Power, Privilege, and Perceptions: A Critical Case Study of FFA and GSA Members’ High School Experiences in a Southern Rural High School

Authors

Eric Moser, Muskegon Area Career Tech CenterFollow
Stacy Vincent, Texas A&M UniversityFollow
Rebekah Epps, University of KentuckyFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9853-1851

Abstract

There is an urgent need to address the rampant homophobic and transphobic systems and rhetoric in the United States. School cultures reflect the systemic privileging of heterosexual and cisgender identities, which places queer students at an increased risk of victimization and harassment. Rural schools have been found to uphold heteronormative and cisnormative cultures more than suburban and urban schools, which increases safety concerns for rural queer students. Rural schools commonly offer school-based agricultural education (SBAE) and FFA programs, which have been found to struggle in their inclusion of racial minority students. To combat hostile school cultures, many schools offer a youth organization specific for queer and ally students known as a Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA). This case study explored experiences of students who had access to both an FFA and GSA program to depict the relationship between the two youth organizations. Findings described (1) barriers toward the inclusion of queer individuals in the FFA, (2) significant differences in parental and community support between the two youth organizations, and (3) varying acceptance of queer and ally students in each organization. From this study, authors propose future research possibilities, collaboration opportunities between FFA and GSA programs, and potential trainings for practitioners.

Methodological Approach

Qualitative

DOI

https://doi.org/10.60808/4cw0-e462

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Moser, E., Vincent, S., & Epps, R. (2026). Power, Privilege, and Perceptions: A Critical Case Study of FFA and GSA Members’ High School Experiences in a Southern Rural High School. Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.60808/4cw0-e462

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