Queering the Classrooms: Filipino Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices of Queer Pedagogy

With the increasing progress of queer perspectives in the academic setting, there have been calls for LGBTQ+-inclusive teaching practices. In the Philippines, attempts have been implemented to produce curricula and materials that are more gender-responsive and gender-sensitive. However, these initiatives are without their barriers as conservative traditions and sexist ideologies still affect the eradication of gender-based discrimination in the classrooms. To fully grasp these issues, the present study aimed to elicit insights from queer Filipino teachers about their views and perspectives on using queer pedagogy in their classrooms. With these pedagogical choices, the study tried to understand the queering process of the classrooms. Using Michel de Certeau’s notions of alteration of knowledge, the study utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) through qualitative survey (QS) to identify perceptions and accounts of queer Filipino teachers (n=30) on queering their pedagogies. In the findings, the study presents the perspectives of the teachers in using queer pedagogies as well as their strategies in incorporating such practices in the classroom. Results revealed how the queer Filipino teachers viewed queer pedagogy as opportunities to promote inclusive education and increase consciousness towards gender-related issues. To do this, the responses uncovered how teachers used LGBTQ+-themed materials and classroom dialogues to queer their teaching practices. In effect, the queering of the classroom exemplified de Certeau’s claim on how teaching—like other everyday practices—emerged from constant alterations and innovations.