Gender and Sexual Identity in Adolescence: A Mixed-Methods Study of Labeling in Diverse Community Settings

Abstract

Understandings of sexual and gender identity have expanded beyond traditional binaries, yet we know little about adolescents’ appropriation of identity labels across diverse communities. In a mixed-methods study of adolescents recruited from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) spaces in communities differing in support of sexual and gender diversity, seven patterns emerged: (a) frequent use of nonbinary gender identity labels (23.9% of survey sample), especially in high-support communities; (b) greater comfort among adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) with diverse gender expression, which informants attributed to pressures to conform to compulsive masculinity for boys; (c) frequent use of plurisexual (60.8%) and asexual (9.9%) labels, especially among those AFAB, and discussion of online settings as a resource; (d) intersectional patterning of “queer” to describe sexual identity (12.4% of survey sample), with White youth in high-support communities signifying an intellectual/political stance and non-White youth in low-support communities using queer as an umbrella term; (e) resistance to labeling and ambivalence about labels due to intra-community dynamics; (f) labeling challenges among boys of color; and (g) challenges with stigma, sexualization, and violence for transgender and nonbinary youth. Findings highlight how contemporary adolescents engage with and challenge received conceptions of gender and sexuality and how this process is shaped by intersectional identities.

Child development in an ideological context: Through the lens of resistance and accommodation

“…The research underscores that resistance is a natural and necessary capacity that drives development not only a competency acquired as a result of it (Gilligan, 2011;Turiel, 2002). Related studies with adults that have focused on sexuality and nonbinary identities extend this review (Barker, 2005;Bradford & Syed, 2019;Hammack et al, 2021;McLean et al, 2018). Anyon (1984), in her study of working-, middle-, and upper-class boys and girls (9-10 years old), was one of the first researchers of human development to reveal the patterns of resistance and accommodation to patriarchy among children.…”

Community support for sexual and gender diversity, minority stress, and mental health: A mixed-methods study of adolescents with minoritized sexual and gender identities.

“…In spite of claims that the 21st century might usher in a new context of decreased mental health challenge for adolescents with MSG identities (e.g., Savin-Williams, 2005), research has continued to reveal the endurance of such challenges (e.g., Meyer et al, 2021;Russell & Fish, 2016). With ages of disclosure to self and others declining and visibility rising for people with MSG identities (e.g., Bishop et al, 2020;Hammack et al, 2022;Watson et al, 2020), we do not necessarily see evidence of declining psychological struggle. Russell and Fish (2019) have described this phenomenon as a "developmental collision" for adolescents: experiences common to adolescence, such as social identity development and the importance of peer inclusion, might conflict with goals for heightened visibility and authenticity for youth with MSG identities.…”

Beyond ‘migrant background’: how to select relevant, social justice oriented, and feasible social categories in educational research

“…We promote future research to challenge prior assumptions of differences and to recognize inequitable societal norms, policies, and structures rather than locating the source of a given 'problem' within the population being studied (El-Tayeb, 2014). Importantly, we believe our conclusions can help inform research in related areas, including in studies focusing on acculturation (Juang & Syed, 2019) or gender and sexual identity (Hammack et al, 2021), which have been equally criticized for using dichotomous categories when researching diverse youth populations. A reflective and intentional use of social categories is desirable in the name of both good science and social justice, as it can lead to a more accurate representation of existing diversity, make discrimination and social inequity visible, and respect participants' own subjective experiences.…”