Beyond Extraction

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 17:32:18 +0000

This piece was born from a simple social media post that sparked a much larger conversation about ethics, methodology, and responsibility in LGBTQ+ research. While the call for community engagement is both necessary and valid, it also raises an equally important question: How do we balance meaningful participation with the obligation to protect the privacy and safety of vulnerable individuals?

As a researcher, I have witnessed the institutional challenges associated with queer studies—skepticism, scrutiny, and the constant negotiation between academic rigor and social sensitivity. At the same time, I recognize the community's frustration with research that is extractive and disconnected from lived realities.

This essay is not an attempt to reject either perspective. Rather, it is an invitation to move beyond binaries and acknowledge that ethical research is built on dialogue, trust, confidentiality, and mutual respect. It argues that the goal of scholarship should not merely be to study marginalized communities but to produce knowledge that is accountable to them while safeguarding their dignity and autonomy.

Ultimately, this is a reflection on the shared responsibility of researchers and communities in creating spaces where knowledge can be generated without compromising safety, identity, or humanity.