Utilization of Institutional Resources by Queer Latinx Men at Hispanic Serving Institutions

Background

The social and political climate at institutions of higher education may create challenges for students to fully experiment with and develop their identities. Studies have found that when students are engaged with the campus environment and involved in extracurricular activities, they are more likely to experience increased development and learning (Renn & Bilodeau, 2005). Additionally, by being involved in an organization or attending events related to an individual’s specific identity, such as race, gender, or sexuality, students are more likely to explore and develop their personal identity (Renn & Bilodeau, 2005).

LGBTQIA+ students at institutions of higher education began seeing an increase in support in the 1970s (Clawson, 2014). A combination of events helped promote the support LGBTQIA+ individuals were receiving. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a mental health condition and the professionalization of student affairs allowed a focus to be placed on campus diversity at institutions of higher education (Clawson, 2014). Queer students have seen an increase in institutional support surrounding gender and sexual diversity (Hernandez, 2022).