Melanated Ga(y)ze: A Reflection on Counternarratives of Iowa’s Black LGBTQ Lives via Podcast Analysis

Black LGBTQ people living in Des Moines, Iowa face challenges living at the intersection of Blackness and LGBTQ status. Critical race theory helps situate the context for understanding the lived experiences of Black LGBTQ individuals within broader systems, exposing the impact of societal expectations on identity formation and resources available to community members. Four interviewees shared their ideals and areas of opportunity that exist to strengthen resources available to Black LGBTQ people living in Iowa. This research study used an action research methodology paired with counternarrative analysis to guide the interview process. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes within and across participant interviews. Each of the interviews was edited into a podcast episode for the researcher’s ‘Porch Tea w/Destinee’ podcast. The overarching themes that emerged from the podcast were that (1) navigating Blackness within Iowa communities is a challenge and (2) community learning is essential to understanding identities and lived experiences.