Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2010 Pathology, risk, and emancipation : the impact of dominant discourse on LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care : a project based upon an independent investigation Jill Christine McCullough Smith College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation McCullough, Jill Christine, "Pathology, risk, and emancipation : the impact of dominant discourse on LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care : a project based upon an independent investigation" (2010). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/1096 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Jill McCullough Pathology, Risk, and Emancipation:The Impact of Dominant Discourse on LGBTQ Youth in Out-of- Home Care ABSTRACT Currently, there is a scarcity of comprehensive research that has addressed the experiences and service needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth who enter public and private out-of-home care settings. However, existing literature has illustrated significant experiences of discrimination and victimization related to the sexual identity, gender identity, and/or gender expression of these youth from both caregivers and peers in public out-of-home care settings. The purpose of this study is to critically examine