“Far Less is Known”: A Three-Article Dissertation Exploring the Perceptions and Experiences of LGBTQIA+ Educators in California and Florida

This dissertation examines LGBTQIA+ identity in education. In the United States, specifically after World War II, LGBTQIA+ teachers have been targeted and described as a moral threat to society and a danger to children. The attack on LGBTQIA+ identity in education has continued until this day as Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and other states seek to regulate discussions, histories, and curricula of LGBTQIA+ people; thus, the anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and legislation have affected the experiences of LGBTQIA+ teachers. This three-article dissertation investigates the perceptions and experiences of current and former K-12 teachers who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community from California and Florida.