Advocacy and Activism for LGBTQ+ Equity in U.S. Schools: An Anti-oppressive Analysis of the Literature

This systematic literature review presents an analysis of the existing peer-reviewed publications on advocacy and activism for LGBTQ+ equity involving students and staff in U.S. schools. By applying Booth et al.’s search, appraisal, synthesis, and analysis (SALSA) framework, the authors find that, though this area of study has grown significantly since 1993, there are still significant gaps in the understanding of this topic. By applying a conceptual framework that combines social justice and anti-oppressive theories, we identify an overemphasis on micro-, rather than macro-, level actions and a dominance of “knowledge”-oriented activities in this body of research. These educational interventions tended to focus on “education about the Other” rather than more critical and liberatory approaches. We summarize trends and gaps in this body of scholarship and provide recommendations for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.