AN INTERGENERATIONAL SELF-STUDY OF NARRATIVE REFLECTIONS ON LITERATURE, GENDER, AND LGBTQ IDENTITIES

This chapter reports on a self-study conducted by two teacher educators in the Northeastern United States who investigated critical narratives about their lived experiences and professional practices in relation to literary works, gender and LGBTQ issues in education. Employing elements of narrative inquiry, autoethnography and co/autoethnography, the authors connected their analysis with prior research conducted with a focus group session of young adults. Findings suggest that teacher educators must consider how time and space mitigate understandings of gender and LGBTQ issues and identities, and the need for teacher educators to better incorporate ally identities as a salient element of the professional self.