Growing Up in America: HRC Youth Survey of LGBTQ Youth

In Their Words: A Found Poem on the Experiences of Rural LGBTQ Youth

Qualitative Inquiry ◽

10.1177/1077800418810980 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (3-4) ◽

pp. 407-408

Author(s):

Megan S. Paceley

Keyword(s):

Small Towns ◽

Growing Up ◽

Lgbtq Youth ◽

Queer Youth ◽

Depth Interviews

This poem represents the qualitative findings from a study on the experiences of rural LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) youth. LGBTQ youth engaged in in-depth interviews with the author, sharing their experiences about what life is like growing up in small towns in a Midwestern state, with a focus on the ways in which their communities did or did not support them. From these interviews, the author created a found poem. This poem is crafted from the words of the youth themselves carefully and intentionally arranged to tell their stories and to more authentically convey the power and emotionality of these youth’s experiences.

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Bullying in Schools and LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health: Relations with Voting for Trump

10.31219/osf.io/s2q4w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Steven Hobaica ◽

Paul Kwon ◽

Shari Reiter ◽

Aaron Aguilar-Bonnette ◽

Walter Scott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

School District ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Lgbtq Youth ◽

Teacher Intervention ◽

Youth Survey ◽

Lgbtq Students ◽

Bullying Experiences

The current study utilized the 2018 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey to explore the relations among school district political attitudes, bullying experiences, and mental health outcomes, particularly for LGBTQ+ students. Although bullying was associated with greater psychological distress (i.e., anxiety, depression, and suicidality) for all students, LGBTQ+ students experienced more bullying and psychological distress. Bullying experiences mediated the relation between LGBTQ+ identity and psychological distress. However, school district voting record moderated the relation between LGBTQ+ identity and bullying, such that LGBTQ+ students in more conservative districts, or districts with more votes for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, experienced more bullying, which was associated with greater psychological distress. Additionally, increased teacher intervention during instances of bullying was related to less bullying for LGBTQ+ students. Finally, in more conservative-leaning districts, LGBTQ+ students reported less teacher intervention, which was associated with more bullying and psychological distress. Given that political conservatism was related to higher rates of bullying and poorer mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ students, we recommend improving school-based LGBTQ+ bullying policies to prioritize the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth.

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