Jan Düsterhöft: Queerness und Gender in deutschen Curricula: Positionierungen, Leerstellen, Perspektiven

How are queerness, gender and sexual diversity addressed in German curricula? This study analyses 372 curricula documents and guidelines on sexual education and explores how queerness, gender and sexual diversity are addressed in German curricula for primary and secondary education. It demonstrates fundamental differences between German states and between subjects: While some documents exhibit comparatively comprehensive information, in other curricula, queer realities of life, diverse family structures and non-binary gender identities remain under-represented or are predominantly framed in an implicit and heteronormative manner. The analysis identifies a number of progressive approaches which focus more on discriminatory language, diverse ways of life and critical and reflective approaches to gender and sexuality, as well as other documents that perpetuate stereotypes of binary concepts. The study highlights the need for development in education policy and calls for sexual and gender diversity to be included in curriculum guidelines in a way that is sensitive to diversity.

Full text (in German)