ABSTRACT
The first part of this chapter aims to describe the specificities of Chilean culture and changes in gender relations and sexuality in the last few decades. The educational context faced by (lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender (LGBT) youth is also described, showing the characteristics of this context and the role of educational policies. The second part deals with different types of empirical studies conducted in Chile (Barrientos, 2015). The third part of the chapter refers to the authors’ data from different qualitative studies (ethnographic approach) conducted in Chilean public schools. These studies reveal the problems faced by young gay men, lesbians, and transgender people in their corresponding educational contexts. They also show how schools manage this difference. The implications of results concerning youth and children in sexualities issues in the Chilean educational context are discussed. The Chilean educational system manages sexual differences by promoting tolerance (Brown, 2006) as a cultural strategy privatising rejection against non-heterosexual individuals, disregarding the social character of the homophobic violence phenomenon. Finally, recommendations considering the Chilean context are made to create an environment for LGBT students in the country’s educational system.
