A Quare of Color Critique of the Experiences of Quare Males at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• In Event: Centering Racialized and Marginalized Lives: Dismantling White Supremacy in Queer Studies

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of five quare males who attended three different Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The quare males’ experiences were examined through a Queer of Color theory lens which allowed for an exploration of the lived experiences of quare males through literature and academic research that address the constant shifting of gender, sexual identity, and issues of race using three semi-structured interviews: a biographical history, curriculum, and photo/artifact elicitation. This study drew attention to the idea that messages about maleness and masculinity have influenced their ideologies around gender and sexuality. As a result, the quare males learned to hide in plain sight to gain access and privilege to curricula on HBCU campuses.
 

Author

• Chico Reynard Knight, Teachers College, Columbia University