Lived Experiences of Gifted LGBTQ+ Students in Gifted Education Programs

• In Event: Research in Progress Roundtable Session 3
  In Invited Roundtable: Research Insights into Gifted and Talented Education: Policy, Critical Race Feminism, and Queer Theory (Table 8)

Abstract

This research-in-progress explores the lived experiences of gifted LGBTQ+ students within gifted education programs, focusing on the intersection of giftedness and LGBTQ+ identities. Employing a narrative inquiry approach, the study will capture the personal stories of gifted LGBTQ+ youth, aged 18–24, from the Midwest. Framed by the Gifted Identity Formation Model, queer theory, and queer pedagogy, it hopes to examine how the participants navigated their intellectual and sexual/gender identities amidst educational policies and gifted programming. Data collection methods will include semi-structured interviews, letter-writing activities, and focus groups, analyzed through thematic and critical lenses. This study’s contributions are significant due to the limited research on gifted LGBTQ+ students, particularly in the Midwest.

Author

• Shannon M. Fuller, University of Missouri - Kansas City