Navigating Identity and Well-Being: Intersectional Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth in Eswatini Within Cultural, Legal, and Social Contexts

LGBTQ+ youth in Eswatini navigate identity and well-being within social environments shaped by cultural expectations, legal restrictions, family relationships, educational institutions, and community attitudes. Although existing scholarship documents stigma and exclusion affecting sexual and gender minorities, less is known about how young people themselves interpret these experiences and how intersecting identities shape both vulnerability and resilience. This study explored the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ youth aged 16–24 years in Eswatini, with particular attention to identity, acceptance and recognition, resilience, and the influence of legal and cultural norms. A qualitative narrative inquiry design was employed with 18 participants recruited purposively through LGBTQ+ community organisations and support networks, followed by snowball recruitment. Twelve participants were recruited through LGBTQ+ organisations and six through participant referrals. The sample comprised seven participants who self-identified as transgender men, six as transgender women, three as lesbian, and two as gay. Data were generated through six individual semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions involving six participants each. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by narrative inquiry, while intersectionality theory guided interpretation of the interaction between gender identity, sexual orientation, age, family background, socioeconomic position, religion and spirituality, and broader cultural, legal, and institutional contexts. Three interconnected themes were developed: struggles for acceptance and recognition, resilience and personal strength, and the impact of legal and cultural norms. Participants described identity concealment, family and community rejection, school exclusion, and fear associated with legal and institutional environments. At the same time, they described self-acceptance, chosen family, friendship, community connection, education, storytelling, and future aspirations as important resources for navigating adversity. The findings show that LGBTQ+ youth should not be understood only through vulnerability; their accounts also demonstrate agency and adaptive capacity. The study contributes context-specific qualitative evidence from Eswatini and highlights the importance of youth-centred, culturally responsive approaches across schools, counselling services, community organisations, families, and policy environments. The study further demonstrates that support cannot be separated from the structural conditions in which young people live, because family, school, community, and legal contexts may simultaneously constrain identity expression while also providing opportunities for belonging and resilience.