Diversidade Sexual e gênero na escola: Uma experiência de extensão no Rio de Janeiro

This article presents an analysis based on the experiences of teachers in both public and private education networks in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, about gender and sexual diversity in schools. The project started from the Extension Project “Sexual diversity in school”, in Federal University of Rio de Ja-neiro. The method employed is based on quality research and observation. The data were collected during the planning and execution of the method's procedures, from April 2007 through April 2008, and registered in the procedure's diary and codified by thematic analysis. The identified meaningful core comprehends two debates: gender, having as its prevalent meaning the “essentialization” of feminine and masculine; and the representation of the homosexual, with its symbolic features and its “essentialization”. It was concluded that schools produce discourses about sexuality under the token of interdiction and rules, based on the commonsense standards of heterosexuality. In this trend, the teachers expect the students to behave ap-propriately from social and sexual viewpoints, as is biologically imposed. Behaviors that go astray from this conception are regarded as inadequate and even as unnatural; bissexuality and transvestism are seen as contrary to schools’ reality. In this sense, public policies of early and continued formation and education come together for the construction and promotion of normal and equal social relationships