Essential Voices: The Lived Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Individuals in a Rural Midwestern School

Abstract

Homophobia, transphobia, and heteronormativity are prevalent and damaging forces in the world. Employing a thematic topic analysis of available research on these structures, I argue that empirical research, especially in rural areas, has been neglected and is incomplete. Drawing from interview data with ten lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students, five teachers, and three administrators, this work seeks to contribute to the much-needed research surrounding homophobia, transphobia, and heteronormativity in one rural school. This dissertation also employs a composite narrative methodology (Willis, 2019), which details the lived experiences in narratives of Jamie, Charlie, and Justice. It also employs space, spatial justice, feminism, and antivillainification as theories for analysis.