"There Is No Particular Way of Existing:" Queer Femme Latinx Trans, and Gender Variant Identity Meaning Making

Background: Queer Femme Latinx Men, Trans, and Gender Variant (QFLMTGV) individuals live in a complex fabric of intersecting structures of oppression including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, poverty, citizenship status, internalized homophobia, internalized racism and linguistic hierarchy. This complex fabric is often filtered and experienced through an equally complex understanding of personal and group identity. Consequently, QFLMTGV individuals navigate complex identities that are often not understood or adequately researched. While empirical research highlights how minoritized identities may negatively impact, identity, psychosocial functioning and mental health, we still do not have a clear understanding of how individual QFLMTGV navigate their identities in relation to these structures of oppression. Specifically, how QFLMTGV individuals seek support, or gain support from within and/or outside of their chosen communities. This project seeks to understand how QFLMTGV subjectively describe the meaning(s) they hold and how they understand their lived experiences while living with multiple minorized identities within complex and often oppressive systems.

Methods: Individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with open-ended questions were conducted May 2022 to October 2022 via Zoom with participants who reside in the state of California, were 18 to 30, self-identify as queer femme Latinx men, trans, and gender variant (QFLMTGV) and as Latinx or a variation of the Latinx identity. Recruitment was conducted via a purposive sampling method initiated with a recruitment email sent to 95 LGBTQ and Cultural resource centers across California. Interviews lasted approximately two-hours, were recorded, and transcribed for data analysis using ATLAS.ti version 23.

Results: 10 interviews were conducted. 5 participants identified as cisgender male femme identifies/presenting, 3 non-binary femme identified/presenting, and 2 transgender man femme identifies/presenting. Although experiences varied across the sample, four concepts surfaced. They are: (1) “there is no particular way of existing; (2) “the different personas you create within yourself”; (3) “safety isn’t granted;” and (4) “reminding myself I’m worth it.” Participants shared a common understanding of feeling a sense of limitlessness and freedom in their identity. They discussed needing to create different persona and the reality that safety isn’t guaranteed. However, participants shared the ability to remind themselves they are worth it.

Implications: Current research does not have a clear understanding of how individual queer Femme Latinx men, trans, and gender variant (QFLMTGV) individuals navigate their identities in relation to structures of oppression, how they seek support, or gain support from within and/or outside of their chosen communities. This study provides an inclusive understanding of the queer femme Latinx experience. Lastly, this qualitative study will inform further theory building and potential community driven interventions and supports. This knowledge will allow direct service providers to gain insights into the psychosocial impacts of minoritized identity from the perspective of QFLMTGV individuals, informing interventions that seek to reduce negative outcomes.