"We're Here and We're Queer": An Examination of the Discourses, Perceptions, and Experiences of Inclusion, Exclusion, and "Safe Spaces" of 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Music Education

A common discourse surrounding music education is that it is inclusive and a “safe space” for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and people. However, as a queer person in music education, I felt that there was need for additional examination of the inclusion and exclusion of and “safe spaces” for 2SLGBTQIA+ people within music education, as 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion, exclusion, and “safe spaces” are common discourses across contexts in music education. Thus, I undertook this research where I sought to explore the discourses, perceptions, and experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion, exclusion, and “safe spaces” in music education. Using queer theory (de Lauretis, 1990) as the theoretical framework for my research, I conducted my research using a qualitative single case study methodology (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2014), influenced by queer methodology (Ghaziani & Brim, 2019; Brown & Nash, 2016). The results of this study demonstrate the complexity of inclusion and exclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in music education. The results also attest the need to move beyond the framework of “safe spaces” for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in music education to a more person-centred approach to inclusion.