Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Timberly Baker
Second Advisor
Tania Reis
Committee Members
Steven Bounds
Call Number
ISBN 9798273347786
Abstract
This qualitative study examines the educational leadership trajectories of Black gay men (BGM) working in K-12 public schools. These BGM navigate identity-centered marginalization from school systems. Their leadership development is shaped by structural barriers, exclusive frameworks, and cultural expectations whether visible or invisible. This study addresses the scant literature in educational leadership around intersecting racial and sexual identities, and how this omission contributes to exclusionary and discriminatory trauma for BGM. These inequities are supported by heteronormative adult cultures, interpersonal dynamics, and policy. The consequences of these inequities are both political and professional as well as psychologically harmful and deeply personal. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore how the sexual and racial identities of BGM in K-12 public school educational leadership informed their leadership preparation and subsequent leadership development. Guided by Quare Theory, a theoretical framework that centers the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality of queer people of color. Employing narrative inquiry as the research design, this study foregrounds the lived experiences of four BGM living in the American South. Data were collected through structured interviews and participant narratives. This study was grounded by three research questions: (1) How does the intersection of sexual and racial identities of Black gay men in K–12 public school educational leadership shape their experiences in leadership preparation? (2) What are the lived experiences of Black gay men in K–12 public school educational leadership relative to their leadership development and career progression? (3) What challenges and opportunities do Black gay men in K–12 public school educational leadership encounter due to their sexual and racial identities? Three findings emerged: structural exclusion from leadership preparation programs; challenges with sexual identity visibility in majority-Black school environments; and stigmatizing accusations that led to distrust, mental health strain, and career limitations. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated resilience and a justice-centered definition of leadership. This study calls for leadership preparation programs to be intentional in integrating non-heteronormative understandings into existing leadership frameworks and to invite students to engage in research that interrogates the lived experiences and leadership trajectories across the LGBTQIA+ community. Keywords: Black gay male leaders, narrative inquiry, Quare Theory, educational leadership, intersectionality, LGBTQ+ educators, leadership preparation
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Kayode, Abidemi Omowale, "The Educational Leadership Trajectories of Black Gay Males: A Narrative Inquiry" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1114.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1114
