In search of safety: A qualitative study on how LGBT+ college students find safe spaces on college campuses
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Authors
Campen, Ryan James
Issue Date
2021-04
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Academic theses , Education, Higher , Sexual minorities , Gay college students , College students
Alternative Title
Abstract
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and more (LGBT+) college students have had a long and interesting history with higher education institutions. These students seek out a location on campus that provides them with a safe space where they are free to express themselves in terms of their gender and sexual identity openly. This study seeks to better understand how LGBT+ college students find a safe space on campuses when there is not one already provided for them. These data were collected through interviews with six college students who identify within the LGBT+ community and attend an institution which does not have an established safe space. Through analysis of the themes, it was revealed that LGBT+ students find safe spaces in other students in comparison to the physical environment. Students also stated that being on campus, offers more safety than being off campus when they considered their identities. Students also indicated locations like the library and front lawn offered safe spaces. Five students supported the establishment of a safe space for LGBT+ students; one student was neither supportive nor unsupportive. These data can better inform student affairs practitioners on how to better support LGBT+ students while they work with them. They also support colleges and universities establishing safe spaces for LGBT+ students. Finally, the study lays groundwork for future research projects into how other groups of students of historically marginalized identities find safe spaces and how students attending different types of institutions with different attributes are impacted in their search.
Keywords: Higher Education, LGBT+, LGBT+ Students, Safe Spaces, LGBT+ Safe Spaces, College Students
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This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.