<p> Displaced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) youth exist in educational environments that are ill-equipped to support them in their pursuit of educational success. Limited research on this group documents a lack of targeted supports resulting in significant struggles as they attempt to overcome obstacles in their path toward success. This study overlays the Minority Stress Process and Adolescent Resilience Theory’s models of support in an attempt to understand how targeted supports helped seven individuals overcome obstacles throughout their displacement from family and home. The study explored these individuals’ perceptions of the displacement, supports, resilience, and potential for educational access and success. Interview data was analyzed to arrive at descriptions of experiences that informed the development of codes and themes. In order to contextualize participant interview data, five observations of externally-based support groups and interviews with two support providers were conducted. </p><p> The participants in this study had diverse identities within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Also, some were forcibly displaced due to familial nonacceptance of their gender or sexual identities, while others self-displaced in an attempt to live openly. However, they each described the loss of both familial supports and each reported a lack of targeted supports at school to help them overcome identity nonacceptance, displacement, and lack of belonging. All participants fought to access externally-based protective and compensatory supports. Educational institutions must implement policies and practices to ensure all displaced LGBTQ+ individuals are supported. By mirroring the externally-based programs that are successful with limiting the effects of displacement and identity non-acceptance, educational institutions can interrupt the Minority Stress Process and the associated adversity.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10283801 |
| Date | 24 June 2017 |
| Creators | Beeson, Tony |
| Publisher | California State University, Long Beach |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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