Engineering culture and LGBTQ engineers´ use of social change strategies

In this paper, I describe the theoretical framework for an investigation of the ways that engineers who identify as LGBTQ navigate engineering cultures. Previous work by Cech and Waidzunas, Bilimoria and Sewart, and Riley describe strategies that LGBTQ engineers use within highly heteronormative engineering cultures. The strategies described in the previous work fall into what Cox and Gallois refer to as social mobility strategies. Because Cox and Gallois assert that these strategies ultimately prove inadequate, I call for investigation of the use of social change strategies within the context of engineering.