Being LGBTQ+ in an Irish Secondary School: A Thematic Analysis of the Lived Experience and the Supports Required

Dunne, Kealyn (2023) Being LGBTQ+ in an Irish Secondary School: A Thematic Analysis of the Lived Experience and the Supports Required. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The LGBTQ+ community have been under-represented in Irish studies. The researcher addressed this by conducting a qualitative study with members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland. The aim of this study was to conduct semi-structured interviews consisting of open ended questions, to gather a more personalised view of the lived experience of this community. In total, seven members of the LGBTQ+ community were interviewed, with ages ranging from 20-64 years (M = 32, SD = 14.49). All participants identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community, and went to an Irish secondary school. All interviews were conducted over Microsoft Teams. A thematic analysis was carried out on the data to extract a number of themes. The three themes identified were; feelings of shame, bullying and isolation, and mental health difficulties. The findings in this study complement previous research in this area. The lack of education and support on LGBTQ+ issues in Irish secondary schools have significant implications on queer people as they navigate their sexuality and can negatively impact their lives. The researcher then discusses the findings and makes suggestions on future studies.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email Kracen, Amanda UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools L Education > LF Individual institutions (Europe) H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman > Sexual life > Sexual minorities
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Tamara Malone
Date Deposited:	01 Jun 2023 10:56
Last Modified:	01 Jun 2023 10:56
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/6699

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