“If You don’t say It, It doesn’t Exist”: Using Timelines to Uncover Women’s Invisible and Complex Narratives of Multiple Exclusion

Equitable research practices with marginalised populations aim to centre participants voices and address inherent power imbalances. Timelines are one example of a visual method which can be used to support qualitative research, though its potential to enhance the quality of data collection has rarely been fully explored. Women with experiences of multiple exclusion homelessness are often missing from research and policy, and their experiences framed through the lens of services. A selection of narratives from 20 women are presented with critical reflections on using timelines. We describe how timelines were used to create a space where power dynamics were minimised, and researcher and participant jointly “made sense” of hidden and less often heard life stories. Six themes emerged: 1. Challenging stories; 2. Chaotic stories; 3. Untellable stories, 4. Producing acceptable stories; 5. Invisible stories; 6. Unheard stories. Repositioning marginalised women as valid storytellers in their own lives has implications for how services might best offer support. We outline how timelines can be utilised as a dynamic reflective space in real time, supporting elicitation of rich and detailed narratives and shared understanding of complex life stories.