“Chickens in the Slaughterhouse” Police-Inflicted Trauma and Mental Health Consequences for an Urban African American LGBTQI+ Community

Daniela Jauk-Ajamie (), Robert L. Peralta and Courtney Michael
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Daniela Jauk-Ajamie: Department of Sociology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-1905, USA
Robert L. Peralta: Department of Sociology, Center for Conflict Management, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-1905, USA
Courtney Michael: Department of Psychology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-1905, USA

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss qualitative findings drawn from a larger community-engaged project in a predominantly Black Midwestern city. Data collection for the project, which focused on the effects of policing on the city’s African American community, was carried out in collaboration with Black community organizations and an independent police oversight board. Using an intersectional queer politics lens, we present findings from a thematic analysis of field observations that focused on the city’s LGBTQI+ community. Major themes that emerged include the social context of Black LGBTQI+ oppression, the criminalization of the Black LGBTQI+ body, and mental health impact of policing experiences. Overall, we found that transgender and gender non-conforming experiences with police were particularly harmful. We conclude with insights into the strategies of resilience and resistance used by the community to navigate the impact police work has on their lived experience. Policy implications of our findings and the importance of queer politics to enable Black LGBTQI+ populations to access services and thrive, rather than survive are also addressed.

Keywords: LGBTQI+; policing; race; community-engaged research; police trauma; transgender; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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