Do adults listen? A qualitative analysis of the narratives of LGBTQI adolescents in Madrid

Abstract

This article explores the experiences of LGBTQI adolescents related to the listening they receive, based on a qualitative focus group study conducted between 2022 and 2023 in Madrid, Spain. After the transcription of the conversations, a thematic analysis was carried out following the systematic procedure designed by Nowell et al. (2017), in order to extract the meanings that the adolescents gave to their experiences. The main thematic axes around which the group discussions revolved were the existence of homophobic ideologies and adultists societies, the experience of not feeling listened to, the safe spaces in which they do feel listened to, the reaffirmation of their identity and satisfaction with their own bodies. Attention was also paid to the processes of subjectivation and agency in relation to listening. The conclusions highlight the importance of role models, the requirement that listening be supported by an intention to learn and recognize others, as well as the urgent need to create safe listening spaces for LGBTQI adolescents