The child life profession in the United States primarily comprises White females. Little is known about the experiences of child life specialists with marginalized identities. This exploratory qualitative study examines the experiences of child life students and specialists with marginalized racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, age, and disability identities. Eighteen participants with self-identified marginalized identities took part in a study on navigating the field of child life. The authors used thematic analysis to find themes and subthemes in the data. In this manuscript, themes surrounding microaggressions, the perception of being othered, tokenism, and discrimination experienced in the workplace are described. These findings have implications for research and practice.

The child life profession is predominantly White. To date, there is no research on the experiences of child life students of color navigating child life academic programs and internships. The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze the experiences of child life students of color. Twelve child life students of color took part in in-depth interviews with the authors. Qualitative thematic analysis produced five themes: barriers to progress, protective factors, fitting one’s marginalized identity into child life, connecting with patients and families, and the social landscape of child life. Research and professional implications are addressed.