Qualitative study explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ early childhood educators

Recently I was able to speak to Harny Chan Lim about their master’s research paper (MRP) and experience as a graduate student at the School of Early Childhood Studies (ECS) at the Faculty of Community Services (FCS).  Once completed, this MRP and others can be found in the MRP database online. In their own words:

What was the name/subject of your graduate project? Why is this topic important to you? 

The name of my graduate project/paper was “Exploring the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Early Childhood Educators: Navigating and Challenging Heteronormativity in Childcare Settings.” This topic is important to me because I found there was no research on the experiences of LGBTQ+ educators that work in the field of early childhood, specifically childcare settings. As an early childhood educator who has worked in childcare settings and identifies as gay, I did not see myself and my LGBTQ+ early childhood educators represented within research that pertains to our experiences. Thus, I aimed to fill in that gap through my research. I focused on answering two questions. Firstly, what are the experiences of LGBTQ+ early childhood educators in childcare settings? And secondly, how does the gender identity and sexual orientation of an LGBTQ+ early childhood educator influence their work and interactions with staff, children and families?

What did you measure? What are some key takeaways, outcomes, or findings from your graduate project?

I took a qualitative approach where I conducted semi-structured interviews to gather stories, experiences, and opinions about how participants navigated their gender identity and sexual orientation within childcare settings. I took on a thematic analysis procedure to find patterns that I organized into themes to answer my research question. With a queer theoretical framework and intersectionality in mind, the analysis of the findings reminded us that the identities of LGBTQ+ early childhood educators are still being challenged and oppressed by heteronomativity within childcare settings. Another key takeaway from this is that an intersectional lens should be used in future studies that aim to understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. How my participants navigated their gender identity and sexual orientation was also influenced by other aspects of their identity, including disability, mental health status, culture, race and religion. For instance, Clair, who identifies as Black (Jamaican) and bisexual, found it difficult to navigate her identity within the Black community. Being born into a Christian family also contributed to the struggle to understand how her identity fits within her own religion. 

Why did you choose to do this work at FCS? What is something great about having done your work here?

I chose to do this work at FCS because they offered a program that specifically aligns with my passion for early childhood studies and education. The MA ECS program has allowed me to meet faculty that supported my academic endeavours to explore perspectives beyond early childhood developmentalist comprehension. 

Where do you find yourself now, in your career path?  What impact have your research project findings had on your current practice/career?  Where do you hope to be in the future?

To be honest, I have not found a specific career path that I want to pursue due to the endless pathways that stem from my studies. I know that whatever I end up doing, I will always bring advocacy and awareness for children and families who are from marginalized communities that are historically oppressed and continue to face discrimination and unfair treatment in society. I hope to pursue my PhD in the future, and I believe the MA ECS program has prepared me to do so.

What impact do you hope your project/findings will have in your field?

I hope that my project is a reminder that LGBTQ+ early childhood educators/professionals exist in the field of early childhood. They play an integral role in supporting children’s learning, and they play a significant role in disturbing dominant discourses such as heteronormativity in their workplace.  

What has been one of the highlights of your research experience?

One of my research experience highlights is meeting the LGBTQ+ early childhood educators who participated in my study. They had so much to share, from their experiences to ideas on how to progress inclusive practice in early childhood through an anti-bias approach. In the end, it felt like a small support network was made, even if it was only a one-on-one connection. 

What was an unforeseen challenge you experienced doing your research, and what did you learn from it?

An unforeseen challenge that I experienced conducting this research was how emotionally tasking it was. To expand, being part of the LGBTQ+ community and researching the experiences of other LGBTQ+ participants triggered a lot of personal experiences and trauma. There were moments where I would find myself tearing up while analyzing the data. I learned the importance of taking breaks and pauses whenever it felt hard to continue reading through the data to cope with this process. Although the negative experiences created an unforeseen emotional challenge, positive experiences within the data gave me hope and pushed me to complete this study. It also reminded me that change is happening and that more children and families are learning about queer identities.   

What would you say to someone considering graduate work and doing that work at FCS?

Do not be afraid to reach out for help and communicate with the faculty within your program. From my experience, they all want their students to do well, and they are open to providing continuous support throughout your time in the graduate program. This does not mean you have to connect and get close to every faculty member, but rather reach out for support when needed and you never know who you might make a connection with. I had the privilege to meet faculty members in the MA ECS program that I still communicate with, and if they can, they are more than willing to support you in your graduate work and other academic endeavours.  My supervisor, professor Rachel Berman and second reader professor Dawn Onishenko were amazing and put a lot of time into supporting my work.  

Graduate-level work can be all-consuming. What is something you enjoyed doing outside of your graduate work for school/life balance?

I think it was a privilege that I was able to take breaks and enjoy time with my pet corgi. For many, being a student might not be the only responsibility; some are parents, work full-time, or are not in a position to allow them much time for rest/leisure. COVID-19 may have also made the situations difficult for many, and if they are taking on graduate-level education, that can create another level of difficulty and stress. To end on a positive note, I found that creating a routine to make time for both work and rest helped me balance graduate work. 

Do you have someone you would like to thank for helping you or inspiring you along the way? Perhaps inspiring professors? And/or a campus student support program? and/or person in your life who made a difference?

I would love to shout out to professor Rachel Berman for providing so much emotional support throughout my time in the MA ECS program. While academic support came with the supervision of my research, I found that emotional support helped me the most. It kept my mental health in check, which gave me the resilience and strength to finish the program.   

Graduate Research Series

This past summer graduates and students at the Faculty of Community Services (FCS) were invited to tell us about their research projects and graduate studies experience. This is part of a series of introductory profiles about alumni and graduate students featuring their research and their advice for prospective graduate students. It is our hope you are as inspired by their research efforts and success as we are.  If you would like to submit a story idea for consideration please contact Bonte Minnema at bminnema@torontomu.ca.