Date Approved

8-7-2025

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Communications (M.S.)

Degree Program

School of Communications

First Advisor

Dr. Carl J. Brown

Second Advisor

Dr. Danielle DeMuth

Third Advisor

Dr. Alex Nesterenko

Academic Year

2024/2025

Abstract

The relationship between the LGBTQIA+ community and law enforcement in the United States (US) is, and has been for over 50 years, fractured. This research examines how communication behaviors shape both the issues that strain this relationship and the potential solutions needed to mend it. Specifically, communication-focused research from various fields of study was collected with the goals of creating both a multi-disciplinary understanding of this relationship, as well as theory-informed strategies that law enforcement agencies can adopt to improve their relationships with the LGBTQIA+ community. To achieve these goals, the literature that was reviewed was analyzed using a thematic analysis, as well as the Constant Comparative Method, to look for commonly cited problems and solutions regarding this relationship. In doing so, three common communication-centered problems were identified: a lack of LGBTQIA+-specific training for law enforcement, discrimination and harassment from police directed at LGBTQIA+ community members, and a widespread distrust of law enforcement within the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, two common communication- centered solutions were identified: implementing and requiring LGBTQIA+-specific training for law enforcement and creating genuine community connections through purposeful community engagement. Finally, Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) was applied to the common solutions that emerged from this study. Since CAT can be used to explain, predict, and control future communication interactions, applying it here can help law enforcement make purposeful efforts to improve their communication with the LGBTQIA+ community.

There is no shortage of communication-focused research centered on law enforcement interactions with the public. In fact, literature centered on police interactions with minority communities is plentiful. However, communication-focused scholarship centered specifically on interactions between the LGBTQIA+ community and law enforcement in the US is quite thin. This thesis addresses this gap in research by offering a communication-centered perspective on an area of study that has received limited attention. In doing so, it contributes to ongoing conversations across disciplines and lays the groundwork for future study.

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