Table 3.

Aligning themes with the data.

	Examples from the data
Identity	When I started teaching in 1996 under Section 28 the culture was very different. I felt it might be an issue for staff and children, so I didn't say anything. My first school was in Leeds. I lived in Manchester, so it was easy to keep my personal and professional lives separate. I made a conscious decision to look for jobs on the other side of the Pennines (Jack). When I first started teaching in the 1990s the law hadn't changed. I didn't lie but I only came out to some colleagues. I got the sense that if I pushed too far I would be pulled in for a conversation. I could have got the sack (William). Tom knew he could separate his personal and professional life and that he would not need to discuss his sexuality with colleagues and students. Hiding the truth gave Tom a safety net. He felt a sense of protection (Tom). My sexual orientation does not come into my teaching. Our focus is to educate and teach. My ethnicity has shaped my career more (Oliver).
Agency	The repeal of Section 28 has changed things, but it has been a delayed reaction. Much of the change didn't happen in 2003 and it took time, but the repeal resulted in changes to equality legislation in 2010 and changes to the Ofsted framework after that (Jack). I don't feel able to be open. My Vice Principal is a lesbian and she isn't out either. I would not be comfortable being out in the role I'm doing with the community that I serve. It is a predominantly Muslim community which makes it more difficult to prioritize a culture of acceptance … I know students suspect and have said things behind my back and some of the male staff of a particular ethnic faith have some issues about sexual orientation (Oliver). When I got my job in 2011, a small group of evangelical Christians said to the Head, we think you have just appointed a gay and we are not happy about it. The Head was horrified. I decided I wasn't going to edit myself out, partly because heterosexual staff don't edit their lives, but also partly to watch the fear behind their eyes (William). I was open about my sexuality from day 1 in my current school. I'm the Head so there is no one higher than me (Jack). I have freedom in the university to be open with students and colleagues about my sexual orientation. As a teacher educator I feel able to teach my students about issues pertaining to sexuality or gender identity in schools because this is a requirement of the Equality Act and school inspection frameworks (Tom).
Resilience	I told him about the law and said to him, if you are not happy you can take your child elsewhere (Jack). If I get backlash from parents, I just say, it's the law (William). If I can wrap LGBTQ+ issues up with the Equality Act, I will. I find it easier to talk about LGBTQ+ alongside other protected characteristics. I won't say things that will identify me. Comments were made about me by a colleague in the junior team which were hurtful. I am not out to all staff. I was told by my [line manager] not to go flaunting it around (Oliver).
Stress	In 2005 it was the early stages of my headship. The local authority had shortlisted the applications and I went to the teachers' center to collect them. One of the applications had a big star in the corner. I questioned this and was told that the feedback from the shortlisting panel was that this candidate was obviously gay. The local authority officers were endorsing homophobia after the repeal of Section 28. I thought, well I'm gay, I'd better be careful (Jack). I came out to colleagues but not explicitly to pupils … I got the sense that if I pushed too far I would be pulled in for a conversation (William).