Since 2022, an unprecedented amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has been proposed and passed in the US, especially Florida. Such anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, messaging, and politics resonate deeply in Florida because of its history of anti-queer initiatives such as the Johns Committee and Anita Bryant’s Save Our Children campaign. The historical and current waves of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash both employ messaging concerning the protection of children despite research emphasizing the profound negative impact of such laws on LGBTQ+ youth. Such messaging neglects the agency of young queer adults, thus my project centers the voices of those being targeted and their resistant responses.
Project Responsibilities
This is an interdisciplinary project at the crossroads of sociology and history. Grounded in social movement research, especially about LGBTQ+ movements, I will conduct in-depth interviews focusing on how young TQ adults, age 18-22, have been advocating on their own behalf in response to Florida anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The project will involve traveling to four areas in Florida associated with universities and centers of queer activism.
