Navigating and negotiating “outness” among 2S/LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness

Abstract

There are important implications associated with coming and being out for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and other sexual and gender minority (2S/LGBTQ+) people. “Outness” is indeed imbued with risks, particularly in contexts of visibility and structural precarity. This community-based study used photovoice methods, including data from 61 semi-structured interviews with 32 2S/LGBTQ+ youth (ages 17-29), to examine how they navigate and negotiate outness in connection with homelessness. Our reflexive thematic analysis was guided by theoretical perspectives related to gender and queer performativity, hegemonic masculinities, and strategic outness. We developed four themes: (i) being out in/of harm’s way, (ii) norming outness, (iii) concealing outness, and (iv) masc-ing up. Across these thematic findings, we characterize the stakes of coming out and being outed with respect to trajectories and experiences of homelessness for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth. Moreover, we examine youths’ dynamics of managing outness to broker access to services and housing and mitigate anti-2S/LGBTQ+ and gender-based discrimination and violence risks. Findings detail how youth negotiate the tensions between what they perceive and experience as possible with respect to outness in the context of homelessness and pursuing belonging, safety, material security, and housing. Recognizing these efforts while addressing long-standing inequities in homelessness for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth is a necessary pursuit.