Welcome to Teaching While Queer. I’m your host, Bryan Stanton (he/they), a queer theatre educator in San Antonio, Texas. This podcast was born from a simple truth — that LGBTQIA+ educators need space to share our stories, celebrate our resilience, and learn from one another.

In this very first episode, I open up about my own journey — from being outed at thirteen to becoming a visible queer educator and advocate. I talk about the power of showing up authentically, the teachers who shaped me, and the students who continue to inspire me.

So settle in and join me as we begin this new chapter together — one story, one classroom, and one act of courage at a time.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me!

This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies. It centers support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to combat isolation and foster community.

Keywords: queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive classrooms, authenticity in teaching, queer storytelling, educational equity

Teaching While Queer is a podcast for LGBTQ+ educators navigating teaching, leadership, and survival in today’s schools. The show explores queer and trans representation in education, educator burnout, book bans, workplace discrimination, tokenism, doxing, and advocacy—while sharing practical strategies for building inclusive classrooms, affirming school cultures, and safer learning environments. Episodes center gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and Two-Spirit educators, with conversations on gender identity in schools, anti-bullying practices, mental health, and community care. This podcast supports educators who feel isolated and offers solidarity, tools, and hope for LGBTQ+ teachers working across K–12 and higher education.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teaching While Queer is a podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

What does it mean to teach while queer in a country where inclusion and resistance collide? In this premiere episode, host Bryan Stanton (they/them) travels across the Atlantic to speak with Romain about teaching languages and advocating for inclusion in France. Together they reflect on growing up queer in a small town, finding love and security early in life, and how recent political movements in France mirror anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric in the U.S. They discuss the importance of bridging culture and language to create understanding — and why solidarity across borders matters more than ever.

Listeners will learn how to:

• Compare queer acceptance and backlash in Europe and the U.S.
• Teach about identity and equity within language and culture courses
• Support students facing discrimination without overstepping boundaries
• Recognize how global movements against LGBTQ+ rights intersect across nations
• Build allyship and resilience in queer academic spaces

Romain (he/him) is a French language educator and translator living in Valence, France. He teaches German and cultural studies at the university level and shares his journey as an openly gay teacher who brings inclusion and historical context to the classroom.

Listen & Subscribe

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast app

💬 Subscribe for new episodes every other week

🌐 Visit teachingwhilequeer.org

📲 Follow @TeachingWhileQueer

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me!

This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies. It centers support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, aromantic, agender, two-spirit, and non-binary teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to combat isolation and foster community.

Resources:

European Commission –

Teaching While Queer is a podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education

"You don’t have to mine your trauma to make good art. Teach with empathy, but protect your peace.”

In this episode of Teaching While Queer, host Bryan Stanton (he/they) sits down with Michael Musgrave-Perkins (he/him) — theatre department chair at Grand Center Arts Academy in St. Louis, Missouri — for an honest and insightful conversation about growing up gay in the Midwest, surviving being outed as a teen, and finding strength and authenticity through theatre education.

Michael shares his journey from a touring actor with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival to becoming a full-time educator, GSA co-sponsor, and champion for queer visibility in the arts. Together, Bryan and Michael explore how personal trauma shapes compassionate teaching, why boundaries matter for both teachers and students, and how queer educators can thrive — even under the pressure of public scrutiny.

• The power of theatre education to teach empathy, resilience, and “portable life skills.”
• Michael’s powerful story of being outed as a teen — and how that experience informs his teaching today.
• Why setting emotional and professional boundaries protects both teachers and students.
• How queer educators can model authenticity while navigating stigma, “groomer” rhetoric, and fear.
• The importance of knowing queer history — from the AIDS epidemic to drag culture — to build student understanding and pride.
• Tips for fostering inclusive, affirming school communities even in conservative environments.
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• Grand Center Arts Academy: grandcenterartsacademy.org
• Teaching While Queer Website: www.teachingwhilequeer.org
• Email: teachingwhilequeerpodcast@gmail.com
• Follow on Instagram: @TeachingWhileQueer

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me!

This podcast explores the challenges and successes of queer representation in education, tackling topics like burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the role of advocacy in building inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bully

Teaching While Queer is a podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.

This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.

Support the podcast and spread the message with merch from Equalitees.Me.

Follow Teaching While Queer on Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education