THE IMPACT OF 37 WORDS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL CASE STUDY OF NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE TITLE IX COORDINATORS

This current study focuses on community colleges in North Carolina because of the history of HB2. Further, the focus of this study is to illuminate the experiences of North Carolina community college Title IX coordinators and their interpretation of the legislation at a time when the specific language of Title IX still indicates sex. Using Giorgi’s (2009) descriptive phenomenology and a case study approach, four interviews and two written journal prompts featuring North Carolina community college Title IX community college coordinators were conducted. Through a triangulation of data using Queer Theory, themes emerged. The themes identified were balancing equity, lacking resources, professional pressure, workload and burnout, contradictory legislation, support, and language. The North Carolina Title IX coordinators in this study take gender into account when interpreting Title IX law and require various supports to better fulfill their job for all students, not just trans and nonbinary students. In order to provide their students with better services in a more just and equitable manner, I make recommendations for the Title IX administrators at North Carolina's community colleges.<p></p>