08/17/2026
Guided by Starlight: Story Constellations of Q***r Women's Resistance in Southern Appalachia by Leia K. Cain in the new special issue of Journal of Appalachian Studies is published by the University of Illinois Press with support from Marshall University and Marshall University College of Education and Professional Development. examines how Q***r women in Appalachia navigate a unique intersection of regional, gender, and sexuality-based identities, yet their stories of resilience and resistance are often overlooked in discussions of place and identity. This study centers on q***r women who choose to remain in Appalachia for their university education rather than migrating to areas with more affirming cultural climates. Understanding why they stay—and how they resist societal pressures to leave—sheds light on the powerful ties between identity, geography, and resistance in a region often stereotyped as hostile to q***r individuals. Using a “story constellation” approach informed by critical feminist lenses, this research explores the lived experiences of nine q***r women attending universities located throughout Southern Appalachia. Participants shared stories of times they felt their identities affirmed, celebrated, and resisted on their college campuses, providing multidimensional views of how identity, place, and culture intersect for each woman. Their stories reveal how q***r women in Southern Appalachia resist traditional gender roles and navigate cultural expectations while remaining deeply connected to their regional identities. For these women, the decision to stay in Southern Appalachia is not simply a matter of geographical convenience but a deliberate act of resistance, identity formation, and community building.
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