Being a non-heterosexual professor: To be, but not to exist. Initial findings

Abstract

The ideology surrounding the no-heterosexuality in western societies, at plain sight, it seems to be permeated in inclusion and acceptation, however, a deeper analysis of everyday life, projects the prejudice and stereotypes around gender, playing an important role in daily living. Discrimination takes place in all environments, specially, in the pedagogic, situations which forces most non-heterosexual students and professors to conserve anonymity, not only to guard their emotional and physical wellbeing, as well their permanency in the educative institutions. Thanks to the preestablished gender stereotypes, not only themselves think is the best to remain hidden, but also their classroom mates and the respective authorities share this idea, that for them, it’s better to keep their sexual orientation in the shadows, inciting them to keep it hidden, so both parts avoid any uncomfortable situations and live in harmony. The following paper is based in the first findings obtained through a qualitative research, using as method deep interviews, to 3 non-heterosexual professors teaching in primary and secondary schools in the city of Chihuahua.