As intersectionalities in the context of LGBTI+ people

a look at the academic community of the Senhor do Bonfim campus of the Federal University of the São Francisco Valley

Abstract

This article discusses intersectionality as one of the central issues concerning social relations of gender, sex, and class. It is observed that the multiplicity of oppression systems comprises intersections that directly affect the lives of LGBTI+ individuals, including their access to and retention in higher education. Considering these issues, the need to understand the distinction and interrelationships of concepts, which are, for the most part, important markers for the realization of equality, is highlighted. Methodologically, this research has a qualitative and descriptive character. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen undergraduate students at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF). The data were analyzed using Content Analysis (CA), allowing the development of two central categories of analysis: intersectional recognition and prejudice. Thus, the objective is to identify contexts, stereotypes, prejudice, support, and interrelationships narrated by the participants. Regarding the theoretical foundation, we base our study on intersectionality, highlighting the importance of gender and sexuality for the social and cultural construction of individuals in higher education, focusing on authors who discuss this theme, including Collins (2017); Rios, Perez, Ricoldi (2018); Bilge (2018), and Loureiro (2023). The results obtained allow us to conclude that, despite the gradual advances occurring in society, members of the LGBTI+ community still lack greater representation and social justice, as they are unacceptably still viewed as a subclass in society, with their rights and guarantees often being denied, which is intolerable in a democratic state governed by the rule of law.