talks about what it means to love and care for students who may not accept her if they knew she’s married to a woman, how she navigates visibility and safety in her school, and the quiet, creative ways teachers protect kids while staying within the rules.

From the emotional weight of being “out” in a red state to moments of clever resistance inside the classroom, this conversation is thoughtful, grounded, and deeply human.

This episode isn’t about outrage — it’s about care, integrity, and showing up for students even when the system makes it hard.

🎧 Topics we cover:

– Being an out lesbian teacher in Texas

– Loving students amid fear and uncertainty

– Teaching in the South as a queer educator

– Quiet resistance and “malicious compliance” in schools

– Why care is not political — but still feels radical

– Our own memories from middle school!

Here is a link to Human Rights Initiative of North Texas https://hrionline.org/

If you’re an educator, a queer person navigating unsafe spaces, or someone who believes public schools should be places of care and dignity, this conversation is for you.

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Noah, a third-year PE teacher at a large elementary school with nearly 1,000 students, discusses his experiences teaching. We talk about intense workloads and the all-too-common exhaustion of the profession. We talk about Gen Alpha, class sizes, students' SEL, and so much more. Grab a chair and get comfy in the Gay Teachers Lounge with us.

Books that were mentioned:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line by Elizabeth Lovatt

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

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https://buymeacoffee.com/thegayteacherslounge

• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Content note: This episode includes a story about transphobic language used by a colleague while discussing a transgender character on television. The language is censored. Triggering content timestamps: 14:52–16:36

Bex, a non-binary, transmasc kindergarten teacher, shares their journey of realizing the importance of being out as a non-binary educator, particularly after a meaningful interaction with a child in a rural area who later thanked them for their visibility.

They discuss the impact of queerness in education, including a humorous yet educational moment in class where their students incorrectly used the term "gay," but that moment provided an opportunity to teach about inclusivity.

Bex also highlights the importance of safe and supportive environments for such conversations.

We discuss the challenges of them often being misgendered by colleagues, particularly focusing on the role that peer pressure and social signaling play in social settings.

Here are some links to what we discussed!

Alison Bechdel’s "Fun Home": The Coming-Out Memoir That Became a Hit Broadway Musical: an Interview with Alison Bechdel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gputc-vy_zg

And Tango Makes Three read aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJkYykP3qqA&t=17s

Julián is a Mermaid Read Aloud: https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ll117-julian-mermaid-video/lets-learn/

What are Your Words read aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGqi1Q2x8PY&t=219s

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• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast.

Gabi is a kindergarten teacher with 7 years of experience in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community.

Gabi and I discussed her identity as a proud, out, queer educator and her commitment to creating an inclusive learning space for her students and their families. Our conversation explored how Gabi navigates cultural conflicts and misconceptions while being visibly queer in her field. We discussed the importance of representation of diverse people in children's literature and how Gabi's identity shapes the emotional world of her classroom. Gabi shared the struggles she still experiences as a queer educator, still wondering if she will be respected by parents, especially those from different cultural and religious backgrounds, in certain situations. Gabi's efforts to help young students understand that diverse people exist deserves a round of applause!

Gabi runs a TpT, too! Here is the link to her resources she has made for teachers of the Deaf and hard of hearing. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/kiss-fist-prints

If you're interested in learning American Sign Language, check out Gabi's recommended sites/apps:

https://www.lifeprint.com/

https://www.aslbloom.com/

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• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Today's guest is Josie, a 7th-grade teacher and transgender woman. We discuss her path into education and her journey of self-discovery. After six years in the museum field and some encouragement from her wife during the pandemic, Josie became a middle school teacher — and she’s now five years in, thriving in a supportive, accepting school environment. Her story shows how living authentically can lead to deeper relationships, greater joy, and a more fulfilling life.

Links to Josie's gay goings-on:

Witches of Moondale by Lou Wilham https://www.louinprogress.com/

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree https://torpublishinggroup.com/legends-lattes/?swpmtx=27319fbaaf59113fed54bd848a9dfc52&isbn=9781250342782&format=hardback#038;swpmtxnonce=64b2cd060c

The Locked Tomb Series by Tamryn Muir https://thelockedtomb.fandom.com/wiki/Gideon_the_Ninth_(Novel) Dogma Band https://officialdogma.com/#top

I hope you enjoy this episode and if there is anything you're interested in hearing in a future episode, please let me know!

You can send me a DM on the following socials:

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• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Rachel, a veteran high school art teacher, discusses her teaching experience in a Title I school and her journey of embodying a more masculine presentation through her hair cut and personal style.

She shared insights about her classroom environment, dress code experiences, and wearing clothing that aligns with her unique style as a masc-presenting lesbian. Rachel also discusses her experiences as an openly gay teacher and shares the importance of fully owning all parts of ourselves to be confident in our classrooms!

We talked a lot about her fashion and appearance in this episode, so if there is something else you'd like to hear about in a future episode with Rachel, please leave a comment below!

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• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Gabrielle is a former 5th grade teacher in Illinois who spent the first two years of her career teaching at a Catholic school and transitioned to a public school for another four years. We shared about ups and downs in our teaching careers and we spoke about internalized homophobia.

Gabrielle now runs her own Queer Wedding Planning company and you can reach out to her here! https://gabrielleruizevents.com

Here are the links to what we discussed! LGBTQ+ Brain Pops: https://www.brainpop.com/discover/post/leading-with-pride-why-lgbtq-representation-matters-in-education

Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders Read Aloud on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LU2daQ2exs

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This interview was conducted on October 2, 2025. I am working hard to get caught up with my editing of these interviews!

• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Haley is a Midwest, lesbian, kindergarten teacher in her sixth year, and is pursuing her second master's degree in early education, policy, and leadership. She plans on becoming a principal and creating a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ educators. Let's celebrate her goal!

We discussed the challenging beginnings of her teaching career, being closeted and not so closeted at work, along with the challenges faced by any teacher who works in a low socio-economic/rural area with a lack of resources.

She also discusses how teaching in a red area of the Midwest brings its own challenges for any queer educator. We also discussed mental health challenges she faced during a tough time at her first school, along with the reality of relationship issues that newly "out" queer people often face.

Here are the links to what we discussed in this episode:

And Tango Makes 3 "read aloud" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcMJaXFr3Fs

All Are Welcome Here by Alexandra Penfold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwS3FOn4-Ow&t=236s

Helpful Resource Page on Codependency https://www.nourcounseling.com/all-resources/codependency

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• Recorded when the show was previously titled The Lesbian Class Podcast

Lindsay is a rare guest on this podcast! She is not a K-12 educator, but I wanted to have her on because I believe that queer educators need to take the best care of themselves and need to learn helpful tools to use to do that.

When I started teaching in South Korea years ago, I would have never thought that during my 3rd year teaching there that I would get the calling to go back home, get credentialed, and teach elementary school in the USA. Out of the 6 years I taught in my own classroom in California, half of them were rough and rocky. If I had known the techniques that Lindsay teaches us in this video, I would have been a stronger version of myself and have had my own back more so than I was able to at the time. I hope the exercises help you reclaim your power, self-assuredness, self-worth, self-acceptance, and any other internal feelings that are on the low side within you at this moment. The nervous system reset practice will also be helpful for you to teach to your students.

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Here are the links mentioned in today's episode!

Sign up for Lindsay's e-mail digest and watch her 2- Part Embodiment Training: https://www.ourandare.com/embodiment

Trauma Release Exercises Website: https://treglobal.org/what-is-tre/

Go Noodle for Your Classroom: https://www.gonoodle.com/

Metta Meditation: https://www.mettainstitute.org/mettameditation.html

Helpful Article on Boundary Setting for Teachers: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_set_boundaries_as_an_overworked_educator

Mami Onami's Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/mami.onami/#

Lindsay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourandare/