We All Belong: A Descriptive Analysis of Gender and Sexuality Discourse in Music Education Professional Development

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand the state of gender and sexuality discourse presented in the programming of music education professional development in the United States. Research questions that guided this study included the state of gender and sexuality discourse in the field of music education at state and national PD conferences, and how sessions at these PD conferences might vary in frequency or content by year, state, region, or discipline.In this study I employed a descriptive, qualitative design encompassing content and discourse analysis of music education professional development conference programs from the 2018-19 school year through the 2022-23 school year (Fairclough and Fairclough, 2012; Sunderland and Litosseliti, 2002). This design was also informed by the tenets of feminist critical discourse analysis (Lazar, 2005). Findings indicate that the state of gender and sexuality discourse is incredibly varied by context. Various topics—including supporting LGBTQIA+ students, gender/sexuality topics in the music classroom, and the roles of women in music—were addressed at PD conferences across the five-year period, but how topics were addressed seemed to be dependent upon the context of the conference in which they were presented. Topics such as inclusive strategies for LGBTQIA+ students, revisiting gender norms in choral settings, and empowering women conductors were some of the topics that were most common. In addition, the total number of sessions were an incredibly small portion of total sessions offered regardless of the relative size of the organization sponsoring the conference. This study has important implications for PD policy makers: a) how state and national organizations can interact more efficiently, and b) how state organizations can increase access to PD outside of one yearly conference. There are also four implications for music teachers: a) the role of teachers as leaders in presenting and authoring sessions, b) the importance of consistent language choices across contexts, c) a commitment to student safety over personal views, and d) varied impact of state legislation on PD content. Findings also suggest two implications for music teacher education: a) cultivating a critical disposition and b) empowering future leaders. Future research on topics related to this study can focus on three main areas: a) continued, periodic content analysis of conference programs, b) further examining PD presenters’ perspectives, and c) understanding teacher perceptions of LGBTQIA+ inclusive pedagogy and gender expansive classroom practices.