Speaking Out, Speaking Up: Co-cultural Communication through an LGBTQ Discussion Panel

ABSTRACT

This study engaged in ethnographic observation and qualitative interviewing research practices to examine an educational program involving self-identified LGBTQ individuals who participate on classroom panel discussions and question/answer sessions about their coming out experiences. By observing ten LGBTQ discussion panels and conducting 35 interviews with panelists and student audience members, we explored the classroom as a space capable of allowing for nuanced understanding of gender and sexual minoritized experiences. Our observations sensitized us to the LGBTQ panelists’ stories and student audience members’ insights. Thematic analysis of fieldnotes and interview transcripts led to the emergence of three themes: creating conditions for engagement, establishing accountability, and witnessing stories of difference. Implications for future research are also offered.

KEYWORDS:

• LGBTQ
• co-cultural communication
• pedagogy of difference
• coming-out
• classroom
• identity

Acknowldegement

The authors would like to thank Yea-Wen Chen and Devika Chawla for their thoughtful reviews of earlier versions of this essay. A previous version of this manuscript was presented at the 2016 National Communication Association annual convention.

The authors would like to thank Dr. Yea-Wen Chen (San Diego State University) for her guidance and support in the pursuit of this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Throughout this manuscript, we use the acronym “LGBTQ” to refer broadly to persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Although the participants interviewed for this study do not represent all of these identities, they were affiliated with an educational program with specific goals to increase awareness and understanding of the LGBTQ population broadly construed. As such, we retain this acronym to reflect the larger cultural concerns at play in this project, not as a reflection of the specific identities represented here.