Sexual Orientation and Music Education

Abstract

This article offers an overview of sexual orientation and music education, in particular how sexual orientation—specifically, heterosexuality—has been dominant in the teaching of music in the United States. Scenarios of heterosexual privilege related to music students, music teachers, and instructional content are presented. After acknowledging heterosexuality’s position of privilege in music education, the author asks the question of whether people are willing to remove it as they have done with other privileges, in the interest of meeting students’ needs and as the profession has matured.