The experience of LGBTQ+ educators amid shifting political climates

Over the past five years, LGBTQ+ educators, particularly Black and LGBTQ+ educators, have navigated rapidly changing and directly antagonizing political conditions that have reshaped their visibility, safety, and advocacy within schools. This longitudinal study (2020–2025) draws on in-depth interviews with four educators originally interviewed in 2018–2020 and re-interviewed in 2025. Findings reveal both continuity and regression in the climate regarding LGBTQ+ advocacy in schools, with educators consistently maintaining a deep commitment to student care while adapting their visibility strategies to increasingly volatile policy environments. This study offers implications and recommendations for educational leaders, policymakers, and institutions seeking to protect and sustain LGBTQ+ educators, especially Black and LGBTQ+, whose presence serves as a dual-stabilizing force for students during periods of civic uncertainty.