Jacob DesRochers

Research Areas

Sexuality education, religion, and curriculum theorizing 

Supervisor

Dr. Lee Airton

Biography

Jacob DesRochers (he/him) is a researcher and educator focusing on the complex interplay between sexuality, gender, culture, and religion in education, particularly within K-12 settings. His doctoral work, supported by the Social Sciences and Research Council of Canada, examines how K-12 sexuality education curricula can incorporate religious diversity intentionally despite often seeking to distance itself from religion. Jacob was the lead research assistant on a project led by Dr. Airton titled “Gender Expression” under Construction: How School Boards are Shaping Ontario’s Newest Human Rights Category (2018-2020). In 2021, Jacob supported Dr. Airton's team in launching Gegi.ca, the first bilingual platform designed to support both transgender and cisgender students and teachers in Ontario who encounter discrimination based on their gender identity and gender expression. Jacob collaborates with organizations, universities, and student groups to develop policies and educational initiatives that address gender and sexual violence prevention and promote trauma-informed approaches. He is an active Queen’s General Research Ethics Board member, an inaugural Graduate Inclusivity Fellow (Queen's SGPSA), and a curriculum specialist.

Research Interests

• Secularisms, sexuality, and religion in K-12 and teacher education. 
• Gender and sexual diversity in K-12 and teacher education.
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and practices from k-12 to higher education.
• Qualitative research methodology and research ethics. 
• Queer theory and curriculum theory.