Early Education Centenary Book Chapter: Gender and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practice

I’m delighted to have co-written a chapter with Fifi Benham for Early childhood education: current realities and future priorities focusing on ‘Gender and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practice in Early Childhood’.

This book to celebrate Early Education’s Centenary provides an overview of current practice, policy, and research in early childhood education across the UK. It brings together chapters on all core aspects of early years education and spotlighting vital new areas – each written by established and emerging stars in the field including Early Education Vice Presidents, Trustees, Associates and members. The book is edited by Professor Dame Cathy Nutbrown, President of Early Education.

Each chapter features:

• an overview of research in the field

• critiques of relevant policy

• examples from current practice

• an agenda for the future

• suggestions for further reading and resources.

This text is an accessible and comprehensive read for students and practitioners in the early years sector alike.

As an overview of our chapter…

This chapter examines the role of gender and LGBTQ+ inclusive practice to understand how we, as educators, might raise children un-limited from the gendered and heteronormative beliefs which negatively impact their identities. This chapter is written in three parts. Initially, we provide an overview of the field across the past century and consider how gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion is received today within both public and scholarly arenas. Secondly, we turn to practice and consider strategies for inclusion based on our own experiences with young children. Finally, we look forward to an agenda for the future, considering what kind of change might be needed to maintain, and heighten, a focus on gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

You can purchase the book and find additional resources here. Get in touch if you like a copy of our chapter.