People
Cody Freeman
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Pronouns: all pronouns
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Doctoral Student, CIDE
Cody Freeman (all pronouns) is a researcher, educator, and activist committed to creating freedom through education for queer youth globally.
MA, International Educational Development, Peace and Human Rights Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2018
BFA, Theater, Musical Theater, Ira Brind School of Theater Arts, University of the Arts, 2014
- Comparative and International Education
- Queer Youth Studies
- Transnational Social Movements
- Leadership Development
- Transformative Education
Cody Freeman (all pronouns) is a researcher, educator, and activist committed to creating freedom through education for queer youth globally. Their work focuses on driving
transformative systems change through actionable strategies at the intersection of academia, civil society, and government systems. Cody is the Founder & CEO of The Global Center – an NGO dedicated to LGBTI+ youth and education globally – and a PhD candidate and course instructor in Comparative and International Development Education at the University of Minnesota. They have researched and written extensively on queer education and LGBTI+ rights, partnering with organizations such as the World Bank on strengthening LGBTIQ-inclusive development strategies; Save the Children as the first SOGIESC Fellow; UK Aid on a global evidence review of LGBT+ inclusive social protection; and most recently co-leading a multi-country, mixed-methods evaluation with FRI and Save the Children for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
Freeman, C. (2025). Queer youth futures now! Education and research as a transformative praxis for queer youth globally. International Journal of Human Rights Education,
9(1).
Kuss, M. K., & Freeman, C. (2025). Social protection for LGBT+ populations: An evidence mapping. Social Protection Technical Assistance, Advice and Resources Facility, DAI Global UK Ltd.
Freeman, C. & Gleason, A. (2023). Proud to Stand with Every Child: A Capabilities Statement on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression, Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) at Save the Children. Save the Children.
Ojanen, T. T., Freeman, C., Kittiteerasack, P., Sakunpong, N., Sopitarchasak, S., Tiansuwan, K., Thongpibul, K., & Suparak, P. (2022). Mental health and well-being of children and youth with diverse SOGIESC in Thailand. Save the Children (Thailand) Foundation.
Freeman, C. (2022, October 18). Acceptance starts from home: The role of families of LGBTI+ youth. New Mandala. Australia National University Gender Institute, Canberra. Video production.
Feminist Initiative Feminita, Global Queer Youth Network, Kyrgyz Indigo, IGLYO, ILGA World, ShoutOut, & The Global Center. (2022). The Together Statement.
Freeman, C., Miaira Kutch, B., Thomas, C., & Ji, M. (2022). Laying the foundation: Centering LGBTI+ people at work. The Global Center.
Freeman, C., Lewinger, S., & Thomas, C. (2021). Teachers’ perspectives on addressing LGBT+ topics in primary and secondary education: A systematic literature review. Sibol: Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research.
Freeman, C. (2021). Acceptance Starts At Home: A Resource Pack for Parents, Caretakers, and Families of LGBTI+ Children. The Global Center.
Herrera, J., Thomas, C., & Freeman, C. (2021). A path is emerging: Steps towards an LGBT+ inclusive education for Mexican students. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(147). https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.6157
Freeman, C. (2021, June 7). How Can Schools Use the Disruption to Shape LGBTI+ Inclusive Futures of Education? Futures of Education .ed Magazine.
Freeman, C., Herrera, J., & Thomas, C. (2021). Findings from the Classroom: What do teachers need to support LGBTI+ students? The Global Center.
Freeman, C., Thomas, C., Simon, A., Herrera, J., Savigny, A., Rodriguez Corzo, Y., & Nguyen, K. (2021). Teacher Resource Pack: United States. The Global Center.
Juntrasook, A., Freeman, C., Ojanen, T. T., Supawantanakul, N., Samakkeekarom, R., Sopitarchasak, S., & Tokthong, S. (2020). รายงานการศึกษารูปแบบการสนับสนุน LGBTI+ และ 4P: โครงการพัฒนาข้อเสนอแนะต่อการพัฒนารูปแบบและระบบการสนับสนุนสมาชิกครอบครัว เพื่อน คู่ชีวิต และผู้ให้บริการสุขภาพเพื่อ ส่งเสริมสุขภาวะของประชากรกลุ่มความหลากหลายทางเพศ [Report of a study on forms of supporting LGBTI+ and 4P: A project for developing recommendations for developing forms and systems of supporting family members, friends, partners and healthcare providers to promote the wellbeing of gender/sexual diversity populations]. Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, Thammasat University.
Gato, J., Leal, D., Moleiro, C., Fernandes, T., Nunes, D., Marinho, I., Pizmony-Levy, O., & Freeman, C. (2019). “The Worst Part Was Coming Back Home and Feeling Like Crying”: Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Students in Portuguese Schools. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02936.
Freeman, C. & Laochai, U. (2019). Thai Education Policy & Its International Contexts Activity Pack. Faculty of Learning Sciences & Education, Thammasat University.
Freeman, C. (2019). Actions for Inclusion: Reflecting on my experience as an early-career queer scholar in Southeast Asia. Conference Interference.
Freeman, C. (2018). The Hell is Here: Being an LGBTQ Refugee in the Middle East & North Africa. Columbia University Academic Commons. https://doi.org/10.7916/D8NG633M
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Freeman, C. (2018). The 2017 Belgium National School Climate Survey Report. Research Report. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Freeman, C. (2018). The 2017 Iceland National School Climate Survey Report. Research Report. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Freeman, C. (2018). The 2017 Italy National School Climate Survey Report. Research Report. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Freeman, C. (2018). The 2017 Malta National School Climate Survey Report. Research Report. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Pizmony-Levy, O. & Freeman, C. (2018). The 2017 Portugal National School Climate Survey Report. Research Report. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Freeman, C. (2014). Hook-up Apps Are Destroying Gay Youth Culture. Time.
“LGBT+ Rights and Gender-Responsive Social Protection: Why the Connection Matters.” November 2025. socialprotection.org.
“Being in the Present, Making of the Future: How Thai LGBTIQNA+ Youth Engage in the Process of Worldmaking.” March 2025. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society.
“Aspiring within Changing Prospects: Exploring the Life Aspirations of LGBTIQNA+ Children and Youth in Thailand.” February 2025. OLPD Student Research Conference.
“The Power of Queer Youth! Building Bridges Across Child Rights and Queer Rights Movements.” November 2024. ILGA World Conference. The Global Center for LGBTI+ Freedom and Education, Global Queer Youth Network, ILGYO, Queer Voices of Bhutan, & Save the Children. Co-Organizer.
“Queer horizons: Exploring the life aspirations of LGBTIQNA+ children and youth in Thailand.” September 2024. CIES Midwest Regional Conference.
“Queer youth futures now! Education as a transformative praxis for queer youth globally.” March 2024. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society.
“Gender Symposium.” March 2024. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society. Discussant.
“Youth Excel Report: Identifying trends, innovations, and locally-appropriate opportunities for supporting youth mental health in East and Southern Africa - Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.” September 2023. USAID, IREX, Youth Excel, & YOTA. Accra, Ghana.
"Proud to Stand with Every Child: International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).” May 2023. Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, Sex Characteristics Task Team (SOGIESC TT) and Gender Equality Technical Working Group (GE TWG), Save the Children.
"Moving towards queer futures: How can education be used to help LGBTQI+ youth?" May 2023. Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Psychology, & Sex, Gender, and Sexualities group. Rainbow Network is the University of Surrey's LGBTIQ+ Staff Network, University of Surrey.
"The ILGA World Database: A Tool for LGBTIQ+ Youth Activists.” April 2023. Accelerating the COVID-19 recovery and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda with and for youth. Economic and Social Council Youth Forum, United Nations.
"The Global Center: Transforming the world through education for LGBTI+ youth globally.” March 2023. Guest Speaker. Private Influence in Public Policy (POL-UA 341), New York University.
"Educational Campaign & Advocacy Literature Around Gender and Sexuality.” February 2023. Enacting Global Education and International Development, University of Warwick.
"Leading the way on LGBTIQ people’s inclusion: the private sector experience." February 2022. Moderator. United Nations Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, ILGA World and the Global Queer Youth Network.
“Together - Today in Resistance, Tomorrow in Solidarity and Forever in Freedom.” December 2021. Central Asia & Europe LGBTQI+ Youth Activist Conference (co-organizer with IGLYO, ILGA World, Global Queer Youth Network, ShoutOut).
“The Road to Equality is not Straight: Meaningful Action for LGBTIQ Youth.” December 2021. Outsummit 2021.
“Interagency Panel on Agenda 2030.” August 2021. World Pride 2021: UN City LGBTI+ Fair. Copenhagen, Denmark (with Alexandre Stutzmann [Senior Advisor to the President of the General Assembly], Caroline Rusten [UN Women], Gurchaten Sandhu [ILO], Sonya Donnelly [UN GLOBE], Dr. Mandeep Dhaliwal [UNDP], Anbid Zaman [ILGA World Youth Steering Committee].
“Connecting Activists, Sharing Experience, Building Networks: Speed Networking for LGBTIQ Youth Issues.” August 2021. World Pride 2021: Democracy 1:1 Festival. Copenhagen, Denmark.
“Pride in Education.” June 2021. Pride in Education Conference: LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Celebration In All Aspects of Education.
“What do teachers need to support LGBTI+ students? Findings from the Global Center’s Teachers Resource Pack survey.” May 2021. HoCo Rainbow Conference. Howard County Public School System. Maryland, United States.
“Academic Integrity, Education Access, and Private Tutoring in Mainland Southeast Asia.” April 2021. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society. Discussant.
“Sex and Gender Studies: Social Issues I.” February 2021. Faculty of Medicine, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand.
“Education in the times of Corona: Role of educators in fostering gender diversity and inclusion.” July 2020. Global Citizenship Foundation.
“Teachers’ perspectives on addressing LGBTI+ issues in primary and secondary education: A systematic literature review.” March 2020. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society. https://youtu.be/dFslKZaN6us
“The 21st-Century Learner: Gaps, Frameworks and Goals.” March 2020. Student Learning Behaviors in the 21st Century Environment: A Global Perspective. Manila, Philippines.
“Globalized Teaching Strategies in 21st-Century Learning Spaces: Using Democratic Practices to Create a Participatory Classroom.” March 2020. Making Classrooms Work: International Training on Innovations in Pedagogy and Classroom Leadership. Pangasinan, Philippines.
“Education for Equity in Sexual and Gender Diversity.” October 2019. Faculty of Learning Sciences & Education, Thammasat University Symposium.
“Social Justice: Addressing Difficult Topics by Creating a Participatory Classroom.” October 2019. Educa 12th Annual Congress for Teacher Professional Development.
“Basics, Barriers, and Best Practices of LGBTI-Inclusive Schools.” October 2019. Educa 12th Annual Congress for Teacher Professional Development.
“Empowerment and Capacity Development for Parents of LGBTI Persons in Asia.” April 2019. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), San Francisco, United States.
“Panel on Southeast Asia.” April 2019. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), San Francisco.
“International Perspectives on the School Experiences of LGBTI Youth.” April 2018. Teachers College, Columbia University International & Transcultural Studies department workshop series.
“Improving School Climate for LGBTI Youth: Comparing the Effect of School Supports in Belgium, Israel, Italy and Portugal.” March 2018. Annual Meeting of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) apart of the 10th Anniversary Panel on LGBT youth research at CIES. Mexico City, Mexico.
“Everyone Is Gay.” March 2018. The Promises and Problems of Difference. Teachers College Second Annual Graduate Curriculum & Teaching Conference.
“Data for Advocacy: Making the Case for Safe and Affirming Schools using Research for Education Equity and Advocacy.” November 2017. The International Gay Lesbian Association Europe Conference, Warsaw.
