"They're the reason I am still here. Alive" : Experiences of online communities amongst young adults who are LGBTQ+.

A heteronormative culture in UK schools that normalises discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community resulting in ongoing challenges to mental wellbeing and access to school is well documented. However, there is limited research exploring protective factors that young people who are LGBTQ+ employ. I adopted a critical realist positionality alongside a narrative methodology. I utilised Queer and transgender theories as a critical lens, which privileges the voices of individuals who are LGBTQ+ or resist cis/heteronormative ideals. I sought to explore the experiences of online communities amongst young adults who are LGBTQ+ during the period they attended an educational setting, considering the ecological systems that may impact a young person’s lived experiences. My hope was that participants would feel empowered through sharing their narratives, which may provide implications for educational professionals to better understand the role of online communities for young people who are LGBTQ+. I used the ‘Listening Guide’ to analyse the participant’s narratives (Gilligan, 2015). I identified four common themes across all three narratives; the use of specific labels, the conflict between how participants wanted to be viewed and were viewed, belonging, and the stigma present in engaging in online communities. My findings suggest that online communities provided a powerful source of acceptance, belonging and information when participants were experiencing isolation, fear and prejudice in educational settings. Having access to a secure sense of belonging and acceptance was highly valued by the participants. Implications for educational professionals are presented, relating to the identified common themes. There is a specific focus on consulting with young people who are LGBTQ+ alongside the need for systematic approaches to supporting young people who are LGBTQ+.