Contextual Socialization Processes of LGBTQA+ Youth’s Queer Identity Development

Abstract

Ethnic-racial socialization research has identified myriad ecological influences shaping youth identity development, but few studies have put this research in conversation with queer of color critique to understand contextual socialization processes of queer youth identity development. Advocating for greater attention to queer studies contributions in developmental science and family studies, the current study adopted a multidisciplinary qualitative approach to ask: how have LGBTQA+ youth explored and learned about their identities? We conducted individual interviews with 27 LGBTQA+ identifying young adults recruited from a larger project (2023–2024) based in the south-central U.S. (Mage = 21.62, range:18–27; 77.8% youth of color; 55.6% gender expansive; 63.0% plurisexual, 11.1% asexual). Results from reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes regarding contextual socialization processes: accessing queer knowledge, testing and unsettling, existing in queer places with queer people, and envisioning and building the future. Themes cut across multiple ecological contexts, indicating that studying queer youth identity development will benefit from examining socialization within and across family, peer, online, school, and community settings, as well as the sociohistorical contexts in which they are embedded. Results inform intersectional conceptualization of LGBTQA+ identity socialization, opportunities for future research, and policy and practice recommendations in support of queer youth’s identity development.