Experiences of food insecurity among LGBTQIA+ college students in North Texas: Meaning, experiences, and recommendations for inclusive solutions

Abstract

This ethnographic research explores the meaning and experiences of food insecurity among LGBTQIA+ college students to understand how identity might play a role in those experiences. We offer research-informed recommendations that stu­dent-serving programs could implement to increase accessibility and inclusivity for LGBTQIA+ students to reduce food insecurity. The study was conducted at a large, public, Tier 1 research univer­sity in North Texas. We used purposive sampling and recruited participants through emails and class announcements. We conducted 22 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with students who identified as LGBTQIA+. LGBTQIA+ students do not ini­tially associate their food insecurity with their LGBTQIA+ identity, and many of their experi­ences are similar to non-LGBTQIA+ students. However, ongoing homophobia, stigma, and dis­crimination against people who identify as LGBTQIA+ can add additional anxiety and chal­lenges that influence their experiences in ways that are different from non-LGBTQIA+ students. LGBTQIA+ students are at greater risk of losing family support, are more likely to seek emotional support from peers, and have increased anxiety about responses to their identity, which can affect their willingness to seek resources. Our results indi­cate that food insecurity has an emotional, mental, and physical impact on students, which impacts their academic success. As universities strive to be more welcoming to LGBTQIA+ students, we rec­ommend services that will build community, create safe spaces, and strengthen trust for students to have a positive college experience.

Untitled

“…Consistent with existing literature, our findings indicate stressors related to being part of a sexual and gender minority group have significant impacts on health and quality of life, in addition to the stressors already faced by college and university students (see for example, Frost et al, 2022;Haas & Lannutti, 2021;Henry et al, 2023;Laska et al, 2021). To buffer the negative effects of these stressors, many LGBTQIA2S+ individuals manage the visibility of their sexual orientations and/or gender identities by deciding whether to out themselves through subtle or overt expressions of sexual orientation or gender identity (Frost et al, 2022;Haas & Lannutti, 2021;Henry et al, 2023;James et al, 2016;Vale & Bisconti, 2021). Some participants in this research spoke about their ability to pass as cisgender and/or heterosexual.…”

“…The Hope Center found that students who identify as LGBTQ were more likely to experience basic needs insecurity and reported that 65% of LGBTQ students experience some form of basic needs insecurity, such as food insecurity, housing insecurity, and/or homelessness (The Hope Center, 2021). There has, however, been a lack of in-depth research on food insecurity amongst LGBTQIA2S+ university students, although recent research has begun to explore this topic (Collier et al, 2021;Henry et al, 2023). A myriad of factors may contribute to this gap in research, such as research on specific population intersections being more complex to study and analyze in comparison to studies focused on single population factor or a lack of research funding.…”

Untitled

“…Indigenous students are also at higher risk (Alexis et al, 2020;Fausto, 2022;Reeder et al, 2020). LGBTIA+ students also experience food insecurity at higher rates than their heterosexual or cisgender peers, and they more often lack family support to mitigate their financial troubles (Henry et al, 2023;Willis, 2019). Another complicating factor is that college students underutilize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, at least in part because there are specific criteria for students that may make them unaware of their eligibility.…”