Opening Spaces for Dialogue and Re-Envisioning Children’s Bathroom in a Preschool: Practitioner Research with Children on a Sensitive and Neglected Area of Concern

Millei, Zsuzsa; Gallagher, Jannelle

doi:10.1007/s13158-011-0039-5

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 9 publications

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“…This was perceived as fun at first, but as they grew older they became uncomfortable about what could be perceived as displays of masculinity in the bathroom. There are some useful studies of the school toilet, such as Ingrey (2012) and Millei et al's work based on a 2009 research project in Australia (see Cliff and Millei 2011;Millei and Gallagher 2012;Millei and Cliff 2013;Millei and Imre 2015). However, despite this important work that aims to reposition toilets as a social and cultural space that shapes the quality of children's experiences of schooling, we argue that school toilet literature often fails to acknowledge socio-cultural histories of toilets (school or otherwise), and, relating to this, the intertwined relationships between toilets, embodiment and identity (gender, disability, sexuality, race, faith and so on).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

School toilets: queer, disabled bodies and gendered lessons of embodiment

Slater

Jones

Procter

2016

Gender and Education

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In this paper we argue that school toilets function as one civilising site [Elias, 1978. The Civilising Process. Oxford: Blackwell] in which children learn that disabled and queer bodies are out of place. This paper is the first to offer queer and crip perspectives on school toilets. The small body of existing school toilet literature generally works from a normative position which implicitly perpetuates dominant and oppressive ideals. We draw on data from Around the Toilet, a collaborative research project with queer, trans and disabled people (aroundthetoilet.wordpress.com) to critically interrogate this work. In doing this we consider 'toilet training' as a form of 'civilisation', that teaches lessons around identity, embodiment and ab/normal ways of being in the world. Furthermore, we show that 'toilet training' continues into adulthood, albeit in ways that are less easily identifiable than in the early years. We therefore call for a more critical, inclusive, and transformative approach to school toilet research. ARTICLE HISTORY

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