Spinsters, Bachelors, and Other Gender Transgressors in School Employment, 1850-1990

Abstract

Over the past two centuries, school employment in the United States generally has been divided into gender-identified roles. In spite of this stark division, however, many men and women have transgressed their" acceptable gendered places in schoolwork. At times, these gender transgressors––including male teachers of young children, women superintendents, spinsters, and more recently, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender educators––have faced severe sanctions as individuals, institutions. and the broader society have labored to maintain strict gender boundaries around them. This article offers art historical analysis of how year of homosexuality emerged among educators and the public, and further how homophobia has perpetuated rigid gender-identified roles in school employment.