I must preface this post by stating that I am fortunate enough to have been exposed to an educational experience that has been proficient and enriching in what I would deem queer pedagogy after reading “There are transsexuals in our middle school!” by L. Krywanczyk. The main goal of all educators should be expanding the minds of students while simultaneously enlightening students and creating a safe and comfortable learning environment for all, regardless of any and all difference.

Queer pedagogy entails education without any restrictions or barriers; teachers guide their students toward venturing into new terrains of complexity, pondering the insurmountable, while deconstructing social constructs in the process. This is crucial because it allows students to critically analyze their previously harbored views in comparison to the newly exposed perspectives, thus permitting the development of a new identity, and perhaps an improvement in society. This harkens me to think of my experience with observation during the focal learner study. I had the fortune of observing an ELA class in which students who were completely disengaged in other classes were totally immersed in this ELA class because of its queer pedagogical nature, thanks to the teacher’s book choice and discussion leadings. The teacher, as Krywanczyk mentioned in his own methods of pedagogy, engaged the students in passionate discourse, by choosing a highly homoerotic Baldwin novel, then prompting them to delve into discussion based on pre-assigned “thematic tracks” based on sexuality, love/romance, gender roles, race, art, and social class. The students who were previously disenchanted with every other class at this school were completely involved and impassioned with this discussion (based on the queer pedagogy) because it knew no bounds; they were discussing sex, homosexuality, and pertinent issues of inequality and politics, and were quite profound while doing so (and even wanted to continue the conversation past the last bell of the last period on a Friday afternoon). This, for me, related to Krywanczyk’s article in that it reaffirmed the efficacy of queer pedagogy. In enabling students to truly understand one another, delve into the issues without boundaries, and comprehend different lifestyles, an educator is truly enlightening students and legitimately educating them in a pertinent manner (especially in this day and age).