Recently, with the number of students from higher education and K-12 settings
committing suicide, it is apparent that homophobia and homophobic bullying are
tremendous problems in our schools and universities. However, educators are
unclear about an appropriate process for addressing these challenges. In this book,
Jones postulates that we must begin exploring the culture of educational
environments as they relate to sexual difference, in order to begin conceptualizing
ways in which we may begin to address homophobia and heteronormativity. To that
end, this book addresses how educators (at all levels) must begin examining how their concepts about different
sexual identities are "normalized" through socializing processes and schooling. In doing so, this book examines
how individuals construct meanings about homophobia and hate language through "contextual oppositions, "
how educational environments maintain a ''false tolerance" when claiming to be tolerant of different sexual
identities, how a hierarchy of hate language exists in educational environments, among other issues related to
creating safe places for all students. In essence, the book attempts to "un"normalize society's constructions of
sexual identity by deconstructing the social norms.