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.

When physics and math teacher Rosaline Keane Kelly (she/her) began her teaching journey in Ireland, she didn’t yet know she was trans. Education became the mirror that helped her understand herself—and the space where she learned to lead with authenticity.

In this episode, Rosaline shares what it was like to come out and transition while teaching in a religiously influenced school system, how she now builds inclusive science classrooms, and why belonging and laughter matter as much as lesson plans.

Listeners will learn:

• How teaching placement stress and self-discovery intertwined in Rosaline’s transition
• Strategies for modeling inclusivity in science classrooms
• Ways to handle misgendering and the “apology spiral”
• How to build belonging and restorative practice with students
• What trans joy and authenticity look like in daily teaching life

If this conversation supports your work or your heart, subscribe, review, and share Teaching While Queer so others can find us too.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me!

This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies. It centers support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to combat isolation and foster community.

The podcast explores the challenges and successes of Queer representation in education, addressing issues such as burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the importance of advocacy in creating inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies, with a focus on supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers and gender identity in schools to combat the feeling of isolation and lack of community.

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

Tyson joins Teaching While Queer to share the deeply personal journey that led him from childhood dreams of teaching, through family rejection and healing, to founding a nonprofit and homeschool program for LGBTQ+ families. His story weaves together resilience, faith, and a fierce commitment to creating the safe, affirming learning spaces he wanted for his own children.

Listeners will learn:

• How trauma shaped Tyson’s early relationship with education
• What inspired his self-help book Courageous Love: A Self-Help Guide for Gay Fathers
• How personal experiences as a gay father led to creating a homeschool academy
• The intersections of faith, healing, and queer leadership
• Practical ways to build belonging when institutions fall short

If this episode moves you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share Teaching While Queer with a colleague who needs community today.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me!

This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies. It centers support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to combat isolation and foster community.

The podcast explores the challenges and successes of Queer representation in education, addressing issues such as burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the importance of advocacy in creating inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies, with a focus on supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers and gender identity in schools to combat the feeling of isolation and lack of community.

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