Queer youth speak out: A study of QIY perspectives on their high school experience

Thesis (M.A., Education (Behavioral Sciences Gender Equity Studies)--California State University, Sacramento, 2013.Abstract\ud \ud of\ud \ud QUEER YOUTH SPEAK OUT: A STUDY OF QIY PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR\ud \ud HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE\ud \ud by\ud \ud Rachel Elizabeth Pearman \ud \ud \ud \ud \ud Statement of Problem\ud The sexual identity of youth has an effect on their experiences in high school. Queer students are more likely to experience various degrees of bullying, verbal harassment, physical violence and sexual assault at the hands of their peers. Rienzo, Button, Sheu, and Li???s (2006) study determines that school environments are hostile to queers. \ud This study examined the support that queer adults perceive they received during their time in high school. The participants were given the opportunity to decide what support meant to them. In an effort to gather information on the totality of each participant???s time in high school, 18-20 year-olds who had the opportunity to graduate participated in the survey. This narrow age range was intended to ensure that the emotional responses that occurred while participating in this research were similar to the emotions that the participating youth experienced in high school.\ud Research Participants\ud The participants of this research include 16 individuals, from across the country, who identify as queer. The participants are between 18 and 20 years of age, and have had the opportunity to graduate from high school. The researcher contacted participants in social groups at a local LGBT support center, through social media, and at local events and public venues. The researcher sent an email attaching a consent form (see Appendix A) and a survey (see Appendix B) consisting of open-ended questions to individuals interested in participating.\ud Conclusions Reached\ud The responses shared by the participants indicate that QIY who are supported by their peers, teachers, and administration are more likely to graduate from high school, and are more likely to go to college than QIY who are not supported by their peers, teachers, and administration. It appears that the support of teachers has a greater impact on QIY than support from administrators or peers. Respondents who were supported by teachers were the most likely to graduate and go to college while respondents who were not supported by teachers were the least likely to graduate or go to college.Education (Behavioral Sciences Gender Equity Studies