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Gender and sexual minority (GSM) youth are at risk of mental and physical health problems due to experiences of stigmatization and marginalization. GSM youth in nonmetropolitan communities may be at increased risk, yet have less access to other GSM people and resources. Given GSM youth's risks, the lack of research in nonmetropolitan areas, and the need for interventions to meet the needs of GSM youth, this study aimed to establish an understanding of what nonmetropolitan GSM youth perceive as their needs for support within their small communities. Using grounded theory, qualitative interviews were conducted with 34 youth. Findings revealed 4 categories of needs: reduction in isolation, social acceptance and visibility, emotional support and safety, and GSM identity development.

This article examines empowerment theory (ET) for its applicability to adult work with youth activists. It argues that despite ET's prominence within both youth activism and social work broadly, the theory lacks a universally accepted conceptual grounding. As such, adults working to support youth activists have interpreted ET's tenets in significantly divergent ways, with implications for their work and its ultimate viability. By exploring the difficulties in delineating the substance of ET as a practical theory and outlining some of the common tenets of the theory, we make the case for adults working in partnership with youth activists to be more explicit about the ways in which they are drawing upon ET in their work.

In 2015, marriage equality in the United States was a big win for the gay and lesbian movement. Marriage equality as a primary focus of the movement, however, was not without its critiques, particularly as an issue affecting mostly white, gay, economically secure individuals. Given the history of the movement, it is essential to ask what is next. Young queer and trans people represent the next generation of potential activists and advocates for queer and trans liberation, yet little empirical attention has been paid to their goals for the movement and motivations to be actively involved, particularly among young adults in rural, conservative states. Therefore, this study sought to understand the social, economic, and environmental issues deemed important by queer and trans young adults (aged 18–29), as well as their motivations to get involved in activism efforts. Data came from a mixed-methods program evaluation, which presents a picture of the issues and motivations that led study participants ( n = 65) toward activism in one conservative, highly rural, Southwestern state in the United States. The findings of this study are discussed in light of theoretical and empirical literature and then implications for the queer and trans movement, activists, and organizers are offered.