dc.contributor.author	Rich, Lisa Maureen
dc.coverage.spatial	Central and North America -- United States -- Georgia	en_US
dc.coverage.temporal	2010-2015	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2016-03-02T16:37:09Z
dc.date.available	2016-03-02T16:37:09Z
dc.date.issued	2015-12
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10428/2073
dc.description.abstract	This dissertation is about the recollections of gay males' experiences in the educational system of Georgia. I used a phenomenological approach in order to focus on their shared lived experiences as gay men in Georgia schools and colleges. My goals for this study were to: (a) gain an understanding of the feelings and memories gay adolescents had about their educational experiences, (b) understand the roles that family and society have in shaping the experiences of gay adolescents, and (c) comprehend the effects of the Southern regional attitudes on the experiences of the gay teen. The participants of my study shared their experiences as high school students, and in some cases, as college students. In-depth interviews and email correspondence were my primary means of gathering information. I met with each person, conducted, and digitally recorded their interviews. I also made extensive memos about their facial expressions and body language during the interview so I could incorporate those data into the transcription. Seven people between the ages 18 and 25 were interviewed. The transcripts were studied and noted for common themes between the educational experiences. I focused on the areas of academic experiences, social experiences, family relationships, and emotional well-being. I then used the transcripts to construct personal profiles. Finally, I discussed my findings in the context of the related literature. During the formation of the profiles, I used my participants' common experiences to discover patterns and construct themes. The themes included: (a) bullying in the community and schools; (b) the influence of teachers and administrators; (c) the support system of school activities; (d) coping mechanisms; (e) family acceptance; (f) the role of religion; and (g) the influence of Southern culture. I discovered that there is still much to do in stopping the bullying of gay students in our schools. The major conclusions of my study are that we need to raise the awareness of teachers and administrators to the issues our gay students encounter in the Georgia school system and take measures to improve the educational experiences for gay teens in schools. I discovered that familial support is vital to the wellbeing of the gay adolescent and when this support is withheld or withdrawn, the effects can have equally negative consequences. I also concluded that the negative effects of the Southern values and ideals were not as pronounced in this generation of gay adolescents as in previous generations, although they are present.	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	Chapter I: INTRODUCTION 1 Bullying in Literature 2 Changing Social Climate 4 Gay in the South 4 Need for the Study 9 Purpose of Study 17 Research Question 17 Significance of the Study 18 Chapter II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 20 Self-Identification 20 LGBTQ Adolescents and the Law 22 Family 23 Bullying 24 School Improvement 26 Southern Stereotypes and Attitudes 27 Summary 29 Chapter III: METHODOLOGY 30 Qualitative Method 31 Participants 34 Participant Synopses 35 Data Collection 38 Data Analysis 40 Trustworthiness 44 Subjectivity 44 Chapter IV: PROFILES 48 Davis 48 Cutiepie 60 Richie Stitches 76 Danny-Rhys Torrance 100 Paul 136 John 160 Lane 171 Chapter V: SYNTHESIS OF LITERATURE AND DATA 188 The Effects of Bullying 188 The Influence of Teachers and Administrators 193 The Support System of School Activities 197 Coping Mechanisms 199 Family Acceptance 205 The Role of Religion 207 The Influence of Southern Ideals and Values 210 Summary 215 Chapter VI: CONCLUSIONS 218 Study Design 218 Journey to Goal Accomplishment 219 Recollections of the Educational System 219 Roles that Shaped Experiences 220 Southern Values and Ideals 222 Implications 223 Policy 224 Practice 227 Further Research 228 Summary 230 REFERENCES 232 Appendix A:Interview Guide 245 Appendix B: Profile Characteristics 248 Appendix C: Flyer 251 Appendix D: Statement of Consent 253 Appendix E: Concept Map 256 Appendix F: Institutional Review Board Exemption Report 258	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	Educational Leadership	en_US
dc.subject	Homosexual students	en_US
dc.subject	LGBTQ	en_US
dc.subject	Southern High Schools	en_US
dc.title	Voices From Behind the Southern Rainbow: A Qualitative Study and Analysis of Recollections from Homosexual Students Regarding Experiences in Georgia Schools	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Education - Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Schmertzing, A. Lorraine C.
dc.description.committee	Schmertzing, Richard W.
dc.description.committee	York, Travis T.
dc.description.committee	James, Christine A.
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Leadership	en_US