COMMUNITY-BASED QUEER RESEARCH, METHODOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, AND MIXED-METHODS INQUIRYKamden K. Strunk, Ph.D.Auburn University; Research Initiative on Social Justice and Equity

RESEARCH PARTNERS

“JUST STORIES”• “Alliance for Equality” push for nondiscrimination ordinance on the

Mississippi Gulf Coast• Relied on narratives to show the problem.• Council members rebuffed the narratives – “just stories”.• Council members claimed stories are isolated – don’t indicate a larger

problem.• LGBTQ college students push for inclusive policy at USM

• Relied heavily on individual narratives to demonstrate a need• Also relied on narratives from other locales to attempt to demonstrate the

good of affirming policies

“JUST NUMBERS”• Campus climate research in Mississippi

• Used a large-scale survey instrument• Quantitative findings demonstrated that LGBTQ students were more likely to

experience violence, discrimination, and bias.• Administrators remarked that these were “just numbers” – statistics can lie.

• Attempts to prevent discriminatory legislation in Mississippi• For another group, we produced a policy paper with quantitative data

showing the negative economic impact of discriminatory legislation.• Again – thought of as just statistics. “These statistics aren’t the same as the

real world”

NOT “JUST”…• We learned quickly that it was easy for policy makers and administrators

to dismiss quantitative or qualitative data when the findings were inconvenient.

• Multiple methods (and mixed methods) were necessary to overcome persistent objections.• One method we found was to present one type of data (e.g., quantitative)

first, and when policymakers objected (e.g., to “just numbers”) to then immediately show another form of data (e.g., qualitative data).

EXAMPLE: QUEER-POSITIVE COLLEGE POLICY ADVOCACY

• Student groups and faculty advisors at The University of Southern Mississippi had long complained about a lack of services, lack of affirming policies, and open hostility on campus against LGBTQ students.

• A tenured faculty member in History began pushing administration to make changes (using the Campus Pride index as an argument point).

• Upper administration contacted our group (and me in particular) to try to settle the dispute.• Worth noting: We suspect the administrator thought of me as ‘straight’ and

contacted me as a research methodologist, not queer researcher.• Also worth noting: The same administrator boasted to other faculty that he

had hired a methodologist to “prove there isn’t a problem”

QUANTITATIVE DATA• We began with a large-scale campus climate survey.

• 1/5 LGBTQ students had witnessed threatening or violent behavior on the basis of sexual orientation. 18% had witnessed threatening or violent behavior on the basis of gender identity.

• Twice as many LGBTQ students had experienced assault or violence.• LGBTQ students were less comfortable participating in campus life.• LGBTQ students were less likely to feel supported by faculty and staff.

• But… they’re “just numbers”.• On releasing an initial draft of findings about LGBTQ students in

December, 2014, no action was taken.

QUALITATIVE DATA• We continued by conducting a number of focus groups (several with

LGBTQ students, but also with women, students of color, students with disabilities, etc.).• Students described feeling unsafe on campus: “It’s not just one thing. It’s a

lot of microagressions, and the few times you say something, you’re dismissed, and told it’s not a big deal.”

• Students described the University as fostering negative behavior: “[they] create an environment where people think it’s something that it’s okay to do.”

• In fact, some students reported that they had attempted to report harassment from faculty on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity to the Title IX office, and were turned away from filing complaints.

COMBINED DATA• We combined the data, and released a final report in April, 2015 through the

Faculty Senate (meaning every faculty member received a copy of the final report).• WHEREAS, a recent report of the Research Initiative on Social Justice and Equality

(RISE) regarding the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index found that “The present results make clear that LGBTQ students at USM do not find themselves subject to a supportive and inclusive environment. They are almost twice as likely to become the victim of assault or harassment on campus as their counterparts. They report hearing negative comments from staff, administrators, and other students more often than their counterparts. They witness threatening behavior more often, particularly with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity,”

• THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, FACULTY SENATE supports the application of Policy PRES-AA-005 by holding all University of Southern Mississippi faculty, staff, and students responsible for upholding said policy in all University interactions and relationships.

BUT…• The sequence of multiple methods of data collection may have convinced

the Faculty Senate to pass a resolution… but…• The University of Southern Mississippi still has no trans-inclusive housing policy.• A committee was formed to create/revise “Allies” training. Their

recommendations were never acted upon.• No action was taken with regards to Title IX issues.• No movement on other LGBTQ-affirming policies or services.• The one exception is an online, multiple-choice format “diversity training” that

was initiated this academic year.• Not all bad:

• GSA and AFE student groups have become more active.• Faculty seem to be more aware of and sensitive to LGBTQ issues.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE – IN ALABAMA

• A nationwide LGBTQ policy advocacy group (HRC) commissioned a for-profit research company to understand the needs and experiences of LGBTQ people in the South (and particularly Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas).• Very few people of color responded to the survey invitation.• It was marketed through social media, email, and direct mail by HRC.• There is some suspicion among HRC staff that the history of HRC with

communities of color played a role for some, and for others there may be stigma attached to involvement with HRC activities.

• In the end, little data was collected regarding LGBTQ people of color in Alabama (who make up 35% of the population in the state).

COMMUNITY-BASED METHODS• We began a new project, funded by Auburn University Outreach, in March.

• Focuses on developing research capabilities among LGBTQ people of color in the South.

• We are holding training sessions in Mississippi and Alabama to provide basic interviewing skills.

• At present we have around a doze LGBTQ people of color involved in the project.

• Qualitative data collection begins next month. Already, participant numbers look promising.

• We are also building a network of community researchers.

FUTURE WORK• We are planning a project to begin next year on mental health and

identity development.• By working with community researchers (and growing the network of

community researchers) we hope to understand how the intersection of race, sexual orientation, gender diversity, and rurality works to shape mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidality) and identity development.

• This method will be mixed methods in two stages:• Grounded theory work with community researchers.• Creating and testing a theoretical model using quantitative methods.

• In this case, it is less about the impact of qual/quant data, and more about accessibility of data, and working toward data that will convince policymakers.

FURTHER INFORMATION• More about working for queer-positive policy at USM can be found in a forthcoming book chapter:

• Strunk, K. K., Bristol, D., & Takewell, W. C. Queering South Mississippi: Simple and seemingly impossible work. Publication details TBA.

• More about the USM climate research can be found in the full report:• Strunk, K. K., Suggs, J. R., & Thompson, K. (2015). The USM campus climate survey: Findings and

recommendations. The University of Southern Mississippi & Research Initiative on Social Justice and Equity.

• For updates on our community-based project, visit:• http://www.RISEinSolidarity.org/• http://www.facebook.com/RISEinSolidarity/

• Due out late 2016/early 2017 is a book on our work and the work of many others in Mississippi:• Strunk, K. K., Locke, L. A., & Martin, G. L. (scheduled 2016). Oppression and resistance in Southern

higher and adult education: Mississippi and the dynamics of equity and social justice. New York, NY: Palgrave.

• Or email me: kks0013@auburn.edu