Research Symposium

BIO

I am a first-year student at Florida State University from Sunrise, FL. I am studying Psychology with a minor in Criminology. Through my experiences with mental health services, I plan to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology to persuade others in need to seek mental health resources and contribute to the field. In my time at FSU, I hope to learn more about and participate in research on the subfields of clinical psychology, such as personality and eating disorders.

Southern Roots, Shifting Identities: The Impact of Regional Norms on LGBTQ+ Experiences and Self-Perception in the U.S. South

Abstract

There are a multitude of impacts of where one resides and its influence on one's views regarding one's individuality. This research focused on the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals who reside in the Southern region of the United States and aimed to determine how this impacted how they view themselves. We are investigating this due to the lack of sociological research on LGBTQ+ people in non-urban areas such as Chicago.
Due to the lack of research, there isn’t a true ability to generalize nationally because of regional differences in gender and relationship norms. To investigate this theory, 68 people were interviewed over Zoom after responding to an interview inquiry on various social media networks such as X/Twitter.
In these interviews, participants were asked about their view of the South and other states, the first time they’d heard of the LGBTQ+ community, if they experienced any community or religious pressures, and how this has impacted them from childhood on.
Our interviews found that living in the South has influenced religious beliefs and affected how participants felt welcomed in their communities. Various participants stayed in the South but moved to more urban and accepting areas. Many individuals also turned to online spaces to build a sense of community where they could outwardly express themselves and relate to those around them.
Further studies could expand on rural areas in states that are considered more open-minded, such as Washington.

Keywords: LGBTQ, US, Identity, Interviews