“Teacher fired after discussing sexuality with students.” What looks like a headline from the 1978 attempt to ban gay teachers from schools¬ is one of many from 2022 that captures the growing effort to push LGBTQ educators into the closet. States across the US have sought to expel LGBTQ educators from classrooms by banning discussions of gender and sexuality, with drastic implications for both teachers and the youth that look to them as examples of positive and possible futures. This conversation will explore how these laws perpetuate inequitable economic outcomes for the LGBTQ community.