Navigating the Binary: A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences and Coping Mechanisms of Gender-Diverse College Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/Keywords:
All-Gender Restrooms, Campus Climate in Philippine Higher Education, Coping Mechanisms, Gender-Diverse Students, Institutional Barriers, Minority StressAbstract
This study explores the systemic intersection between institutional regulations and the daily social
lives of gender-diverse students (N=26) within a regional university campus. Using qualitative
analysis across four core Statements of the Problem (SOPs), the findings reveal a campus
environment characterized by conditional inclusivity. While structural metrics show high peer
acceptance and active diversity programming, participants note persistent challenges, including
generational microaggressions from faculty and the structural erasure of bisexual and asexual
identities.
Systemic friction centers primarily on binary infrastructure and rigid uniform regulations, which
induce severe bathroom navigation anxiety and place an unnecessary administrative burden on
students seeking dress code exemptions. To manage these daily minority stressors, students utilize
calibrated classroom advocacy alongside self-protective strategic silence. Students also rely
heavily on relational buffers—such as secure queer peer networks—and intentional intrapersonal
isolation, frequently retreating to quiet campus spaces like the library to maintain psychological
well-being.
The study highlights a critical gap between top-down administrative policies and the lived realities
of students. To address these issues, this paper offers actionable institutional recommendations,
including retrofitting all-gender spatial facilities, decoupling uniform guidelines from gender
binaries, and codifying protective local anti-discrimination ordinances.
Downloads
References
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2024). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
Commission on Higher Education. (2015). CHED Memorandum Order No. 01, Series of 2015:
Establishing the policies and guidelines on Gender and Development in the Commission on Higher
Education and higher education institutions (CHED-GAD Guidelines). Republic of the
Philippines.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2025). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Garvey, J. C., Taylor, J. L., & Misawa, M. (2025). LGBTQ+ college student perceptions of campus
climate through interpersonal and academic interactions. New Directions for Higher Education,
2025(209), 45–58. doi.org
Healthy Minds Network. (2024). Campus climate, discrimination, and sense of belonging among
diverse sexual and gender identity student populations. Healthy Minds Research Collective.
Manila Today. (2024, August 18). Hair and dress code: A detriment to LGBTQIA+ students.
manilatoday.net
Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual
populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697.
doi.org (Foundation text for Minority Stress Theory analysis)
Quezon City University. (2025). Evaluation of institutional safety and inclusion metrics for
gender-nonconforming undergraduates in municipal universities. International Journal of
Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(2), 221–234. doi.org
Rankin, S., Weber, G., & Lovaas, K. (2024). Journeying with pride: An examination of campus
climate for LGBTQ community college students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 17(2),
112–126. doi.org
14
Navigating the Binary: A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences and Coping
Mechanisms of Gender-Diverse College Students
Rodriguez-Alvarez, M., & Smith, T. E. (2024). Stress, mental symptoms and well-being in
students: A gendered analysis of structural coping styles. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article
1492324. doi.org
Santos, D. L., & Villanueva, K. J. (2026). School, work, life: The challenges and coping strategies
of graduate and undergraduate working students from minority demographics. Journal of Asian
Educational Research and Practice, 12(1), 74–89.
Saunders, B., Sim, J., Kingstone, T., Baker, S., Waterfield, J., Bartlam, B., Burroughs, H., & Jinks,
C.
(2024). Saturation in qualitative research: Exploring its conceptualization and
operationalization. Qualitative Research, 24(2), 211–229. doi.org
Sullivan, G. M., & Sandelowski, M. (2025). Qualitative descriptive design in medical and
institutional education research. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 17(1), 12–19. doi.org
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Anthony M. Mon, Emelyn M. Bugayong, The PRMSU BEEd Third-Year Research Group
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access).
