Education has the potential to shape the perceptions and values of individuals and consequently initiate changes in society. If focused on inclusivity, education contributes to creating a more democratic society and cultivating positive emotions toward equality and changing rigid values. In the past decades, the discussion about bringing gender-neutral education environments to the classrooms has flourished. Scholars and educators are more aware of creating an inclusive space without gender bias and stereotypes. Emphasising especially gender-neutral language and creating gender-neutral pedagogical practices. However, the educational process not only helps to shape society but it is also shaped by the very same society. Educators perpetuate the same stereotypes they had been socialised into. One of the biggest concepts which play a role in socialising of individuals is heteronormativity as a term describing “socio-legal, cultural, organizational, and interpersonal practices that derive from and reinforce a set of taken-for-granted presumptions relating to sex and gender” (Kitzinger, 2005, Kitzinger (2005, p. 478). Heteronormativity shapes our perceptions of the everyday roles we play in society. It creates notions of ourselves, our relationships, etc. As the discussion about gender-neutral education has mainly focused on the gender part of heteronormativity, only in recent years, it has incorporated the sexuality part as well. As society moves towards inclusivity of sexual minorities, the education process needs to move in that direction as well. However, it is not always easy to move beyond our own learned patterns of behaviour. That is why it is important that the educators engage in a dialogue with the students to take into consideration their individual experiences regarding their gender and sexual identities. It is essential to be aware that both of those concepts are a spectrum, therefore, the educational process needs to move from the binaries. Although gender and sexual identity are two different concepts, they are both shaped by heteronormativity. This paper examines, how higher education can move towards non-heteronormative and more inclusive of various identities through a reflective and responsive approach of the educators to engage their students in the education process.
