Queer writes: A phenomenological study of LGBTQIA+ students’ identity and belonging following the United States Supreme Court Obergefell decision

Vice, Josef Since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v Hodges establishing the right of same-sex couples to marry, the LGBTQIA+ community has become the target of increased homophobia, including acts of violence. Too little is known about the impact this problem has had upon the developing gender and sexualities identities and sense of belongingness of young adult LGBTQIA+ college students. In addition, too little is known about the impact that first-year writing courses may have upon these college students’ identity and sense of belongingness while at college. This qualitative phenomenological case study of eight young adult LGBTQIA+ college students’ experiences with discrimination while at college addressed two research questions: 1. How do young adult LGBTQIA+ identifying students’ experiences with homophobia and heterosexism influence their sense of identity and belongingness at college? 2. How do young adult LGBTQIA+ identifying students’ experiences in first-year college writing courses shape their sense of identity and belongingness at college? Informed by the lens of Queer Theory, Queer Pedagogy, Constructivist-Developmental Theory, and Attachment Theory, the data resulting from this study’s semi structured interviews revealed several key findings: At least for the eight study participants, despite growing increased positive LGBTQIA+ representation and a growing overall public acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, young adult LGBTQIA+ identity and sense of belongingness are still at-risk; LGBTQIA+ identity acceptance and integration and their sense of belongingness are still being negatively impacted by familial and cultural attitudes; the conservative political and Conservative Christian movement in the United States has harmed the young adult LGBTQIA+ community’s ability to form a positive self-identity and hampered their feelings of belongingness; while some young adult LGBTQIA+ identifying college students believe that their first-year writing courses offer LGBTQIA+ representation, are inclusive, and offer opportunity to build a positive identity through writing, most perceive that all college courses, not just first-year writing courses, should be safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ identifying students; and, the threats to their identity and sense of belongingness can be, they perceive, counter balanced through positive self-expression and by the actions of even a single teacher or administrator ally.

Grantor dc:publisher

Alverno College

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Vice, Josef

• Belonging (Social psychology)
• Academic writing-- Study and teaching (Higher)
• LGBTQIA+ identity
• Queer Shame
• Identity threat
• Religious trauma
• Safe spaces
• Queer Theory
• Queer Pedagogy
• Constructivist-Developmental Theory
• Attachment Theory

Statement dc:rights

• These materials may be used by individuals and libraries for personal use, research, teaching (including distribution to classes), or for any fair use as defined by U.S. Copyright Law.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://alverno.omeka.net/items/show/812

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:alverno.omeka.net:812