Cloaking Parts of Oneself: The Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Engineer's Dilemma

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Inquiry Driven by Cultural Ways of Knowing (Table 6)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on inclusion in engineering education environments, especially concerning race and gender and, to a lesser extent, lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities. While the engineering field has attempted to address climate and cultural aspects that negatively affect LGBTQ+ individuals, much progress remains to be made. Based on focus group data collected from five lesbian, gay, and bisexual engineering students, this study finds the extent gay engineers go to fit into the heteronormative mold of engineering and the struggles they face to feel accepted in the space. For lesbian, bisexual, and gay engineers, a lack of feeling accepted leads to feelings of inadequacy and isolation.

Authors

• Héctor E Rodríguez-Simmonds, Boston College

• Keira Rao, Boston College

• Echo Panana, Boston College