Room for Growth: Queer Identity & the Immigrant Experience
Abstract
Interview with Jose (they/he), a queer, non-binary Mexican immigrant living in St. Albert, AB. Jose talks about how their supportive parents changed their entire coming out experience, especially as a Catholic immigrant.
Notes
Future research / gaps identified: n/a
Integration timeline: Jose is a second generation immigrant
Community organizations: n/a
Key findings:
1) Jose is on the agender spectrum (they are non-binary and genderqueer), and they define agender as diverging from cis-heteronormative gender boxes.
2) Jose’s parents continually learned about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, as well as worked on dismantling the queerphobia in their culture and religion, and created a supportive, positive coming out experience for Jose.
3) “Being queer isn’t supposed to be a tragic thing,” Jose says, despite the common narratives of queerness in immigrant and religious communities.
Key populations: 2SLGBTQIA+ Mexican Catholic immigrants
Key recommendations: n/a
Location: St. Albert, AB
Open access: Yes