Exploring the Experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ Students Attending a Rural College Within a Traditionally Conservative State

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores experiences of queer and trans (2SLGBTQ+) students attending a college situated within a rural area in the Midwest, especially Kansas. Engaged with critical rural and queer theories with an intersectional analysis, this study adopts Bingham’s (2023) steps for qualitative data analysis to outline themes. These themes are outlined from each participant’s experiences and across all interviews as a whole. Student participants were currently attending a rural college or had attended a rural college within the last two years. Findings from this study highlight 2SLGBTQ+ narratives directly from the students who are experiencing college and rural life every day. Sense of belonging, identity, and support from student and faculty members were themes that were common among most interviews, while each individual interview held its own themes. These other themes that emerged from student interviews varied from online connections, (dis)comfort in spaces, and activity/campus involvement. After evaluating these findings and implications, this study emphasizes the needs for more research that centers rural, queer people and communities. Additionally, this dissertation challenges assumptions of metronormativity, urbanormativity, and media narratives of what 2SLGBTQ+ people experience in rural places. Keywords: Rural, 2SLGBTQ+ students, higher education, exploratory, experiences, Midwest, themes, narrative