Gay Discourse In Adult Education: A Critical Review

Abstract

This paper explores the dual roles, both emancipatory and oppressive, that adult education plays within the gay and lesbian community. The paper argues that heterosexism, a widely shared system that assumes compulsory heterosexuality for everyone, results in domination of lesbian and gay people. Theoretically, the paper locates heterocentricity within the larger field of education. An extensive literature review is used to demonstrate that mainstream adult education reproduces heterocentric assumptions, social relations, and beliefs, at the expense of gay resistance discourse. Libratory, popular adult education within the gay and lesbian community is contrasted with more mainstream adult education practices, purposes, and programs.