The Queer Failure of Diversity Coursework

Abstract This article provides a theoretical argument for a queer failure pedagogy enacted in required diversity courses. Queer failure, as originally theorized by Halberstam (2011), rejects the traditional notion of success and failure rooted in capitalist, heteropatriarchal hierarchies. Queer‐ and critical disability‐informed educators have taken this concept and theorized what this approach can open up for educators in the classroom. This article is particularly interested in understanding failure in the required diversity course, as failure is a constant presence when having discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion in today's political climate. This article offers examples of the author's experience engaging with queer failure and discomfort and explores how we can reframe this crisis for ourselves and our students.