Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Assignment 1
Essay question 2: Do Australian schools deal well with diversity and differences? In your
discussion make sure you refer to educational policies and real life referenced examples to
In any given school, as in any society, for which the former reflects the latter, as such, a micro
society, there will be found difference and diversity. This is increasingly so, as
difference, where there is diversity, there is often strife. Homosexuality is one such division
that is often misunderstood and disrespected with homophobia and discrimination. In this
essay I will discuss the social injustice of homophobia and discrimination towards gay,
lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (GLBT) occurring in Australian schools. This is a social
justice issue because the reproduction of heteronormativity in Western society ensures the
marginalised on the pretence of said deviancy. I will use Judith Butler's theory of gender
discourse. Then I will use Pierre Bourdieus theories on social reproduction to discuss how
these attitudes continue to proliferate. Furthermore, I will argue that despite the good
intentions of relevant educational policies, Australian schools do not deal well with diversity
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and differences, particularly homosexuality and GLBT. This is because individual schools,
and the educational system as a whole, operate as breeding grounds for the reproduction of
I will begin by defining difference and diversity in sociological terms. Difference is the
division between various social groupings (Scott, J. & Marshall, G., 2009), including
ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality. Diversity is the concept that a society is shared by
these various social divisions, on the premise of mutual respect, understanding and
allow individuals to coexist and share in their differences. It is, however, fragile, and
where there are stark differences between the theoretical and the practical. The machines and
and gay rights. As someone who was raised in a liberal community, with parents who were
strongly pro-gay rights and gay marriage, it was my assumption that everyone except
conservative Christians like my grandparents shared these beliefs. Yet the reality of Western
society is that homosexuality is still often seen as deviant. Deviance is defined as behaviour
or conduct that violates the norms of a given society, and is thus subject to social policing or
sanction (Turner, S., 2006, p. 135). Theories of gender performativity can aid in an
Homosexuality may be viewed as deviant in Western society, for it is the other to normative
heterosexuality. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people are seen as the other
because their gender performance defies the homogeneity of the dominant discourse,
heteronormativity. Butler (1999) argues that gender is performed through particular actions,
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mannerisms and wants. This is produced on the outside of the body, yet creates the illusion
that it emanates from within. These enactments are performative in the way that the interior
identities that they seek to express are fabricated through exterior means. The fabrication of
this internal essence suggests that that interiority itself is both "an effect and function of a
decidedly public and social discourse, the public regulation of fantasy through the surface
politics of the body", which is maintained for the purposes of the regulation of sexuality
within the obligatory frame of reproductive heterosexuality" (p.173). The wants, desires, and
other exterior signifiers used to perform gender, of GLBT people clearly lie outside the
obligatory frame of reproductive heterosexuality, and for that they may be marginalised as
deviants. For example, 16 year old Jimmy Yan was putting up posters in his school library in
support of gay marriage, when a nearby teacher saw the material and said: You dont know
what marriage is, faggot boy (Tomazin, 2011). It is unknown whether Jimmy himself
identified as homosexual, but as the example illustrates, merely his support of gender
performance that is not homogenous with the heteronormative ideals of the teacher elicited
discrimination. As such, GLBT are often seen by conservative heterosexual individuals as not
normal, as the other defined in opposition to the self, as deviants; are thus marginalised and
discriminated against. Butlers theory aids an understanding of how these attitudes are born;
social reproduction theory, however, will inform the re-creation of such ideologies.
reproduction. Social reproduction occurs, argues Bourdieu (1977), through the habitus, which
appreciations, and actions" (Bourdieu, 1977, p. 83, italics in original). In other words, the
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habitus is everything occurring in society that influences both the individual and the
Bourdieu argues that any interaction or relationship between individuals does not contain the
total truth of the interaction; that the interaction in question is pregnant with, and influenced
by, the habitus and history of all similar interactions that preceded it (1977, p. 79). The
habitus is produced, and reproduces, for it tends to recreate the conditions that created it
initially. All forms of discrimination are born and reborn this way. We display these actions
and beliefs without thought, sometimes without knowledge even. Dominant discourse, such
individual and collective subconscious, and for the extreme difficulty in eroding it. This can
be seen in the differences between official school policy and school yard reality.
The NSW Department of Education's official policy regarding homophobia states that there is
NSW Anti-Discrimination Act (1997) (Boston, 1997). The document lists ambiguous
procedures for dealing with discrimination, and its only recommendations for educating
note that this memorandum was authored and distributed in the same year as the Anti-
Discrimination Act; the NSW Department of Education's official policy on homophobia has
not been updated in eighteen years. In fact, despite the existence of these policies, a national
survey, on the sexual health and wellbeing of young GLBT people, found that 75% of those
surveyed did not feel protected by relevant policies in the school environment (Hillier et al.,
2010, p. 82). This suggests that any existing homophobia in government schools is not being
taken seriously or being properly addressed. Catholic and Independent schools, however,
write their own policies. The 'Countering Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying Policy'
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document, from the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, claims that Catholic schools
"aim to be free from discrimination" in accordance with State and Commonwealth legislation
(2012, p. 1). Furthermore, the document lists various forms of discrimination, such as race,
sex and age, yet they omit discrimination based on sexual orientation. A perusal of several
independent schools websites local to my area, the Blue Mountains, found no policies
policies. While independent schools are subject to the same anti-discrimination legislation as
case of 16 year old Hannah Williams. When her school, Ivanhoe Girls Grammar, an
independent school in Melbourne, held a dance for the students, Hannah informed her
teachers that she intended on bringing her girlfriend (Cook, 2010). She was told that she
would not be allowed to attend unless she brought a male. This discrimination clearly defies
Victorias Equal Opportunity Act (1995) which explicitly protects individuals from
discrimination based on sexual orientation from educational authorities, who may not
discriminate against a student by denying or limiting access to any benefit provided by the
authority (Equal Opportunity Act, 1995, p. 39). Within this example there is a stark
While policies are made with the best of intentions, the practice of policies is only as
When policies, and programs aimed at implementing policies, are not carried out in an
informed and wholehearted manner, they become redundant. In 2012 the "Proud Schools"
twelve schools across Sydney and the Hunter region. It was endorsed by the NSW Education
Minister Adrian Piccoli, who claimed that the government was committed to eradicating
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aimed at stamping out 'heterosexism'" on the premise that that teaching students that
heterosexual relations are not the norm would only confuse them, particularly when
homosexuals comprise a small percentage of the population (Devine, 2012). The very notion
that heterosexuality is the norm is the root of the problem of homophobia and discrimination
based on sexual identity; "heterosexism feeds homophobia" (The Proud Schools Consultation
Report, cited in Devine 2012). Minister Piccoli's commitment to the program illustrates the
best of intentions, yet is negated by his fellow liberal MPs ignorance or unwillingness to fulfil
At the school level, teachers play a significant role in reproducing dominant discourse.
between. Daily interactions of a personal nature with students or fellow staff, such as
discussions of marital status, are rife with heteronormative discourse. Take for example this
(Evans, 2009, p. 8) in the admission that she and her fianc chaperoned the school dance and
sat for photographs like the rest of the couples (Evans, 2009, p. 7). Statements such as
'other'. Students and fellow staff will pose the question: are you married? Like Maggie, many
teachers responses may only serve to affirm heteronormative discourse, such as my own (I
am a female, married to a man, with two children, and am thus an embodiment as such of
beliefs, I may inadvertently reaffirm the norms. I am also aware that my wholehearted beliefs
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communicates to the school community that homophobia is acceptable (Vega, Crawford &
Van Pelt, 2012, p. 255). Sex education in schools provides the perfect arena for teachers to
address these issues. Studies show correlations in schools between policy-based protections
for GLBT students, inclusive sexuality education and positive social outcomes for GLBT
students (Hillier et al., 2010). Inclusive sexuality education can greatly improve the school
environment by lowering instances of homophobia for GLBT students, however less than
20% of GLBT school students report that their sexuality education classes communicated
A fact sheet about sexual diversity on the NSW Department of Education and Communities
website, under the sub-section 'Teaching Sexual Health', lists a number of common-sense
ways of aiding GLBT students towards a better schooling experience, including teaching and
learning activities for education on sexuality and how to cater for sexual diversity within
schools. This is a step towards embracing sexual diversity in the education system; however,
one particular phrase in the text proves problematic: "We can assist this process [building
resilience to homophobia] by providing them with more effective options for explaining their
world" (Sexual Diversity, n.d., italics added for emphasis). There are two problems with the
wording of this sentence. Firstly, 'them' are placed in opposition to 'we', which essentially
'others' the GLBT students whom this document aims to serve. Secondly, 'explaining their
world' implies that 'we' and 'them' are so different that we share no commonalities, not even
the world we all inhabit, which further places GLBT students in opposition to non-GLBT.
This resource aims to be inclusive by educating the ignorant, yet it merely reinforces to the
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ignorant that GLBT are the deviant other. These examples illustrate how very difficult it is to
affect change in ideology, in both the schooling environment and broader communities. This
can all be put down to social reproduction, the difficulty in changing something that has been
socially reproduced to the point that it seems natural or innate. In fact, Bourdieu and Passeron
(1990) argue that schools, themselves, are major stages of social reproduction: breeding
grounds for the reproduction of dominant discourse (p. 54). The various examples discussed
in this essay support this very notion, and allows me to argue that Australian schools, in
general, do not deal well with diversity and difference, for without concerted, pro-active
effort and dedication of the majority, rather than the minority, schooling systems will only
in schools, and in the broader communities. Yet without social revolution, on both the
individual and collective level, all the policies in existence are for naught, for what occurs at
policy level and what occurs at the school level are worlds apart. While true change may be
occurring in some schools, others remain the same. Social reproduction theory explains the
reluctance of social reform in schools despite whatever happens at the top. We must work
dominant discourse, to overhaul heteronormative ideology, to affect change in all our beliefs
and attitudes towards those whom we would consider the other (other classes, ethnicities,
etcetera, as well as other sexualities). Failing that, we will only continue to reproduce the
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References
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/student_welfare/homoph_sch/homop
hobia_sch.pdf.
University Press.
from
http://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/SiteData/SharedFolder/Modules/SystemPolicy/Counte
ring%20Discrimination,%20Harassment%20and%20Bullying%20-%20Policy.pdf.
Cook, H. (2010, November 10). No room for girlfriends at Ivanhoe Girls' Dance. The Age.
girlfriends-at-ivanhoe-girls-dance-20101109-17m4g.html.
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Devine, M. (2012, October 17). Being straight no longer normal, students taught. The Daily
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/being-straight-no-longer-normal-students-
taught/story-e6freuzi-1226497360980.
Equal Opportunity Act (1995). Version No. 059. Victoria. Retrieved March 15, 2015, from
http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/LTObjSt
2.nsf/DDE300B846EED9C7CA257616000A3571/B0C98922C32E73A2CA257761001
FB804/$FILE/95-42a059.pdf.
Hillier, L., Jones, T., Monagle, M., Overton, N., Gahan, L., Blackman, J., & Mitchell, A.
young people. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society,
http://www.glhv.org.au/files/wti3_web_sml.pdf.
Scott, J., & Marshall, G. (2009). A dictionary of sociology. Oxford University Press.
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199533008.001.0001/acref-
9780199533008.
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/sexual_health/inclusive/diversity.h
tm.
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Tomazin, F. (2011, February 8). Gay times, bad times. The Sydney Morning Herald.
times-bad-times-20110207-1ak6b.html.
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17e5ddf051c7%40sessionmgr110&vid=0&hid=118&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl
2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=nlebk&AN=217997.
Vega, S. Crawford, H.G., & Van Pelt, J. (2012) Safe schools for LGBTQI students: how do
teachers view their role in promoting safe schools?. Equity & Excellence in
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