Derogatory rhetoric about LGBTQ+ people has increased in schools in Iceland

Teachers in primary and secondary schools in Iceland have noticed an increase in derogatory rhetoric amongst students and sometimes experience negative attitudes from parents and guardians when it comes to discussions on LGBTQ+ issues. These are the results of a new study conducted at the University of Iceland on how attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people shape the experiences of LGBTQ+ teachers or teachers who educate about those issues in primary or secondary schools in Iceland.

Auður Magndís Auðardóttir, an assistant professor in Education studies at UI, and Íris Ellenberger, an associate professor in the Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, led the research. It aimed to understand whether, and if so, societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people impact the work of teachers in primary and secondary schools. “There are two secondary aims in this research. Firstly, we’re interested in looking at teachers’ experiences who are themselves LGBTQ+ and how societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people form their behaviour and working conditions. Secondly, we want to examine how teaching LGBTQ+ issues is approached in primary and secondary schools,” Auður and Íris explain.

Backlash in public discourse was the impetus for the research

When asked about what motivated them to do the research Auður and Íris state that it was driven by the recent backlash in public discourse about LGBTQ people in Iceland, especially regarding the existence and rights of trans people. „In a recent article, Þorbjörg Þorvaldsdóttir, a project manager at Samtökin '78, traces how the backlash has manifested in Iceland. Among other things, she points out that hate speech is very common among young people, that children and young people in the LGBTQ+ youth centre have repeatedly been targeted and that LGBTQ+ education given by Samtökin '78 in schools has been met with much resistance. We believe it’s crucial to research how this backlash has affected LGBTQ+ teachers and teachers who educate about LGBTQ+ issues in schools,” Auður and Íris say. 

Teachers asked about students’ positive or negative attitudes

A qualitative research theory was used for the study as this approach is well suited to shedding a light on people’s experiences, conflicting viewpoints and solidarity. A qualitative list of questions was sent to an automated sample of teachers who either identify as LGBTQ+ themselves or provide education on those issues in primary or secondary schools. Nearly 40 answers were received. Teachers were asked about their experiences with positive or negative attitudes from students, parents and coworkers and how those attitudes shape their working conditions. Following the survey, interviews were conducted with 10 teachers who are LGBTQ+ and/or provide LGBTQ+ education in schools.

In addition to Auður Magndís and Íris, Anna Mae Cathcart-Jones was also involved in the research. She graduated as a social studies teacher from the University of Iceland last June. Anna Mae conducted the interviews with the teachers, and her master’s thesis was part of the research.

Need for increased education in schools

The findings of Anna Mae’s master’s thesis were published recently in an article (https://netla.hi.is/eg-aetla-ekki-ad-lata-thetta-foreldri-stjorna-hvernig-eg-kenni-starfsadstaedur-kennara-sem-sinna-hinsegin-fraedslu/) in Netla – An Online Journal on Pedagogy and Education, and Auður and Íris also plan to conduct further analysis of the research results. The findings indicate that teachers have observed an increase in derogatory language among students and sometimes experience negative attitudes from parents and guardians regarding discussions on LGBTQ+ topics.

This highlights the need for more comprehensive education within schools, as current efforts are both minimal and unstructured. “Education on these topics often falls on individuals rather than being systematically implemented, which limits professional efforts to some extent. Our interviewees felt that school staff generally distanced themselves from responsibility, expecting others to take charge of providing this education. The results of this study demonstrate the need for further intervention from both government authorities and school administrators to counteract hate speech and misinformation and to ensure inclusivity at all levels of education,” explain Auður and Íris.

First study of its kind in Iceland

The scientific significance of this research is undeniable, as no previous study has examined how attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals shape the experiences of teachers who are LGBTQ+ themselves and/or educate students about LGBTQ+ issues in Icelandic primary and secondary schools. The 2011 National Curriculum explicitly states that this education should occur in both primary and secondary schools, but it remains unclear how effectively it has been implemented. Additionally, the curriculum mandates that the overall school environment and culture should be LGBTQ+ inclusive. “There are clear indications that LGBTQ+ hostility exists in Icelandic schools, as evidenced by public discourse. It also appears to be increasing rather than decreasing, and recently, teacher discussion forums on Facebook have been ablaze with heated debates on LGBTQ+ topics,” say Auður and Íris.

Auður and Íris have a strong research interest in LGBTQ+ issues in schools, and their next step is to conduct a more detailed analysis of the study’s data. Along with their colleagues, Dr. Katrín Ólafsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Subject Teacher Education at the University of Iceland, and Dr. Christa Kappler and Dr. Patricia Schuler Braunschweig from the Zurich University of Teacher Education, they are applying for a major grant from the Swiss foundation Movetia. The goal is to establish a collaboration between the University of Iceland and the Zurich University of Teacher Education to enhance teacher education and professional development regarding LGBTQ+ issues in schools and to investigate the topic further.