Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-5-2022
Publication Title
Journal of LGBT Youth
Volume
20
Issue
2
Pages
301-325
Publisher Name
Taylor and Francis Group
Abstract
There is a paucity of research exploring sources of resilience among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) young people with multiple marginalized identities. Information and communication technologies (ICT) offer unique opportunities for authentic self-expression, which is not always possible offline. The primary aims of this study were to understand unique sources of resilience among TGD youth in their online and offline lives. Using photo elicitation and grounded theory methods, we conducted online in-depth interviews with TGD young people (N = 29) between the ages of 14-25 across the United States identifying with at least one of the following social statuses: (a) person of color, (b) immigrant, or (c) living in a rural area. Four themes were identified from the data, with both online and offline artistic expression being viewed as a: 1) form of authentic self-expression; 2) coping mechanism; 3) way to connect to others; and 4) pathway toward agency. Findings advance understanding about the use of artistic expression as an underexamined source of resilience among TGD youth with multiple marginalized identities. Within clinical settings, options for TGD youth to participate in various forms of expressive art may improve engagement and enhance youths’ abilities to authentically express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences to promote healing and growth.
Recommended Citation
Austin, Ashley; Dentato, Michael P. PhD, MSW; Holzworth, Joshua; Ast, Roxanna; Verdino, Anthony; Alessi, Edward; Eaton, Andrew; and Craig, Shelley L.. Artistic Expression as a Source of Resilience for Transgender and Gender Diverse Young People. Journal of LGBT Youth, 20, 2: 301-325, 2022. Retrieved from Loyola eCommons, Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2021.2009080
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Copyright Statement
© Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 2022.
Comments
Author Posting © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 2022. This is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in Journal of LGBT Youth, Vol.20, Iss.2, pp. 301-325. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The final version of the article has been posted at: https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2021.2009080