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Lux Barton '21

Major Problems: Choice of Major in Transgender College Students

Despite the increasing visibility of LGBTQ identities in today's society, there is still a lack of research on how students of these identities navigate higher education. My thesis research this year aimed to examine how transgender students select college majors. It aimed to identify what factors may attract or deter these students from majors. Data from a survey administered to students identifying as LGBTQ were combined with interview data from transgender students to determine trends. Findings suggest that, while transgender students often face many challenges and a general lack of support for their identities regardless of major, these students display several forms of resilience within their majors that allow them to navigate their chosen fields.