LGBTIQ Students' Experiences of University

What is it about?

This article presents LGBTIQ+ students experiences in tertiary education. In understanding how young queer students experience their time at university and in education we found that students discussed three key facets of their experiences. Students reported expectations (and perceived expectations) on them to already have knowledge to engage with the LGBTIQ+ community. In addition students reported concerns around performance of queerness and identity as crucial to them and other LGBTIQ+ students within their tertiary environment. Finally, we found the discussion from participants of them holding an innate identity, yet being questioned and queried as to the validity and veracity of their claims.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

While students are now more willing to be open about their identities and embrace this within university and educational spaces we see a number of continuing and emerging concerns. The research was conceptualized in relation to incidents of harassment violence and bullying at university and initially sought to talk to student concerning these type of incidents. However, although more traditional forms of physical and sexual violence were reported - the themes of exclusion and non-inclusion through identity were significant and it was reported that these often played harmful and pervasive roles in students engagement with university, education and learning experiences and the wider LGBTIQ+ community.

Perspectives