Abstract
This chapter explores “religiosity” as a critical concept for advancing the dialogue about queer studies and education for the twenty-first century. Religiosity, or an inappropriate devotion to the rituals and traditions of a religion, is particularly problematic for sexual and gender minorities in publicly funded faith-based schools where homophobic and transphobic doctrines of the faith are more commonly enforced than other doctrines. The plight of sexual and gender minority groups in Canadian faith-based schools is a neglected research topic due to Canadians’ deep respect for the fundamental freedom of religion and a corresponding prevailing belief that religiously inspired discriminatory practices occurring in publicly funded schools are a normal part of religious freedom that should continue to go unchallenged. The author calls upon anti-oppression education researchers to overcome their reluctance to include religious schools in their research.
Keywords
- Sexual Minority
- Catholic School
- Religious Freedom
- Gender Nonconformity
- Fundamental Freedom
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Baird, V. (2007). The no-nonsense guide to sexual diversity (new updated ed.). Toronto: New Internationalist.
Bayly, M. J. (Ed.). (2007). Creating safe environments for LGBT students: A catholic schools perspective. New York: Harrington Park Press.
Bickmore, K. (2002). How might social education resist heterosexism? Facing the impact of gender and sexual identity ideology on citizenship. Theory and Research in Social Education, 30(2), 198–216.
Callaghan, T. D. (2012). Holy homophobia: Doctrinal disciplining of non-heterosexuals in Canadian Catholic schools (Doctoral dissertation). University of Toronto, Canada. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1807/32675
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. (2014, April 14). Publicly funded school with anti-gay policy spurs Alberta review. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News Calgary. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/publicly-funded-school-with-anti-gay-policy-spurs-alberta-review-1.2610122
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. (1982). Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, RSC 1985, app. II, no. 44. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const/index.html
Eisner, E. W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
Flinders, D. J., Noddings, N., & Thornton, S. J. (1986). The null curriculum: Its theoretical basis and practical implications. Curriculum Inquiry, 16(1), 33–42.
Goldstein, T., Collins, A., & Halder, M. (2008). Anti-homophobia education in public schooling: A Canadian case study of policy implementation. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 19(3 & 4), 47–66.
Griffin, P., & Ouellett, M. (2003). From silence to safety and beyond: Historical trends in addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues in k-12 schools. Equity and Excellence in Education, 36(2), 106–114.
Johnson, M. E., Brems, C., & Alford-Keating, P. (1997). Personality correlates of homophobia. Journal of Homosexuality, 34(1), 57–69. doi:10.1300/J082v34n01_05.
Khayatt, D. (2000). Talking equity. In C. E. James (Ed.), Experiencing difference (pp. 258–270). Halifax: Fernwood.
Kumashiro, K. (2002). Troubling education: Queer activism and antioppressive pedagogy. New York: Routledge Falmer.
Lugg, C. A. (2003). Sissies, faggots, lezzies, and dykes: Gender, sexual orientation, and a new politics of education? Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(1), 94–134.
Martino, W., & Frank, B. (2006). The tyranny of surveillance: Male teachers and the policing of masculinities in a single sex school. Gender and Education, 18(1), 17–33. doi:10.1080/09540250500194914.
McClure, M. (2014, April 15). Faith-based schools under scrutiny: Province to review enforcement of human rights. The Calgary Herald. Retrieved from http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=562555ec-beb1-49b2-9e6a-bd652a50efc4
O’Donohue, W., & Caselles, C. E. (1993). Homophobia: Conceptual, definitional, and value issues. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 15(3), 177–195.
Posner, G. J. (1995). Analyzing the curriculum (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rodriguez, N. M., & Pinar, W. F. (Eds.). (2007). Queering straight teachers: Discourse and identity in education. New York: Peter Lang.
Shine, B. (2014, September 25). Catholic jobs lost over lgbt issues on the rise. National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved from http://ncronline.org/news/people/catholic-jobs-lost-over-lgbt-issues-rise
Trinity Western University. (1999, January 5). Obeying the authority of scripture (TWU core values statement series No. 1). Retrieved from https://www.twu.ca/about/values/obey-scripture.html
Trinity Western University. (2014). The mission of Trinity Western University. Retrieved from https://www.twu.ca/about/
Wilkinson, W. W. (2009). Religiosity, authoritarianism, and homophobia: A multidimensional approach. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 14(1), 55–67. doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr1401_5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2016 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Callaghan, T.D. (2016). Religiosity. In: Rodriguez, N., Martino, W., Ingrey, J., Brockenbrough, E. (eds) Critical Concepts in Queer Studies and Education. Queer Studies and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55425-3_33
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55425-3_33
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-55424-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55425-3
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)