Date of Award

8-2025

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Vincent Lyon-Callo, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Angela M. Moe, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

David J Hartmann, Ph.D.

Keywords

Demography, LGBTQ studies, political science, social research, sociology

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

This study examines, through a qualitative lens, the influence of a local environment upon the operations, messaging, and perspectives of individuals within LGBT advocacy organizations and broader LGBT advocacy efforts. This was achieved via analysis of in-person and verbal interviews with individuals involved in the operation of these advocacy organizations. Interviews were analyzed with a focus on political perception, organization structure and history, funding sources, and challenges faced in operation such as political conflicts or harassment. Initially focusing on a comparison of the advocacy environment of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, the study expanded to several neighboring towns that hosted advocacy groups which had substantial communication to and connection with large groups within both Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

This study finds that the LGBT advocacy organizations of West Michigan are primarily interconnected along lines of organization and planning. Due to the status of many of these organizations as nonprofit entities, they are unable to participate in partisan politics on an organizational level, with several interested members performing political activities on their own time and with their own funding separate from the organization. This area warrants further study. As it appears right now, the LGBT advocacy space in West Michigan is atomized, with loose connections enabled by planning and larger statewide organization, primarily focusing on community and individual support in areas of healthcare, housing, and mental health. However, due to many of these organizations being nonprofits, primarily 501 c3s, they are unable to participate in politics or in narrative creation on an organizational level and serve primarily to coordinate events and provide resources for their surrounding community.

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