Youth Development

 

 

Trials and Triumph: Lesbian and Gay Young Adults Raised in a Rural Context

This study examines the trials and triumphs of coming out in a rural context; interviews of seven young adults who identified as queer document the experience of coming out in a rural Appalachian community. 

Understanding LGBTQ Youth & Ensuring Inclusivity in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs

Research has shown that LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk for teen pregnancy than other youth populations, although this does not necessarily mean that all LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for teen pregnancy; as with all things, risk varies due to factors such as supportive family/peers and safe and supportive environments, among other variables. This report advocates for teen pregnancy prevention programs that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ youth and their experiences.

You Can Form a Part of Yourself Online: The Influence of New Media on Identity Development and Coming Out for LGBTQ Youth

This study explores the influence of online media on the identity development and coming out processes of LGBTQ+ youth. Results indicate that new media enabled participants to access resources, explore identity, find likeness, and digitally engage in coming out. Participants also discussed the expansion of these newly developed identities into their offline lives.

Advocacy For and With LGBT Students

This article discusses the results of its phenomenological study of school counselors’ advocacy. 

Special Issue Introduction: New Research on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: Studying Lives in Context

This study focuses on reframing the narrative that LGBT youth are an  “at-risk” homogenous group, and instead takes into account more individualized real-life contexts in order to disrupt this harmful narrative. While still acknowledging risks and challenges faced by LGBT youth, this approach encourages a paradigm shift from viewing LGBT youth as “at-risk” and deviant, to resilient and thriving.