Episode 4 (Part A): Queering Social Work and Human Services

Jen Kaighin, a queer educator at QUT, joins crew member Angela to discuss how queer theory supports her education practice. Jen talks about her experience as a practitioner in the human services field working with young people. Jen discusses how queer theory helped her to make critical links between theory and practice in her role as a practitioner. Jen speaks to the importance of queer theory in social work and human services education to challenge heteronormative and homophobic assumptions in education spaces through holding critical conversations. Recognised in the discussion is the importance of systemic change in order to challenge social inequalities as a result of cisnormative dominance in society.

Transcript:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x-ZMSbVeJsktD4rLG11EkfE3fiUDUb3Yim1KJslbx5c/edit

Key Definitions:

Cisgender: A cisgender person has a gender identity that matches their sex assigned at birth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisgender

Cisnormativity: The assumption that everyone is, or ought to be, cisgender. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisgender

Heteronormativity: The concept that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteronormativity

Key References:

Open Doors: https://www.opendoors.net.au/

Featherstone, B., & Green, L. (2013). Judith Butler. In Gray, M., & Webb, S. (Eds.), Social work theories and methods (pp. 63-72). SAGE Publications, Limited.

Fryer, D. R., & Wilchins, R. A. (2016). Thinking queerly: race, sex, gender, and the ethics of identity. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315631585

Kaighin, J. (2020). Embedding the queer and embracing the crisis: Kevin Kumashiro’s anti-oppressive pedagogies for queering social work education and practice. In C. Morley (ed.), Critical transformative learning and social work education (pp. 333-344). New York: Routledge.

Keywords: pronouns, queer theory, queer practice, community, anti-oppressive practice, systemic and structural change, heteronormativity, cisnormativity, power and privilege, gendered identity, diverse sexualities and genders, gender performativity.

Music by Boe Toweh