Applying an Intersectional Framework to the Experiences of Low-Income
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APPLYING AN INTERSECTIONAL FRAMEWORK TO THE EXPERIENCES OF LOW- INCOME, FIRST-GENERATION, SEXUAL MINORITY COLLEGE STUDENTS Sabrina Marie Gonzales A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2019 Committee: Catherine Stein, Advisor Kit Chan Graduate Faculty Representative Dryw Dworsky Dara Musher-Eizenman © 2019 Sabrina Gonzales All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Catherine Stein, Advisor Research on the experiences of students with marginalized identities has primarily focused on one marginalized identity at a time. Intersectional frameworks provide a context for centering the experiences of students with multiple marginalized identities. Few studies exist that examine the experiences of low-income, first-generation, sexual minority students. The present qualitative study examined first-person accounts of 16 undergraduate and graduate low- income, first-generation, sexual minority students. Participants completed individual semi- structured interviews in which they described the development of their sexual orientation identity, their first-generation college status, their adjustment and integration into the university community, and nature of their relationships with family, friends, and members of the university community. Using a grounded theory framework, student accounts described a variety of ways that they felt different from peers and family as they navigated the university with limited economic, social, and cultural capital. Students described institutional barriers related to their struggle to find a sense of belonging that stemmed from both their first-generation status and their LGBTQ identities. Students identified pride in their personal growth and accomplishments as students and identified people who have supported them throughout their academic journeys. Implications of study findings for research, clinical practice, and academic institutional change are discussed. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank the students who participated in this study and were so generous with their time and stories. I have the utmost respect for their humor, vulnerability, resilience, and perseverance. I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Catherine Stein, for her patience, guidance, and support, and for encouraging me to challenge myself throughout this process. I would also like to thank my partner, friends, and family, for their continued support and patience as I talked endlessly about this research. Finally, I would like to thank the mentors who have supported and guided me through my own journey as a LGBTQ first- generation college student. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………..... 1 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................... 4 Intersectionality…………………………………………. ......................................... 4 Sense of Belonging .................................................................................................... 5 First-Generation College Students…………………………………………. ............ 9 Environment…………………………………………. .................................. 10 Involvement…………………………………………. .................................. 10 Relationships…………………………………………. ................................. 12 Sexual Minority College Students…………………………………………. ............ 14 Environment…………………………………………. .................................. 14 Involvement…………………………………………. .................................. 15 Relationships…………………………………………. ................................. 18 Lower-SES LGBTQ People…………………………………………. ...................... 20 Lower-Income, First-Generation, Sexual Minority College Students ....................... 22 PRESENT STUDY………………………. ........................................................................... 25 METHOD………………………. ......................................................................................... 26 Participant Characteristics………………………. .................................................... 26 Measures………………………. ............................................................................... 28 Procedure………………….. ..................................................................................... 29 Qualitative Analytic Approach .................................................................................. 30 RESULTS……………………………. ................................................................................. 33 vi Expectations About Higher Education…………………………………………….. 33 College Expectations and Concerns………………………………………. .. 34 Not the Same Opportunities…………………………………………….. ..... 34 A Better Life .................................................................................................. 35 Social Class…………………………………………….. .......................................... 35 Economic Capital………………………………………. .............................. 37 No College Fund. Have to Work.………………………………….. 37 Worry About Money. ......................................................................... 38 Can’t Afford the College Experience ................................................ 38 Cannot Afford to Fail ......................................................................... 38 Family ............................................................................................................ 39 Parents Don’t Understand College. .................................................... 39 Can’t Talk About What I Do ............................................................. 41 Social Comparisons with Peers. ..................................................................... 42 Knowledge About College. ................................................................ 43 Not Here to Party. .............................................................................. 44 On My Own ....................................................................................... 45 Take Nothing for Granted. ................................................................. 45 My Social Class. ................................................................................ 46 Navigating LGBTQ Identities. ................................................................................... 48 Family Relationships. .................................................................................... 49 Can’t Talk to My Family ................................................................... 49 Some Family Members Support Who I am ....................................... 51 vii College is a Different World. ............................................................. 52 Social Settings. ............................................................................................... 52 Unsafe Settings to Share LGBTQ Identities ...................................... 54 Safe Spaces to Share LGBTQ Identities ............................................ 58 LGBTQ Community Isn’t Welcoming to Everyone. ......................... 59 Growth and Support ................................................................................................... 61 Proud of How I Have Grown. ........................................................................ 62 Parental Support. ............................................................................................ 64 People Who Have Helped Me. ....................................................................... 65 DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………… ............................ 67 Implications for Future Research. .............................................................................. 74 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………… 78 APPENDIX A. FIGURES…………………………………………… ................................ 97 APPENDIX B. TABLES…………………………………………… .................................. 98 APPENDIX C. INTERVIEW PROTOCOL…………………………………………… ..... 111 APPENDIX D. INFORMED CONSENT…………………………………………… ......... 119 FIRST-GENERATION SEXUAL MINORITY COLLEGE STUDENTS 1 INTRODUCTION The landscape of higher education has changed significantly as greater numbers of traditionally underrepresented students, such as members of racial and ethnic minorities, first- generation students, and low-income students, enroll in two or four year institutions (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012). Similarly, students with marginalized sexual orientations and/or gender identities have also experienced greater visibility on college campuses (Renn, 2010). University life provides many emerging adults with the opportunity to explore their interests, values, relationships, and identities without all of the responsibilities of adulthood (Arnett, 2000). However, for many students with marginalized identities, institutions of higher education often fall short in their promise to provide students with a safe and nurturing environment to grow and learn (Rankin, 2003; Rankin et al., 2010; Rankin & Reason, 2005; social income source). As a result, many of these students must navigate inhospitable campus climates, while developing an understanding of their identities (Rankin et al., 2010; Woodford, Kulick, Atteberry, 2015). In order to meet the changing needs of their diverse student populations, educational institutions must adapt their strategies for improving student retention and graduation rates (DeRosa & Dolby, 2014). Likewise, corresponding research and literature must actively adapt methodological and theoretical frameworks in order to capture the unique needs, experiences, strengths,