School is Out?! : Comparative Study ‘Experiences of Children from Rainbow Families in School’ conducted in Germany, Sweden, and Slovenia

The European research project ‘Experiences of Children from Rainbow Families in School’ (2009 – 2011) conducted by researchers from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany (Centre for Transdisciplinary Genderstudies), University Ljubljana, Slovenia (Department of Social Justice and Inclusions, Faculty of Social Work) and Lund University, Sweden (Centre for Gender Studies) focuses in its comparative study on the experiences of children growing up with LGBTQ-parents/in rainbow families in the context of school. The crucial question of the study is whether and how children and young people experience discrimination, exclusion or bullying and whether this can be described as homophobic violence. In addition it is analysed how they position themselves in a heteronormative environment and which different strategies the children and young people employ to deal with experiences and fears of de-normalisation, what kind of support from parents, teachers or peers is available for them and what are their specific expectations from school as stitution.