Sex, Gender, and Education Research: The Case for Transgender Studies in Education

Abstract

This article situates transgender studies in education within related bodies of education research literature to highlight this field as an important emerging area of scholarship. This scholarship is key for scholars centering gender, equity, and liberation as priorities to engage with since transgender epistemologies can add strength, nuance, and criticality to education research and practice. The purpose of this article is to clearly identify the history of harmful gender ideologies and practices embedded in everyday structures and practices of K–12 schools that have been documented and amplified in education research. I argue that by drawing from transgender studies and epistemologies, education researchers can move toward more liberatory scholarship and educational practices.