Students opinions and attitudes toward LGBT persons and rights: Results of a transnational European project

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article presents the research results of the European co-funded project NISO: Fighting Homophobia Through Active Citizenship and Media Education. The project combined research and non-formal education activities in four European countries: Belgium, Estonia, Italy and the Netherlands. The research intended to identify and analyze high school students' opinions about LGBT issues and rights. With a sample of 1,371 students across the four sites, the survey explored students' opinions on homosexuality. Overall, the majority of the sample reported positive views toward homosexuality. Nevertheless, stereotypes about gay men and lesbian women emerged in approximately half of the sample, mainly related to non-conformity with traditional gender roles. Differences among countries emerged regarding attitudes toward LGBT people and the recognition of LGBT rights and appeared to be related to differences in the national context of rights recognition across the four countries.