Young Queer People Doing Young Queer Research: Critical Reflections on Community Engagement with LGBTQ+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Kentucky

More than 2 million youth experience homelessness in the United States, and of that number, 40% identify as LGBTQ+ (Maccio & Ferguson, 2015). Students and faculty from University of Louisville alongside staff from Sweet Evening Breeze collaborated on a research project that aimed to explore the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. Throughout the project, the research team faced significant challenges including difficulty recruiting participants, the complex intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and homelessness, and the exacerbating political climate in Kentucky. The current paper offers a critical reflection of the research process and what it meant to be young queer people doing young queer research. Findings highlight the need to transcend traditional notions of identity, develop innovative research approaches that address community needs, and confront the pressing challenges posed by the current political climate. Additionally, it emphasizes the psychological strain this work can impose on those involved, highlighting the importance of supporting both the research participants and the researchers themselves.