Queer Joy as Pedagogy

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Background: What does it mean to mobilize queer joy as pedagogy, and how does it manifest in educational projects? Although much scholarship has examined queer pedagogy through critique and resistance, less attention has been paid to joy as a radical and collective mode of learning. In educational contexts marked by systemic violence and exclusion, we think that queer joy might offer a way of reimagining what teaching and learning can feel like. This study situates queer joy as both affective and political—a force that can create sanctuary within and beyond formal education. Objective: The study aims to develop and theorize “queer joy as pedagogy” through arts-based and activist research. Specifically, it explores how collective creative practices can transform experiences of marginalization into moments of affirmation, connection, and resistance. By tracing how joy circulates in queer and trans-led educational projects, the research seeks to contribute to a more expansive understanding of critical and inclusive pedagogy. Research Design: Grounded in participatory visual research methodologies, this study draws on two multiyear projects— Pride/Swell+ and the Queer Sexual Joy Project. Together, these projects engaged over 300 queer and trans participants aged 14 to 50+ years, primarily across Canada. Participants collaborated through art-making, storytelling, and visual activism to articulate experiences of queer joy in everyday and educational life. The resulting archives and artworks serve as both data and pedagogical interventions, illuminating how collective creation fosters belonging and critical reflection. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that queer joy functions not as a retreat from struggle but as an active practice of survival, solidarity, and transformation. By centering creative collaboration, the projects cultivated spaces that disrupted normative hierarchies of who can teach, learn, and feel joy. We argue that queer joy as pedagogy offers educators a framework for cultivating radical inclusivity and critical hope. Ultimately, this work positions joy as a transformative force capable of reshaping educational spaces into more just and liberatory environments.

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