ABSTRACT
Elementary educators are on the front lines of societal change, yet often face resistance and backlash from other stakeholders. Representation, inclusion, and the decolonization of educational spaces matter in terms of race, culture, family structure, and most assuredly in gender expression and sexual orientation. In this study, our teacher candidates navigated their personal and pedagogical beliefs about including LGBTQIA+ topics in elementary education. Recursive themes of fear, parental/community surveillance, and the realization of the oppression of LGBTQIA+ identities fueled by cis-normativity were apparent in this study and posed a challenge as our students navigated their own beliefs, attitudes, and the realities faced by LGBTQIA+ children and families in public schools. In this chapter, we provide the reader with an overview and organization of the book, how the research originated, and the need for a reworking of teacher preparation in the current context.
