2024 Theses Doctoral

Among the Tentative Haunters: A Trans* Memoir of School

Helton, Elizabeth

This autotheoretical dissertation delves into the complex and often invisible dynamics of cisheteronormativity within the landscape of American public schools. Drawing from personal narrative, feminist, queer, and trans theories, and educational research, this meditative study offers a nuanced examination of the ways in which cisheteronormativity not only shapes the educational experiences of students, educators, and administrators alike, but also shapes the system of schooling itself.

Through introspective reflection and critical analysis, the researcher navigates their own lived experiences within the educational system as a queer and trans student and teacher, illuminating the pervasive influence of cisheteronormative ideologies on identity formation, social interactions, and institutional policies. By centering the researcher's personal narrative as a lens through which to explore broader sociocultural phenomena, this dissertation challenges traditional academic conventions and offers a more intimate and embodied theorizing of queerness and transness in American schools.

Through an autotheoretical framework, this study seeks to disrupt dominant narratives and interrogate power structures within educational spaces, including those that dictate what constitutes “research” and “theory.” By amplifying marginalized voices and offering alternative ways of knowing and being, this dissertation aims to contribute to ongoing efforts to create more equitable and affirming educational environments for all students, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.