QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK
With the QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK podcast, we focused on school environments through the eyes of queer and trans students — and we want to end the audio series with their perspectives.
Listen also via:
Soundcloud
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
***
“QUEERING AT THE SCHOOLDESK is not research, it is a window into the stories of queer and trans teens in our Czech schools.” podcast author, Tereza Marková
The author of the podcast, Tereza Marková, gives voice to queer learners and allows them to talk about what it is like for them to function in an institution like school – what are their experiences of oppression and limitations or, conversely, exemplary attitudes, and where do they see the potential for change? Thus, the four-part podcast, QUEERING AT THE SCHOOLDESK, functions primarily as a support for primary and secondary school teachers.
Tereza Marková is a queer psychologist, dog mom and avid Dungeons and Dragons player. In her spare time, she works with queer and trans teens and has participated in research on LGBTQIA+ issues and learners in Czech schools.
Tereza has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with an extension in Special Education and a Master’s degree in Psychology. She focused on LGBTQ issues in her bachelor and master thesis. She is currently working as a psychologist in the health sector and coordinates the Teenspace leisure program for queer and trans teens.
The sound design is the work of composer and sound artist Natálie Pleváková. Her work explores compositional strategies in a post-digital situation and includes theatre, AV, sound design, as well as the creation of sound installations. She has also worked as a high school teacher.
This podcast is presented in collaboration with Futuropolis: School of Imagination.
The podcast is part of a long-term series of the project QUEERING, which is realized with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Prague City Hall and the State Culture Fund of the Czech Republic.
Episode 1: School environment In the first episode, we look directly into the classroom to see*how supportive the Czech school environment is towards LGBTQIA+ people. For many teens, school is the environment where they spend most of their normal, everyday lives. School can be a place where young people first encounter discrimination, prejudice or bullying as a place that can support them as they grow up and find themselves. It is therefore important to consider how the school environment impacts on the health and mental wellbeing of learners, and how it works with stigma against LGBTQ people. So what kind of support do Czech LGBTQ learners receive? Thank you to all the participants who shared their experiences with Tereza and the QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK listeners*.
Episode 2: Coming out at school In the last episode, we uncovered queer and trans teens' perceptions of the openness of the school environment in the Czech Republic. In this episode, together with Tereza Markova and her respondents*, we will explore the topic of coming out in such environments and how supportive adults in the school system, as well as their peers, can be supportive to LGBTQIA+ learners. Thank you to all of the participants who*re shared*their experiences with Tereza and the QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK audience*.
Episode 3: Supporting learners Last episode we ended*with how important support is for LGBTQIA+ learners in school. In this episode, you'll learn specifically what other schools and those working in schools can do to make them safer environments for queer learners. TRIGGER WARNING!!! We touch on the topic of bullying. Thank you to all of the participants who shared*their experiences with Tereza and the QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK listeners*.
Episode 4: What to change? We conclude the last episode of the podcast with a look to the future - presenting the wishes and changes that learners themselves would like to see introduced in schools. Thank you to all the participants who shared*their experiences with Tereza and the QUEERING AT THE SCHOOL DESK listeners*.