‘Life has actually become more clear’: An examination of resilience among LGBTQ young adults

Though lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) young adults in the USA experience identity-based adversities, they also develop resilience. Research overemphasizes these young people's risks without fully considering their unique social environments. This study documents how LGBTQ young people subjectively and contextually interpret arduous life experiences. Based on 46 LGBTQ young adults aged 19–26 who are either homeless or attending college, we examine how LGBTQ young people with diverse contextual life situations develop understandings of resilience. Findings underscore nuanced processes young people use to reframe their identity-related challenges that enrich their lives in meaningful, resilience-building ways.