Deconstructing Dichotomies: Lesson on Queering the (Mis)Representations of LGBTQ+ in Preservice Art Teacher Education

Overview & Synopsis

Queering art education aims to critically lay bare the embedded heteronormative demand in the education system and prepare preservice art teachers to advance social justice concerns in art curriculum equitably. Toward these goals, we present the results of a research project we developed for 29 preservice art teachers from an urban university that explored lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) stereotypes in child-oriented media like animated movies and cartoons. Through their subsequent designs of a cartoon character, we observed them being motivated to deconstruct dichotomies, the gender binary, stereotypes, and misrepresentations of LGBTQ+ people. We also offer suggestions for future studies for enabling preservice teachers to develop techniques for queering their art education lessons.