Đa dạng và Hòa nhập: Trải nghiệm sống của sinh viên LGBTQ tại các trường HBCU ở Vành đai Kinh Thánh

The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 2020 Diversity and Inclusion: Examining the Lived Experiences of LGBTQ Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Bible Belt Steven Jones Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.edu/dissertations Part of the Community College Education Administration Commons, Community College Leadership Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Other Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons, and the Urban Education Commons Recommended Citation Jones, Steven, "Diversity and Inclusion: Examining the Lived Experiences of LGBTQ Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Bible Belt" (2020).edu/dissertations/1834 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact Joshua. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: EXAMINING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF LGBTQ STUDENTS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUs) IN THE BIBLE BELT by Steven J.

Jones A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School, the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Education at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by: Dr. Foster, Committee Chair Dr. Lilian Hill Dr. Tyrone Jackson Dr.

Noal Cochran Dr. Coats Committee Chair Director of School Dean of the Graduate School December 2020 COPYRIGHT BY Steven J. Jones 2020 Published by the Graduate School ABSTRACT Throughout the twentieth century, the Gay Rights Movement has gained momentum as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) individuals have fought for civil equality and social acceptance. However, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been slow to adapt, implement, and effect change that improves the quality of education for LGBTQ students.

Strong religious beliefs derived from the church; especially in the South, may be the connection to understanding why homosexuality isn’t vastly accepted or celebrated in the Black Community and at HBCUs; particularly, in the Bible Belt. Thus, this phenomenological qualitative study, guided by the theory of care framework, explores the lived experiences of 10 LGBTQ students at HBCUs in the Bible Belt. Campus resources, programs, and activities in support of a diverse and inclusive environment wherein LGBTQ students are supported provide powerful instruments for change within the higher education environment. Participants are interviewed to gain in- depth knowledge of their experiences as LGBTQ students in a HBCU campus climate to improve college policies, procedures, and practices toward LGBTQ students.

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my dissertation committee, thank you for your commitment, dedication, and patience throughout this journey. I could not have accomplished this significant milestone without your guidance and support. To my dissertation chair, Dr. Foster, thank you for everything.

Thank you for being patient with me but continuously pushing me to completion. I am forever thankful. To the USM faculty whom I have had the pleasure of being your student, thank you sincerely for your knowledge and wisdom. I am reassured every day in my career that I made the right choice in selecting The University of Southern Mississippi as my choice for pursing a doctoral degree.

The rigor you have instilled into this program is unmatchable and I hope that my peers appreciate it as much as I have. I am confident that I am ready to take the next step in my professional career – to pursue higher ranks – because of the education I have received at USM. iii DEDICATION First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for giving me the strength to keep pushing forward; for placing important individuals in my life who have loved me unconditionally; and for giving me wonderful mentors who have continued to motivate and guide me through my professional career. Without each of them, my journey would not be complete.

They have supported me financially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically when I felt I had nothing left to give. I am forever grateful for them. To my mother, Charlene, who has inspired me to work hard and take nothing for granted, I dedicate this dissertation to you. I have watched you through the years work tirelessly to provide better opportunities for me and my siblings.

You are a warrior who has constantly shown me the importance of never giving up. Now, more than ever, I see your perseverance – it’s truly inspiring. I will cherish you always. To the LGBTQ community, this dissertation is for you.

I pray that this dissertation continues to spark conversations among higher education professionals – particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the South – so that progress can continue to form for the next generation of LGBTQ students who seek the HBCU experience. I pray that HBCUs will be inspired by this dissertation to either implement LGBTQ initiatives or further enhance LGBTQ initiatives that address the dire needs of the LGBTQ community whereby guaranteeing them a high-quality education in a safe and conducive to learning environment. To the LGBTQ students, presently enrolled in a college or university, I dedicate this dissertation to you. I hope you find reassurance in knowing that there are people who iv care, who listen, who sympathize, and who advocate for you and every LGBTQ college student who follows in your footsteps.

I hope this dissertation gives you the strength to finish your college journey. To the LGBTQ students who have dropped out of college because you felt you could no longer endure the unequal treatment; the homophobic slurs and comments; the unwelcoming campus and classroom climate; the awful discrimination and harassment; this dissertation is for you. I pray that you find courage, peace, and strength in the mist of it all to re-enroll in college and successfully finish the educational journey you have begun. I further hope that this dissertation gives you the reassurance in knowing that someone cares, someone is listening, someone is sympathizing, and someone is advocating for you.

To the LGBTQ college faculty, staff, and administrators, this dissertation is dedicated to you. I pray you find strength in knowing that your story, your worries, your feelings, and your compressed thoughts are being spoken in hopes of providing a better working environment for you and your LGBTQ counterparts who work alongside you. I further hope that this dissertation will give you the confidence to continue advocating for your students – “all” of your students so they may have a wonderful college experience. Lastly, I dedicate this dissertation to the countless LGBTQ organizations, advocates, lawyers, elected officials, and more – locally, regionally, and nationally – that work to advance protections for the LGBTQ community and every citizen of the United States of America.

I thank you for your contributions. May God bless you all. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT. iv LIST OF TABLES.

xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. xiii CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION. 1 Preliminary History of LGBTQ Affairs at HBCUs.

3 Statement of the Problem. 5 Purpose of the Study. 8 Significance of the Study. 10 Definition of Terms.

14 vi CHAPTER II – LITERATURE REVIEW. 16 The Gay Rights Movement. 16 Homophobia and the African American Community. 17 Religion, the African American Community, and Their Stance on Homosexuality.

19 The Historically Black College and University (HBCU). 21 LGBTQ Students and the Community College. 29 Sense of Belonging. 30 Heterosexual Faculty and Staff Support of LGBTQ Students.

31 LGBTQ Students, Faculty, and Staff. 33 CHAPTER III – METHODOLOGY. 36 Purpose Overview and Research Questions. 38 Data Collection Procedures.

39 Data Storage and Management. 40 vii Document Analysis. 41 Steps of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. 43 CHAPTER IV – ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS.

44 Introduction of Data. 44 Introduction of Themes. 46 Theme One: Perception of Campus Climate. 47 Theme Two: Campus Safety.

52 Theme Three: Religion and the HBCU. 54 Theme Four: Homophobia and the HBCU. 56 Theme Five: Perception of Faculty and Staff Culture. 60 Theme Six: LGBTQ Student Resources.

68 Theme Seven: LGBTQ Awareness. 80 Summary of the Findings. 84 viii How do the selected LGBTQ students perceive the HBCU college experience?. 85 Religion and the HBCU.

87 Homophobia and the HBCU. 88 Perception of Faculty and Staff Culture. 91 What can HBCU institutions do to create a more diverse and inclusive environment where LGBTQ students feel safe and valued?. 92 Religion and the HBCU.

92 Homophobia and the HBCU. 93 Perception of Faculty and Staff Culture. 93 What Do the Findings Mean?. 95 Directions for Future Research.

104 APPENDIX B – IRB Approval (The University of Southern Mississippi). 106 APPENDIX C – IRB Approval (Jackson State University). 107 APPENDIX D – IRB Approval (MS Community College Board). 108 APPENDIX E – IRB Permission Letter (Coahoma Community College).

114 APPENDIX F – Student A Interview (Coahoma Community College). 115 APPENDIX G – Student B Interview Transcript (MS Valley State University). 131 APPENDIX H – Student C Interview Transcript (MS Valley State University). 146 APPENDIX I – Student D Interview Transcript (MS Valley State University).

170 APPENDIX J – Student E Interview Transcript (Jackson State University). 194 APPENDIX K – Student F Interview Transcript (Jackson State University). 214 APPENDIX L – Student G Interview Transcript (Jackson State University). 225 APPENDIX M – Student H Interview Transcript (Jackson State University).

240 APPENDIX N – Student I Interview Transcript (Jackson State University). 251 APPENDIX O – Student J Transcript (Coahoma Community College). 277 x LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Research Participants Relevant Demographics. 45 xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1.

Data analysis steps for individual and composite descriptions. 46 xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DADT Don’t Ask Don’t Tell DOMA Defense of Marriage Act HBCU Historically Black College and University HBCUs Historically Black Colleges and Universities LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender LGBTQ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer LGBTQ+ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and all other identities that fall under the queer umbrella (i., Ally, Asexual, Intersex, Pansexual, etc.) NBA National Basketball Association NFL National Football League PWIs Predominantly White Institutions xiii CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION Throughout the twentieth century, the Gay Rights Movement has gained momentum as LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) individuals have fought for civil equality and social acceptance. From the foundational gay-liberation Greenwich Village Stonewall Riot of 1969 to the U. military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy; to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the California-based same- sex marriage Proposition 8; from the civil-union litigation of Windsor v.

United States to the openly gay marriage support of a sitting U. President (Barack Obama); the Gay Rights Movement has facilitated social progressivism for many including LGBTQ college students as well as the institutions of higher learning that serve them. Fast- forward to today, the Equality Act which aims to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protections for the LGBTQ population was passed in the U. House of Representatives on May 17, 2019.

The bill was sent to the U. Senate on May 20, 2019 where it remains under consideration to date. The passing of this legislation by the U. House of Representatives was a major milestone in the history of the Gay Rights Movement.

Supreme Court made the victory greater on June 15, 2020 when the Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. However, there is still work to do—especially in the African American community and at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) where homophobia remains palpably evident (Squire & Mobley, 2014).