CURRENT RESEARCH

In 2018, Milo Chesnut (they/them/theirs) received a Research Excellence Award from the University of Strathclyde for a PhD in trans and non-binary inclusive education. Milo is conducting a qualitative study of 'gender open parenting,' also known as 'gender creative' or 'theyby' parenting, from the parents’ perspective. The investigation aims to understand gender open experiences with schooling, how parents learn about gender open parenting, and how they educate others – including their children – about their politics and practices. 

Milo is supervised by Professor Yvette Taylor and Dr. Maddie Breeze from the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde.

BACKGROUND

Prior to beginning their PhD research, Milo accumulated over 10 years of experience organizing for trans and non-binary inclusion within education settings. While obtaining a BA in Gender Studies/Queer Studies from Smith College, Milo organized for the explicit inclusion of transgender women in the admission policy, and conducted research to develop recommendations for best practices for college healthcare providers around interactions with trans and non-binary students.

After graduating from Smith College, Milo began their career by teaching self-defense to survivors of violence and LGBTQ people at The Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE)in Brooklyn, New York. They advocated for improved curriculum and intake forms with regard to pronouns and gender identity.

Milo then began a MS in Special Education at Brooklyn College. As a non-binary and queer high school teacher, Milo organized for proactive LGBTQ-affirming education practices, including trans and non-binary inclusive policy, curriculum, teacher trainings, and school-wide pronoun sharing systems. Milo wrote curriculum for the New York City Department Of Education, documentaries such as Love The Sinner (Tribeca Film Festival 2017) and Gavin Grimm vs., and for the upcoming book, Teaching About Gender Diversity: Teacher-tested Lesson Plans for K-12 Classrooms. They led workshops for teachers on affirming trans and non-binary students, became a member of the Trans Educators Network, and the GLSEN national Educator Advisory Committee. Their work has been highlighted in national news outlets, and featured in the book Safe is Not Enough: Better Schools for LGBTQ Students. Milo was honored by GLSEN Hudson Valley at its 2015 Leadership Awards as the Adult Leader Honoree for LGBTQ advocacy work in schools.

Milo now lives in Glasgow, Scotland with their spouse and two cats.