In this episode, host Bryan Stanton (they/them) talks with Julia Lathin (she/her), a lesbian art teacher in Los Angeles, about the evolution of her teaching—from closeted survival in a Michigan Catholic school with a morality clause, to building affirming, creative classrooms for queer youth in California.

Listeners will learn:

• What it meant to teach under a “morality clause” while hiding key parts of her identity
• How one small phrase—“pick a better word”—became a lifelong teaching mantra
• Practical ways to create safe, affirming art classrooms
• What happens when admin support is missing—and when you finally find it
• Why queer joy and authenticity are both resistance and renewal

If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more educators find Teaching While Queer.

Keywords: boundaries, visibility, faith conflict, policy climate, curriculum censorship, student support, admin conflict, community care, queer joy, burnout, arts classrooms, professional risk, K–12, high school, middle school, arts educator, public school, Catholic/private school, Queer Educators, arts educators, faith, values, and identity, healing, burnout, and sustainability, closeted, questioning at school.

Teaching While Queer is a podcast for LGBTQ+ educators navigating teaching, leadership, and survival in today’s schools. The show explores queer and trans representation in education, educator burnout, book bans, workplace discrimination, tokenism, doxing, and advocacy—while sharing practical strategies for building inclusive classrooms, affirming school cultures, and safer learning environments. Episodes center gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and Two-Spirit educators, with conversations on gender identity in schools, anti-bullying practices, mental health, and community care. This podcast supports educators who feel isolated and offers solidarity, tools, and hope for LGBTQ+ teachers working across K–12 and higher education.

Teaching While Queer is a podcast for LGBTQ+ educators navigating teaching, leadership, and survival in today’s schools. The show explores queer and trans representation in education, educator burnout, book bans, workplace discrimination, tokenism, doxing, and advocacy—while sharing practical strategies for building inclusive classrooms, affirming school cultures, and safer learning environments. Episodes center gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and Two-Spirit educators, with conversations on gender identity in schools, anti-bullying practices, mental health, and community care. This podcast supports educators who feel isolated and offers solidarity, tools, and hope for LGBTQ+ teachers working across K–12 and higher education.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.