“You’re a Boy; You’re a Girl”: Witnessing Anti-queer Violence in and Imagining Queer Futures for Post-COVID Science Education

This paper explores the impact of COVID-19 on LGBTQIA+ youth and their larger community, specifically addressing the challenges faced by queer youth and teachers during the reopening of face-to-face schooling. We present narratives depicting explicit transphobia and hate speech that works to erase and suppress queer youth identities as schools returned to a “normal” state post-pandemic. We analyze this upsurge in the context of transnational reactionary social movements drawing on Haraway’s natureculture concept. Additionally, this paper investigates the role of science classrooms in reinforcing normative assumptions concerning gender and sexuality, while considering their potential as spaces that can resist and support queer identities. Grounded in queer theory and feminist science studies, the paper advocates for a critical and transgressive curricula-pedagogy that validates and empowers queer youth. This analysis challenges binary narratives surrounding sex and gender, emphasizing the necessity of creating inclusive educational environments that promote the well-being of queer students. Our paper concludes by urging transformative actions from educators and youth alike to establish supportive and inclusive classrooms and foster inclusive cultures.