Unmasking Identities - by Janna Marie Jackson

About the Book

Based on a qualitative research study of gay and lesbian teachers, Unmasking Identities explores how gay and lesbian teachers bring together their identities in a climate where the two have historically been pitted against each other.

Book Synopsis

Based on a qualitative research study of gay and lesbian teachers, Unmasking Identities explores how gay and lesbian teachers bring together their identities in a climate where the two have historically been pitted against each other.

Review Quotes

Unmasking Identities does indeed explore the lives of gay and lesbian teachers-and it does so with depth, insight and clarity. This is a well-researched addition to the literature on a very important subject.

Drawing on the best of modern and post-modern theory, Janna M. Jackson provides a rich context for the engaging stories of nine lesbian and gay teachers who struggle to survive in a culture still rife with homophobia. Reaching beyond and beneath the surface of their inspiring stories, she shows how family, community, and personal experiences affect the coming out process and finds some powerful implications for practitioners and researchers alike. Anyone who cares about education will appreciate this insightful look at the meaning of sexual identity in contemporary classrooms and schools.

I wish Dr. Jackson had written this book twenty years ago, when I was a young teacher struggling to integrate my identities as a teacher and a gay man. Her highly sensible developmental model, based on the real life experiences of LGBT teachers, would have helped me understand what I was going through and what to expect next. This is essential reading not only for LGBT educators but also for anyone who wants the answer to the question 'How do gay teachers teach?'

About the Author

Janna Marie Jackson is assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at University of Massachusetts, Boston.