Insights from an intersectional view of the self for non-heterosexual female youth workers

• Published date: 11 February 2019
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2017-0262
• Pages: 107-120
• Date: 11 February 2019
• Author: Jean Hatton,Surya Monro
• Subject Matter: Hr & organizational behaviour

Insights from an intersectional

view of the self for

non-heterosexual female

youth workers

Jean Hatton and Surya Monro

University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance of intersectional theory (Crenshaw,

1989; Winker and Degele, 2011) in understanding how youth workers name themselves in their everyday

lives. An intersectional approach will assist youth workers in developing a clear understanding of their own

self as they work with young people from diverse and challenging backgrounds.

Design/methodology/approach –This research takes a qualitative approach, using in-depth interviews

with cisgendered, female lesbian, gay and bisexual respondents of different social class, religion, ethnicity and

age about their everyday experiences.

Findings –Intracategorical and anticategorical intersectional approaches (McCall, 2005) were used

to assist in understand ing how these professi onals chose to name thems elves in their personal a nd

working lives.

Originality/value –The youth work literature, although focussed on the importance of issues of diversity,

has not engaged with the ideas of intersectionality. The focus on intersections of sexuality, as well as social

class, religion, ethnicity and age, fills another gap in the literature where less attention has been paid to the

“category”of sexuality (Richardson and Monro, 2012; Wright, 2016b). These findings will be useful for youth

workers and for practitioners and their trainers from a range of professional backgrounds such as therapists,

social workers, teachers and health care practitioners.

Keywords LGBT, Identity, Intersectionality, Queer, Youth work, The self

Paper type Research paper

This paper discusses the everyday lived experiences of women youth workers who

identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer using an intersectional approach. The research

examines the usefulness of an intersectional approach (Crenshaw, 1989) in understanding

why different identities are accepted or rejected by these practitioners in the North of

England who have grown up in different and contrasting circumstances. This is important

as the youth work literature, although focussed on the importance of issues of diversity

(NYA, 2004; Davies, 2010), has not engaged with the ideas of intersectionality to any

extent. This research may assist all youth workers, not just LGBT youth workers

(Batsleer, 2014), in understanding the complexity of their self. This self is their most

important tool (Blacker, 2010) as they engage with young people from a range of often

disadvantaged and challenging backgrounds. These findings may also be useful for other

professionals and their trainers, who seek to understand the complexity of their self as

they engage with their client group: such as counsellors, teachers, social workers and

health care practitioners.

The research examines how some cisgendered non-heterosexual women youth workers

name themselves (in terms of sexuality, social class, ethnicity and age) in their personal

and professional lives. Youth work is a profession where issues of inclusion and diversity

are central (NYA, 2004; Young, 2006; Davies, 2010; IYW, 2013; Sapin, 2013). Youth

workers, like many other professionals, are expected to use their self (Spence et al., 2006;

De St Croix, 2016) or “give themselves”(Fusco, 2012, p. 34) as they develop appropriate

relationships with the young people. The youth work literature emphasises that workers

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 38 No. 1, 2019

pp. 107-120

© Emerald PublishingLimited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-11-2017-0262

Received 22 November 2017

Revised 25 March 2018

3 September 2018

Accepted 6 October 2018

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/2040-7149.htm

107

Non-

heterosexual

female youth

workers