From Surviving to Thriving: Exploring the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Adolescents and Engaging Teacher Allies in Rural Montana Schools

Abstract

Written by an educator for educators, this qualitative research study explores two questions: (1) What are the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ adolescents residing in rural Montana? (2) How can rural educators become LGBTQ+ allies in their schools and communities? Relying on the voices of five participants, this case study examines queer adolescents’ lived experiences within their family units, rural high school, and local community. The research study also explores ways rural educators can become teacher allies by creating more inclusive, equitable classrooms and communities for rural-living LGBTQ+ youth. Existing research analyzes queer adolescents’ lived experiences in the rural Southeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest United States, yet much of this research adheres to a deficit narrative; in essence, what rural places lack. Existing research also depicts high rates of school victimization among LGBTQ+ youth, mental health and behavioral issues, and a lack of queer representation in the rural classroom. This study’s data derives from semi-structured interviews and sheds light on participants’ experiences (both positive and negative) in one rural Montana community, and its findings are broken into seven themes: (1) Outsider Status: Lacking a Rural Sense of Belonging; (2) Conflicting Familial Support; (3) School Victimization & Subsequent Anxiety; (4) Catching a “Vibe” About Teacher Allies; (5) Lack of LGBTQ+ Representation in School; (6) Resilience & Western Toughness; (7) Heightened Sense of Empathy & Advocacy. With Critical Rural English Pedagogy (CREP) (Petrone & Wynhoff Olsen, 2021) as its theoretical framework, the research study further examines the complex intersection between queerness and rurality and provides ways rural educators can LGBTQ: Listen to queer students, Give queer students support, foster queer students’ rural sense of Belonging, Transform rural classrooms and communities, and Question damaging beliefs about gender and sexuality—with the goals of not only engaging queer students in the classroom but empowering them to enact positive social change in rural America.