Taking homophobia’s measure

Abstract

My focus in this article is on the topic of homophobia and its place in the sexuality education classroom in Australia and the United States (US). This paper draws on research in anthropology law and, on studies of gender and sexuality in an attempt to complicate predominantly psychological understandings of homophobia that may underscore the popular use of scales to measure homophobic attitudes in pre-service and in-service teachers. These interdisciplinary approaches to homophobia provide the basis for a critical reading of some contemporary pedagogical approaches to anti-homophobia education in diverse education contexts.