Being queer in Austrian schools

How Austrian high schools treat and support LGBTQ+ pupils

SE Sprachen lernen/lehren: Englischunterricht im

Diversitätskontext

Mag. BA Benjamin Fliri

Matteo Volpe
12027158

SS 2023
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 2
2. What good are school policies? .......................................................................... 4
3. Which educational practices exist? ..................................................................... 5
4. Support systems and their benefits ..................................................................... 7
5. Challenges and experiences of LGBTQIA pupils .............................................. 10
6. Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 11
Bibliography ............................................................................................................. 12

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 1. Introduction

This paper aims to analyse several features that altogether shape the image of
LGBTQIA pupils in Austrian high schools. In the following text, I will describe the
stance of the Austrian educational framework on the matter, but also at how schools
and teachers react, apply and transform the rules of said framework. My thesis
statement reads as follows:
Austrian high schools constantly try to modernize and adapt to the fast-changing
pace of younger generations, their gender identity, and their well-being in schools.
But they are not doing enough, for the majority of LGBTQIA pupils feel neglected,
and often fall victim to hate and bullying by peers.
This analysis is necessary because there is clear evidence that schools are not
doing enough; teachers are unprepared, often uneducated about queerness and
LGBT+ history, and therefore cannot provide the correct help and support these
pupils’ needs. Should things not change faster, then the scission between queer and
heterosexual pupils could happen faster and in a more damaging way over the next
decades. I will address the issue by working on five central themes that are inherent
to the matter, namely: what the legal framework does for queer education, school
policies, the actual educational practices, support systems, and the
challenges/experiences LGBTQIA pupils face in Austrian schools.

Disclaimer for trigger warning: this document contains references to themes of

suicide, verbal violence, physical assault, and depression which some individuals
may find distressing.

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 1. How the legal framework affects education.

This first chapter will regard the Austrian legal framework, and the main argument, in
this case, regards the following question: How does Austria protect legally queer
pupils? According to the “Arbeiterkammer” website, there are several tools that can
be used to improve support for queer pupils in schools. Teachers can visit seminars,
training, and courses on the matter thanks to the VÖGB (Verband Österreichischer
Gewerkschaftlicher Bildung), in which topics such as equality and discrimination are
prioritized. Furthermore, the precinct of Salzburg released a program called “Schule
der Vielfalt” in 2012, in which a Charta is mapped for the treatment of queer pupils in
Austrian schools. These two examples are a few of the many that have been
developed and promulgated by various associations in Austria. They represent the
chances that are given to teachers to be sensitized for certain situations in
classrooms. The best example may be the experience of discrimination towards
queer pupils. In fact, according to the 2021 report “Diskriminierung im
österreichischen Bildungswesen”, Austria’s performance in fighting discrimination is
not good at all.
In 2010, an academic paper was published by Martin Plöderl, Gregor Faistauer &
Reinhold Fartacek, and in their results, they found that “Eighteen percent (n = 82) of
the total sample reported having attempted suicide at least once in their lifetime.
About one quarter (26%) of those who attempted suicide received medical treatment,
and only few of the attempters (9%) reported that they did definitely not want do die.”
(Plöderl et al. 2010: 825f.). This clearly shows that even ten years ago, the effects of
homophobia and harassment had a violent impact on queer people (in this case gay
and bisexual men) in Austria.
The legal framework in Austria was installed in 2012, following the promulgation of
the European agenda on hate crimes based on race, gender, and sexuality. The so-
called “Klagsverband” was created, in which victims of assault (whether it be
physical or verbal) can report and get help after having been attacked. The real
question here is if these steps taken by the Austrian government are enough
because the radicalization of homophobia and transphobia in schools is not an
isolated phenomenon. Nowadays, the efficiency of the legal framework only partially
adapts to school realities.

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Pupils need to be taught respect for other sexes, races, and sexualities; therefore,
there should be a law on a national level that regulates the proper education for
teachers on the matters. In conclusion, the argument of this chapter can be summed
up in the following phrase: legally, queer students are shielded by law because
Austria demands mutual respect from its citizens, but the reality of things is not the
same as it is on paper.

2. What good are school policies?

This second chapter regards school policies, with the question: How effective are
school policies, and to what extent do they affect teachers and students?
Said school policies are subjective to each jurisdiction in Austria; for this exposé, the
region of Salzburg will be considered, based on the “Schule der Vielfalt” program
from 2012. Quoting an essential passage, on page 15 (which regards transsexuality)
the authors specify “Jugendliche brauchen in dieser Situation wirklich Lehrer*innen
und Eltern die hinter ihnen stehen und Schulen, die diese Entwicklung akzeptieren.”
(Rothuber et al. 2012:15). In this instance, the authors are saying that it is vital for
youngsters to have educators and parents who advocate for them, as well as
schools that accept this evolution. Transsexual pupils are the ones who are exposed
to many hate crimes because they are the most likely to be the farthest from
acceptance by their homophobic and transphobic peers. All queer pupils are in the
most major phase of their identity evolution during high school, and hate crimes
make this stage of life everything but easy. “McFarland notes that ‘the struggle for
identity and control is endemic to every classroom’” (Chan 2009: 145). Here, Chan
lets the reader know that in fact, every classroom is a case to itself, meaning that no
teacher can generalize, nor can they respond the same way in every situation they
encounter. This would lead to more struggles for the pupils, for they would feel less
seen. Handling the coming out process of each queer student is a separate task, but
one must be prepared to do this because otherwise, the outcome could be the
opposite of the expectations.
“Obverse homophobic and heterosexist comments and behaviours, whether wittingly
or unwittingly expressed by teachers, contribute towards creating homophobic
behaviours in schools.” (Johnson 2014: 1249).

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The backside of the same coin represents the resenting behaviour of teachers
themselves towards queer pupils. School policies must include the rule that prohibits
teachers from expressing their own homophobic and heterosexist comments.
Particularly in Austria, many teachers like to joke about homosexuality, and only a
few jurisdictions have implied serious measures to contain the problem. But this sad
truth shows the real nature of the Austrian teacher community: many of the teachers
come from smaller, more conservative parts of Austria, in which queer visibility is
almost null. LGBTQIA people repress their identity to fit in with society in order for
them not to be entirely cut out of any social environment. A major part of this is given
by the narrowmindedness that is passed on to younger generations inside either
families that mostly live in the countryside or communities that generally see
queerness as a crime either against nature or God. In this case, the handling of
diverse cultures, religions, and sexualities can be quite challenging for teachers,
especially when they are not prepared to face certain situations. Besides
homophobia, there are also racism, sexism, and ableism (just to name a few)
represent impairments to the classroom environment, and the right approach is vital
to handling these issues. The stigmatization that lies upon people of the LGBTQIA
community goes back decades; it mainly started with the outbreak of the HIV
epidemic in the 1990s, and to this day it may have lessened, but it never vanished.
In conclusion to this paragraph, one can say that the school policies in Austria are
not enough because they seldom target the real issues at heart. Homophobia,
transphobia, racism, and other forms of discrimination need to be handled in the
same way physical assaults are because their damage to pupils is very much alike.

3. Which educational practices exist?

The third chapter takes into consideration existing educational practices, and it asks
itself: Where do educational practices end and where does the active involvement of
families begin? This chapter seeks to find methods and solutions to problems in case
they are not covered by the existing educational practices. There are several of
these practices that could aid pupils to better understand diversity inside the
classroom. It is in nobody’s interest to know the other person’s sexuality, and it
should be even clearer that this is not a reason to judge one’s peer. There are no

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regulations on educational practices in Austrian schools, but the local government
could at least develop and publish regulations on at-home teaching of diversity.
“Greater likelihood of later victimisation by peers ensues for a child whose parents
engage in rearing practices that impede the development of autonomy in the child or
fundamentally threaten the parent–child relationship.” (Chan 2009: 151) This quote
taken from Chan’s report reflects a reality that is rarely considered by teachers,
namely the handling of diversity at home. If the parents of queer pupils are
everything but supportive, and the school has no adaptable educational practices,
the likelihood for the child to feel unseen (and later develop serious psychological
difficulties) increases over time. Austrian schools should apply educational practices
in which diversity becomes the norm, not an exception. School books are not of any
help here, because they mostly rely on hegemonic masculinity and traditional gender
roles, seldom breaking the rules of conventional language and culture teaching. This
lack of diversified content expects teachers to become active themselves, putting
together educational materials which ensue in lecturing pupils on these delicate
matters. It is vital that “inclusive, enumerated nondiscrimination and anti-bullying
policies provide the basis for each of the other forms of school safety policy, practice,
or programs; enumeration specifically identifies status or identity categories for which
discrimination is expressly prohibited.” (Russell 2011: 126)
There are no known concrete examples in Austria that exert any of these
enumerated non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies. Perhaps it is for this reason
that so few teachers are prepared to take steps themselves: because not even
school headmasters and headmistresses know how to properly face these
challenges. “This (…) research suggests that inclusive and enumerated school
policies make a difference for LGBT student safety; pragmatically, they provide the
foundation for the implementation of all other safe school strategies.” (Russell 2011:
127) If this could be achieved, then all safety systems in schools could be improved
in Austria. Cases of racism and sexism would also diminish, leading to a safer and
healthier environment for everybody.
The relationship between teachers and parents plays an enormous role in
educational practice development; feedback plus open, honest conversations
between the two parties play a vital role in the development of school rules and
settings. Reluctance from the parents’ side is to be expected, especially when they
originate from a different cultural context. In this specific case, the integrational work

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needs to be enhanced, because if the parents learn how to handle specific
situations, the pupils can develop their identities in a safe space such as their
homes. If a student can develop their own identity free of judgement or fears at
home, they can better shield themselves from denigratory comments by peers and
effectively absorb the educational practices that regard diversity at school.
What good are these practices anyway? According to the 2023 Annual Review of the
Human Rights Situation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People in
Europe and Central Asia “Online hate speech against LGBTQIA+ people has gained
even more ground than in previous years, with a sharp increase following Pride
month in June. The implementation of the 2021 legislative package against online
hate speech remained flawed. For instance, the number of prosecutions has not
increased, few people used the option of complaints against anonymous offenders,
and victim protection support was used less often than expected.” (ILGA 2023: 31)
This paragraph is to be found under the chapter that contains essential information
on Austria, and it also includes other aspects such as bias-motivated violence,
equality, and human rights defenders. If the source is to be trusted, the image of the
actual problem is much graver than expected. It signifies that several institutions
have failed in transmitting the message and implementing the rules they had laid out.
Online speech and hate both stem from the linguistic/cultural environment young
adults grow up in and if their language is offensive, it is mainly given by their social
relationships. Another educational practice that should result from this is digital
education and language on social media. Particularly in subjects such as German
and English, this digital education should be extended in the curricula, for it is
already partially included.
In conclusion, one can say that the actual educational practices in Austria represent
a good base to work on, but they need to be extended and adapted to the modern
society we live in, especially in the case of digitalization and social media.

4. Support systems and their benefits

In this fourth chapter, support systems will be analysed, and by the end, the following
question will be answered: What support systems are being used in Austrian
schools, and what is their effectiveness inside and outside of the classroom? The
existing support systems that can be applied in the classroom present various

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compositions and extents. As a starting point, it needs to be stated that support
systems are subjective to each school; therefore, it is the teaching commission that
decides which systems need to be enacted and applied in the classroom. A
supportive social network must form the base of relations between queer pupils and
heterosexual ones. The negligence of creating these networks hinders pupils from
creating special bonds with their peers, and this can lead to serious problems. “And,
we pay a high price for our failure to support homosexual/bisexual children and
students: their feelings of isolation and worthlessness lead them to commit suicide at
three times the rate of their heterosexual peers (Center for Population Options, 1992;
‘‘Gay Teenagers,’’ 1989)”. (Walters/Hayes 1998: 9) This report by Walter and Hayes
may have been published in 1998, but the reality has not changed much, although
nowadays there are much more factors that lead youngsters into depression and
suicidal thoughts. Social media has become more and more of an unsafe space for
many teenagers, and for that reason, teachers should be expected to teach them
how to use them the right way and stay safe online. One support system that could
be applied to all Austrian schools is ‘safe spaces’, in which queer pupils can meet
outside of the classroom and express their feelings, thoughts, and troubles they
could have previously experienced. Inside these spaces, there would be no
judgement, and the teachers would act as supporting educators. Looking for
solutions together and uprooting the problems whilst involving the pupils who
express hate towards queer peers are just two of the many methods to properly
support students.
Another support system involves ‘diversified’ teaching materials, in which queer
visibility is mentioned and can become the subject of class discussions. Introducing
students to queerness is never easy, and a teacher should be able to get a general
sense of the stance their class has on the matter. After all, sexuality is a construct,
and so are the gender roles to which we are exposed almost daily. Students should
understand this, or at least attempt to do so.
Teaching classes about Black or LGBT history is never a priority in language
classes, because first and foremost, the pupils need to understand, speak, and write
it. The enhancement of Austrian language teaching curricula may follow the
European guidelines, but as previously mentioned in this document, it is up to each
jurisdiction how and to which extent those guidelines are applied. An adjusted report
system has been found in some Austrian schools, and the results were evident: “On

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the other hand, having more supportive faculty or staff in school was associated with
a greater likelihood of reporting incidents of harassment or assault to school officials:
33% of students who had more than 10 supportive staff members at school
compared to 21% with up to five such members.” (Plöderl et al. 2010: 821)
These data reveal that there only needs to be a supportive faculty or staff member,
and students will more likely report the incidents. The contributing factors, besides
supportive staff, also include healthy class environments (in which queer pupils have
a person they trust and confide their experiences), as well as class discussions in
which discomfort is always a recurring theme. In the latter case, the teacher does not
necessarily have to participate in the discussions, but if the class feels like it, they
may let an educator participate. One must notice that these environments are always
very delicate, and that misinformation could result in major disruptions among pupils.
Collaborating with families is another support system, and it can be increased with a
more stable collaboration between teachers, school psychologists, and parents.
When a teacher notice alerting signals, they should immediately hold a one-on-one
conversation with the interested pupil, and if necessary, notify both parents and
school psychologists. The sad truth behind this is that most queer pupils remain
closeted. “More than two thirds (69%) of participants remained closeted in school.
The most frequently mentioned reason for remaining closeted was fear of verbal
abuse by peers, followed by shame, fear of parents’ reactions, having not been
aware of one’s homosexuality, fear of physical violence, and fear of teachers’
reactions” (Plöderl et al. 2010: 826) Interestingly, this line-up of subsequential fear
triggers puts teachers last, which means that pupils value the support they are given
by those in power. Shame is connected to fear because of bias and prejudices (cf.
this document: page 4), and the fear of physical violence accentuates the awareness
pupils have of violent tendencies displayed by their classmates.
In conclusion, the question posed at the very beginning of this chapter has found its
answer: the support systems in Austria exist, but they are not strong enough to
support all members of the LBGTQIA community in schools. Supportive staff and
healthy class environments are small steps, but there is much more that can be
done.

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 5. Challenges and experiences of LGBTQIA pupils

This last chapter will conclude the exposé through an analysis of how and when hate
originates in pupils, and whether Austrian schools address the challenges
encountered by their queer pupils in the proper way.
Queer pupils face challenges (as has been mentioned before) in which they see their
well-being harmed or attacked through verbal or physical aggressions. The real
origin of these homophobic slurs is unknown, but many have attempted at finding
some theoretical framework they could fit in. “The verbally victimizing behaviors used
by children and adolescents, such as teasing and name-calling, serve to
‘‘underscore status differences...[and] reaffirm existing hierarchies among different
social categories’’ (…). Theoretical work on anti-gay aggression in general (i.e.,
physically or verbally victimizing behaviors) suggests that the use of homophobic
insults could be driven by multiple factors, including peer group dynamics, sexual
prejudice, traditional gender role beliefs, and situational factors such as exposure to
gender role violations.” (Collier et al. 2012: 364)
Addressing the problems mentioned in this quotation is essential, because not only
do they represent risk factors for queer pupils at school, but they also display
tendencies that could lead to social unrest outside of school. If a pupil is not taught
respect in school and at home, the probabilities of them becoming involved in
criminal activities increases dramatically. Picking up signals of distress is an ability
that most teachers can train, such as irregular assessment, an abrupt change in
behaviour, and/or a decrease in scholastic performance. The elimination of social
hierarchies inside the classroom is something that is not applied in Austrian high
schools because it is not the focus of teachers. The latter is also used as an excuse
by many in order not to talk about sensitive themes such as queerness and sexism
in the classroom. As stated by Plöderl et al., “(…), teachers should be prepared for
situations where students come out, or even more important, are outed involuntarily
by peers. From our experiences in school workshops, we found that some teachers
lack basic diversity competencies and knowledge about homosexuality. For
example, there are teachers who are unaware that the expression “schwul” (German
“gay”) is officially not a prerogative term but a correct way to refer to self-identified
homosexual men.” (Plöderl et al. 2010: 836)

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These views are still true to this day, and the existence of such unawareness and
unpreparedness of certain teachers damages the safety of queer pupils at school.
The involuntary outing by peers is a phenomenon that is seldom touched upon,
because some teachers are afraid this could harm the perpetrators who cause these
events.
In conclusion to this chapter, one can state that the work done in Austrian schools is
too little; there are missing regulations, and the application of the European
framework is quite questionable. If the government and the Department of Education
will ever be ready for it, progress can be made by working together and finding
collective solutions.

6. Conclusion

Finally, after reading through the previous exposé, one can state that the initial thesis
statement has been proven to be right:
Austrian high schools constantly try to modernize and adapt to the fast-changing
pace of younger generations, their gender identity, and their well-being in schools.
But they are not doing enough, for the majority of LGBTQIA pupils feel neglected,
and often fall victim to hate and bullying by peers.
The way to go is still long, but the problem lies within the way delicate themes such
as queerness and sexuality are handled in Austria. Sexual education must include
these aspects as well because students need to be sensitised toward these issues.
Misinformation from unreliable sources can distort reality, and pupils could get the
wrong impression of what it means to be queer or gender non-conforming. Open
conversation, safe environments, and prepared teachers are three milestones that
could represent a huge leap forward for queer students, and it is more than positive
that they are nowadays part of the teacher training program to prevent and avoid
problematic behaviour enacted by teachers.

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 Bibliography

• Andrew S. Walters PhD, MPH & David M. Hayes PhD (1998). Homophobia
Within Schools. Journal of Homosexuality. 35:2. 1-23. DOI:
10.1300/J082v35n02_01
• Bernadette Johnson (2014). The need to prepare future teachers to
understand and combat homophobia in schools. SAJHE. 28 (4). 1249-1269.
• Gabriele Rothuber, Martin Plöderl, Bernhard Damoser, Lucy Ludwig, Paul
Arzt (2012). Schule der Vielfalt - Modul 1: Sexuelle Orientierung,
Geschlechtsidentität - Informationen und Angebote für Schulen in Salzburg.
Hausdruckerei - Land Salzburg
• ILGA. Annual Review 2023: ILGA-Europe. May 4th, 2023. www.ilga-
europe.org/report/annual-review-2023/. 31.
• Kate L. Collier, Henny M. W. Bos, Theo G. M. Sandfort (2013). Homophobic
Name-Calling Among Secondary School Students and Its Implications for
Mental Health. J Youth Adolescence. 42:363–375. DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-
9823-2
• Martin Plöderl PhD, Gregor Faistauer & Reinhold Fartacek MD (2010). The
Contribution of School to the Feeling of Acceptance and the Risk of Suicide
Attempts among Austrian Gay and Bisexual Males. Journal of Homosexuality.
57:7. 819-841. DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2010.493401
• Phil C.W. Chan (2009). Psychosocial implications of homophobic bullying in
schools: a review and directions for legal research and the legal process. The
International Journal of Human Rights. 13:2-3. 143-175. DOI:
10.1080/13642980902789403
• Stephen T. Russell (2011). Challenging homophobia in schools: policies and
programs for safe school climates/Desafiando a homofobia nas escolas:
políticas e programas para climas escolares seguros. Educar em Revista.
Curitiba, Brasil. N. 39. 123-138. Editora UFPR.

I'd like to mention that you cover a very important topic in your paper. At the same time I'd like to point out
that the link to the context of our seminar (foreign language teaching) is missing. This is something I have
also pointed out in your exposé presentation. Some of the statements in your paper miss a clear scientific
base - you do not really tackle the problem at hand. Try to work on the way you discuss a topic, using clear
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links to secondary litearture and trying to be as objective as possible!