Challenging norms: University students’ views on heteronormativity as a matter of diversity and inclusion in initial teacher education

•Study about teacher students’ attitudes towards heteronormativity.•Reflective reports of students were analysed with a qualitative research design.•A contradiction between positive attitudes and competences to promote it was found.•Results suggest there is a lack of opportunity to reflect upon normative patterns.

Diversity, as seen in this article from a sexual orientation perspective, is currently an emerging topic on many levels in Europe. This article sets out to examine how future teachers and educators articulate that very aspect of diversity; normative ideas about sexuality that tend to oppress and that are related to educational settings. The understanding of how future educators engage in this topic is a key factor for future work promoting the inclusion of lesbian, gay, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people in schools and enriching school life for all. This supports establishing a positive climate, which ultimately helps students to thrive in a democratic environment (Lerner & Boyd, 2013). This is a challenge on all levels of the educational system: policy- and governance-wise as well as on the level of institutions and individuals.