ABSTRACT

In this chapter, we examine materials and practices in SHL programs that constitute discrimination or that otherwise contribute to negative affect for learners who identify as both Latinx 1 and queer—a term we will use interchangeably with LGBTQ+ 2 to refer to people whose sexual and/or gender identity do not align with social norms that collectively fall under the label of heteronormativity. Our examination centers on an analysis of the representation and social positioning of queerness and of LGBTQ+ people in SHL textbooks and is supported by discussions about the ways queer-identified Latinxs relate to the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking social networks and by reflections on the role and status of queer faculty in the SHL classroom. We conclude with thoughts about ways that contesting heteronormativity constitutes good pedagogical practice and ways to construct classroom environments that are more supportive of LGBTQ+ identities.