“I’m Passionate . . . and Devastatingly Sad”: Belonging and Place for Gender Nonbinary Individuals Within the U.S. Bible Belt

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 4:55 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Stories on Sense of Belonging in Educational Relationships (Table 10)

Abstract

Individuals who have a non-binary gender identity (GNB) experience increased rates of discrimination and harassment on university campuses throughout the U.S. Bible Belt. However, the literature surrounding this population is limited, failing to explore how GNB collegians describe their experiences within this geocultural space. To address this gap, we collected and analyzed narratives and original artwork from five GNB collegians located throughout the Bible Belt. Upon completion of narrative thematic analysis, we created found poetry to illustrate how participants made meaning of their stories and artwork. We have organized our findings into three themes: Southern Muted Queerness, Religious Intersections, and Activism. After representing these themes, we explore the implications of these themes and situate our findings within the literature.

Authors

• Leia K. Cain, University of Tennessee

• Gretchen Cook, University of Tennessee