The abstract for Cleo’s award-winning research project is:
“…analyzing the use of language in a sample of New Brunswick middle school sexuality education curricula and research articles (which were used to advise the construction of those curricula) to investigate how heterosexuality and cisgenderism are presented as the ‘normal’ human experience, otherwise known as heteronormativity. This leads to both the omission of Queer experiences and the representation of Queer people as ‘abnormal.’ This unequal representation is a passive form of discrimination and its implementation in public education is unethical. Queer sexuality education is taken for granted and LGBTQIA+ youth are denied learning about their community and themselves. [Cleo’s] research will question how heteronormativity is functioning or being contested in New Brunswick sexuality education documents, as well as suggest alternative research and education practices where these documents appear problematic.”
Sounds fascinating! Keep up the great work, Cleo! <3
(note: we have reached out to Cleo for a biography but have not heard back from them)