A Pride Flag Isn’t Enough Here's What Queer Students Actually Need | Ep. 220 (with Zsofia Leary)
Zsofia Leary knows what it means to move through a school system where queer identities are rarely acknowledged—and what it can mean when educators choose to create something different. An MPA student at NYU Wagner, advocate, former music teacher, and queer person raised in Indiana, Zsofia joins Bryan to talk about the connection between education policy, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and the everyday choices that help students feel safe and seen.
Their conversation explores the difference between visible signs of support and meaningful allyship, including why a Pride flag or inclusive book is only a beginning. Zsofia also shares insights from research with LGBTQ+ people who attended high school in Indiana, reflects on navigating restrictive education policies, and discusses the importance of community, cultural humility, and listening to what marginalized students actually say they need.
In this episode, you will:
- Explore why meaningful allyship requires action beyond symbols of inclusion, especially when students experience bullying, misgendering, or exclusion.
- Understand how restrictive education policies and school culture can shape queer students’ sense of safety, belonging, and representation.
- Consider how educators can build community by listening to marginalized students, intervening in harmful moments, and recognizing the impact even one supportive adult can have.
Zsofia’s reminder that educators “have more impact than you think” speaks directly to the work of Queering Education: building schools where care, affirmation, and belonging are practiced rather than simply promised. This conversation invites educators to consider the choices they make each day—and how those choices can help a student know they are not alone.
Queering Education is a Teaching While Queer podcast centering LGBTQ+ educators and the real-world realities of teaching while queer. We explore queer representation in education, including burnout, tokenism, doxing, visibility, boundaries, and advocacy for inclusive classrooms, safe schools, and anti-bullying practices.
This podcast supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, agender, and two-spirit teachers, and addresses how gender identity in schools can be honored to reduce isolation, protect educators, and build community.
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Keywords: Teaching While Queer, queer educators, LGBTQ teachers, inclusive education, gender identity in schools, safe classrooms, anti-bullying strategies, educator burnout, LGBTQ advocacy, queer visibility in education