You Don’t Have to Understand me to Respect Me: A Qualitative Exploration of Wellbeing Among Queer, Nonbinary and Gender-Questioning Youth of Colour

Proceedings of The 3rd International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

Year: 2023

DOI:

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You Don’t Have to Understand me to Respect Me: A Qualitative Exploration of Wellbeing Among Queer, Nonbinary and Gender-Questioning Youth of Colour

Jordan Donovan, Adekunbi Luwaji

ABSTRACT: 

This qualitative research project, conducted in Canada, explored the lived experiences of Queer, Trans and nonbinary youth to investigate factors of self-defined wellbeing. Two focus groups of four participants were conducted and the sessions were recorded, coded, and analysed using thematic analysis to develop rich and interconnected narrative. Three themes and two subthemes were identified: meaningful representation, ambient support, and low-stakes disclosure opportunities. The theme of meaningful representation carried two subthemes: peer representation and media representation. The findings paint a picture of how youth interact with their environment and leverage elements that promote wellbeing. The results suggest that these themes act as catalysts for identity development, exploration, and advocacy. This study also illustrated the utility of operationalising novel conceptions of youth wellbeing, specifically a framework of resistance. Directions for future research involving this cohort and different identity axes are proposed as well as practical suggestions for service providers and relevant stakeholders.

keywords: Non-binary youth, Queer of Colour Critique, Queer youth, Transgender Youth, Wellbeing