An article of mine was published today in the Journal of LGBT Youth. This is my first peer-reviewed publication in a professional journal, so it is a little landmark of its own. In it, I discuss the implications of an anti-homophobia education program that I was involved in while living in Paris. This was a really important article for me in terms of personal and academic growth, as it allowed to reflect critically on my experience as an activist in the field of anti-homophobia education. I think connecting practice to theory is an invaluable exercise when you work in an area where social change matters so much.

The article is entitled “Working to ‘Increase Respect and Reduce Stigma’: Thinking Through the Possibilities and Limits of an Antihomophobia Education Program in Paris.” Here is the abstract:

Drawing on the author’s volunteer experience, this article uses the insights of queer pedagogy to review the rationale and practices of a French antihomophobia education (AHE) program. This analysis further serves to question three foundational aspects of AHE, namely the role of dialogue, identity politics, and the impetus of normalization. Although AHE opens up possibilities for creating more positive school cultures (for queer youth and others), it is essential to recognize how this work can shore up the heteronormative foundations that it hopes to unsettle, so that we can learn from current limitations and implement more effective models of intervention.