Teens educating and confronting homophobia, space, anti-oppression education and identity

grantor: University of TorontoThe thesis is a study of the Toronto-based Teens Educating Against and Confronting Homophobia (TEACH), a peer-based youth program focused on addressing issues of homophobia. The study examines the ways in which participation in TEACH permits youth to actively challenge homophobia, and how the space of the project nurtures a critical analysis of the construction of identity. The study demonstrates some of the ways in which a peer-based model generates personal narratives and challenges diverse discourses within an anti-oppression framework. It shows how youth have taken up their identities as gay, lesbian or bisexual youth in spaces of the school, the mainstream gay, lesbian and bisexual community, and TEACH itself. The research suggests the need for a combination of trust and reliability, supportive adult facilitation, and reliable structures that support youth in exploring complex issues. It also suggests a possible connection between adolescent development and the acquisition and use of varying theoretical constructs.M.A