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Queerness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Insights and Foresights from Experienced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Plus (LGBTQ+) Advocates

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Title: Queerness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Insights and Foresights from Experienced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Plus (LGBTQ+) Advocates
Language: English
Authors: Kelly J. Cross (ORCID 0000-0001-5879-9001), Stephanie Farrell, Rocio Chavela, Marissa Tsugawa
Source: Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 2025 18(4):501-513.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Contract Number: 1748499
1935777
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: STEM Education, LGBTQ People, Social Bias, STEM Careers, Professional Personnel, Advocacy, Social Justice, Professional Identity, Self Concept, Experience, Inclusion, Engineering, Technical Occupations, College Faculty, Higher Education, College Students
DOI: 10.1037/dhe0000528
ISSN: 1938-8926
1938-8934
Abstract: The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) culture has been characterized as hostile to certain groups with noncentered identities, including those who are queer identified. A professional society of Engineering established a community of practice (CoP) in 2015 to respond to the call to improve the STEM climate toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and plus (LGBTQ+) community (see the Letter). Despite this effort to improve the STEM culture, little research has been done to describe how to support the LGBTQ+ community, or how STEM professionals could support their colleagues through advocacy. The purpose of the article is to describe how STEM professionals with an experienced LGBTQ+ advocacy identity, experienced participating in a CoP to support the LGBTQ+ within STEM. Advocacy identity, as described by Messinger (2011), is our guiding framework to understand the development and enactment of an LGBTQ+ advocacy identity in engineering and other STEM contexts. This phenomenologically informed study included individual semistructured interviews as our primary data sources generated three overarching themes. The combination of emergent themes suggests the intersectional nature of the participants' multiple and integrated identities play specific roles in their advocacy identity. The study identifies insights from experienced LGBTQ+ advocates who are STEM professionals and the participants provided recommendations to improve the STEM culture for the LGBTQ+-identified including strategic leadership and establishing resources to support faculty and staff developing a LGBTQ+ advocate identity. We conclude with opportunities for our STEM colleagues to engage with us in making the STEM climate welcoming toward the LGBTQ+ community to support their full participation in our field.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504758
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Queerness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Insights and Foresights from Experienced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Plus (LGBTQ+) Advocates
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kelly+J%2E+Cross%22">Kelly J. Cross</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5879-9001">0000-0001-5879-9001</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stephanie+Farrell%22">Stephanie Farrell</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rocio+Chavela%22">Rocio Chavela</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marissa+Tsugawa%22">Marissa Tsugawa</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Diversity+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>Journal of Diversity in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 18(4):501-513.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: 13
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+Education%22">STEM Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ+People%22">LGBTQ People</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Bias%22">Social Bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+Careers%22">STEM Careers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Personnel%22">Professional Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Advocacy%22">Advocacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Justice%22">Social Justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Identity%22">Professional Identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experience%22">Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering%22">Engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technical+Occupations%22">Technical Occupations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dhe0000528
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  Data: 1938-8926<br />1938-8934
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  Data: The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) culture has been characterized as hostile to certain groups with noncentered identities, including those who are queer identified. A professional society of Engineering established a community of practice (CoP) in 2015 to respond to the call to improve the STEM climate toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and plus (LGBTQ+) community (see the Letter). Despite this effort to improve the STEM culture, little research has been done to describe how to support the LGBTQ+ community, or how STEM professionals could support their colleagues through advocacy. The purpose of the article is to describe how STEM professionals with an experienced LGBTQ+ advocacy identity, experienced participating in a CoP to support the LGBTQ+ within STEM. Advocacy identity, as described by Messinger (2011), is our guiding framework to understand the development and enactment of an LGBTQ+ advocacy identity in engineering and other STEM contexts. This phenomenologically informed study included individual semistructured interviews as our primary data sources generated three overarching themes. The combination of emergent themes suggests the intersectional nature of the participants' multiple and integrated identities play specific roles in their advocacy identity. The study identifies insights from experienced LGBTQ+ advocates who are STEM professionals and the participants provided recommendations to improve the STEM culture for the LGBTQ+-identified including strategic leadership and establishing resources to support faculty and staff developing a LGBTQ+ advocate identity. We conclude with opportunities for our STEM colleagues to engage with us in making the STEM climate welcoming toward the LGBTQ+ community to support their full participation in our field.
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  Data: EJ1504758
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        Value: 10.1037/dhe0000528
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 501
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: STEM Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: LGBTQ People
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      – SubjectFull: Social Bias
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      – SubjectFull: STEM Careers
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Personnel
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      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
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      – TitleFull: Queerness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Insights and Foresights from Experienced Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Plus (LGBTQ+) Advocates
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