Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This handbook explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, and music education through historical, theoretical, and practical lenses. Grounded in queer and feminist scholarship, it traces the evolution of discourse from 20th-century cultural shifts, where music and art reflected changing attitudes toward gender and sexuality, through contemporary movements that foreground LGBTQ and gender-expansive identities. Music and music education have long served as vehicles for both implicit and explicit expressions of queer identity, challenging heteronormativity, cisnormativity, gender binaries, and restrictive social norms. It acknowledges the contributions of feminist pioneers who advanced music education scholarship by interrogating misogyny, homophobia, and gendered practices, and it builds upon this foundation to address contemporary challenges and possibilities. In a sociopolitical climate marked by both progressive gains and regressive legislation, music education can be a critical site of resistance, representation, and advocacy. Contributors examine issues such as trans and queer inclusion in the music classroom, intersectionality across race, class, disability, and sexuality, and the role of curriculum in shaping equitable spaces. Drawing on diverse methodologies—such as queer theory, Black feminist thought, and intersectional analysis—the volume amplifies marginalized voices and supports inclusive pedagogical approaches. Organized into four parts, the handbook moves from historical foundations to contemporary representation, curricular implications, and future possibilities. Collectively, the chapters argue for embracing fluidity, imagination, and radical love as guiding principles for research and practice. Ultimately, the volume explores how music education can function as a transformative space that affirms diverse identities and responds to ongoing conversations about equity and justice.</jats:p>