Today, I am sitting down with a high school English teacher who is navigating what it means to be openly queer in the classroom today.

He shares what it felt like when students told him he was the first gay person they had ever met, and the unexpected responsibility that comes with being visible for young people who may have never seen queer adults in their lives.

But visibility also comes with challenges. We talk about identity-based harassment from a student, how schools attempt restorative justice when harm happens, and the complicated balance between compassion for teenagers and protecting yourself as an educator.

We also dive into:

• Why English teachers may face more pushback than teachers of other subjects

• How accusations of “flaunting” identity show up in schools

• Why GSAs are important

 ...