Existing in the void: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of rural LGBTQ+ students

While a growing body of literature has been devoted to addressing the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ youth, specific information related to LGBTQ+ youth in rural high schools is a topic in need of more attention. Utilizing the theory of LGBTQ+ minority stress and research specific to rural LGBTQ+ experiences, we explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ identities in rural Midwestern high schools. We investigate how LGBTQ+ students understand themselves and others within the context of their rural Midwestern high school education experiences. Finally, we use minority stress theory to frame rural LGBTQ+ student experiences as distal and proximal stressors related to the location of their minority sexual and gender identity within a rural environment. Interview data from two undergraduate and two graduate students were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Participants describe the rural LGBTQ+ student phenomenon as consisting of four major themes: (a) affirmative experiences, (b) antagonistic experiences, (c) antithetical experiences, and (d) engaging in advocacy. Implications for practice, education, and policy are further discussed.