Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools

Via groundbreaking qualitative research conducted in Australia and the United States, this book, the first of its kind, explores the experiences and perspectives of bisexual students, mixed sexual orientation and polyamorous parents and families in schools who are invisibilised or fall into the gaps between the gay/straight student divide and the monogamous heterosexual and same-sex couple family divide. Recommendations for policies, pedagogy and pastoral care are discussed as well as presenting the strategies these border sexualities and border families use in order to minimize discrimination and harassment. These are strategies of passing (normalization), bordering (negotiation) or polluting (non-compliance).

Maria Pallotta Chiarolli is senior lecturer in social diversity in health and education in the School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. This is her ninth book exploring the interweavings of genders, cultures, sexualities, and families.