Miss Frizzle, Sue Sylvester & more: Our fave queer-coded teachers from film & TV
Brian Jordan Alvarez is ready to serve the students in his new series English Teacher, which just landed on FX and Hulu.Alvarez portrays Evan Marquez, an English teacher in Austin, Texas, who “often finds himself at the intersection of the personal, professional and political aspects of working at a high school,” according to its synopsis.As an openly gay educator living in highly politicized times, it seems that his character will not only challenge students with homework but also through more abstract lessons about life, acceptance, and self-discovery.But Mr.
Marquez is hardly the first teacher who’s spoken to generations of LGBTQ+ students and viewers. After all, there’s no bond like the connection between a closeted gay and his theater teacher!
Furthermore, airy and mind-expanding educators from The Magic School Bus and Mean Girls have always modeled fulfilling adult lifestyles beyond societal norms. (You know, when they’re not giving us detention or shrinking to a microscopic level.)See how Brian Jordan Alvarez navigates the halls of high school when English Teacher premieres on FX on September 2. Until then, we’ve rounded up 7 other teachers from film and TV who have spoken to generations of LGBTQ+ students.Miss Jennifer Honey — portrayed by Embeth Davidtz in the 1996 film — is a ray of light at the military-esque Crunchem Hall Elementary School in Matilda.
With a sweet name, a tragic past, and a dedication to kindness, she encourages Matilda’s passions and helps the six-year-old harness her psychokinetic abilities to take down the tyrannical principal, Miss Trunchbull. (Oh, Roald Dahl!
