Experiences Of Homophobia Research Articles

Sexual Orientation Hiccups Surrounding Traditional Male Circumcision (Ulwaluko) in the South African Context: Implications for Social Work

Incontrovertibly, ulwaluko (traditional male circumcision) remains one of the essential rituals in developing an individual’s growth and construction of social identity, yet one of the ancient and patriarchal cultures. While some studies have been done on the experiences of homophobia by the LGBTQIA undergoing ulwaluko, there is a dearth of research on how social work professionals can intervene in curbing the homophobic and patriarchal undertones surrounding the traditions. Underpinned by Anti-Oppressive Practice as a theory, this paper argues that ulwaluko becomes problematic because it promotes heterosexualist practices which negate realities and experiences of self-identifying amaXhosa gay men. Through reviewing available literature, this paper argues that although human rights are universal, constructionists believe that social norms and values have an impact on how those rights are implemented, the paper further defined sexuality within the context of amaXhosa and also argues that social workers are not well trained with cultural competency.

Between Heteronormativity and Acceptance: Gays and Lesbians in Private and Public Space in a Comparative Perspective

ABSTRACT The article presents selected results from the two studies on the everyday life of lesbians and gays in Slovenia carried out in 2004 and 2014. It focuses on the experiences of homophobia and violence and coming out in different social settings. The findings are presented in a comparative perspective with an attempt to identify the main changes in the ten-year period. Although it was expected that the comparative analysis would show an improvement in the situation in the everyday life of gays and lesbians in Slovenia, the results show about the same level of violence against lesbians and gays in the public sphere and an increase of violence in school settings. However, there are more positive narratives from the private sphere, especially within the family, where there are fewer negative reactions and greater acceptance after coming out. Nevertheless, even here lesbians and gays often experience the “transparent closet,” a social situation where after coming out they face silence and indifference from other family members. The situation is discussed considering broader social, political and cultural changes that have happened in Slovenia in the last two decades, including continuous attempts by conservative actors to re-traditionalize Slovenian society.

Fashioning hate: Driving the runway of desire

AbstractSexist and homophobic attitudes are an individual's expression of the dominant sociocultural position which endorses sexism and anti‐homosexuality. We contend that misogyny and homophobia are pathological symptoms representing the internalization of these malignant social values. First, we explain that homosexuality (and other non‐binary identities), though previously experiencing widespread condemnation, are not and never were mental disorders. Instead, it is homophobia ‐ the fear of homosexuality—that reflects psychopathology and, ultimately, prejudice. We argue that these beliefs, in both straight and gay men, are related to fear and anxiety about one's own projected and gendered aggression. We maintain that they reflect the unsuccessful and incomplete resolution of the normative conflicts met during gender identity development. Essential to all healthy gender identity development is the childhood experience of attuned and accepting mirroring of the child by the parents and the culture. Without this regular experience of mutuality, recognition, and approval, especially regarding their most basic gender identity, children who are at risk develop ego‐syntonic misogynistic and homophobic beliefs. We include a case illustration of a gay‐identified man who was wounded and traumatized by homophobia and uses the concept and experience of homophobia as a defense.

Keep quiet about homophobia or open up?

I pride myself on coming from a place of “yes.” So it was uncharacteristic that, when my department head asked me to share my experiences of homophobia at a recent virtual diversity town hall for faculty, my first reaction was to decline. He did not know what had happened to me just the week before. I was out for a run when an SUV pulled up next to me. A young man rolled down his window, hung his head out, yelled “faggot”[*][1] at me, and laughed as the SUV drove away. I said nothing. I wish I had shouted, “This kind of bullying is the reason 20% of gay teens attempt suicide” in the hope that it might help him understand the implications of his actions. But in that moment, I wasn't Dr. Mustanski, leader of an LGBTQ health research institute. I was just the same Brian who had been called “fag” countless times—and had learned in such situations it was safer to keep quiet. > “I put up walls because that feels safer than to risk looking vulnerable.” In my work, it's a different story. I have dedicated my career to research advancing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ community, including documenting the physical and mental health effects of bullying and victimization. I talk passionately about my research to policymakers and journalists, and in public forums. Still, I rarely discuss my own experiences. I've always thought, “Who wants to hear about me when I can share the voices of thousands of research participants?” Our faculty meetings are typically dedicated to announcing new grants and departmental policies, not telling harrowing personal stories. So, I asked my department head, “Why would I ever share such experiences at a faculty meeting?” He offered that it might make me seem more approachable. The comment both stung and resonated. Like many minority individuals, I put up walls because that feels safer than to risk looking vulnerable, which can be a lure for harassment and abuse. Why would I take off this armor? But in the end I decided to prepare an essay to read, hoping that opening up and showing my vulnerability could break us out of academia's typical dispassionate and intellectualized discussions about discrimination and diversity. I described how the slur was yelled at me. I told a story of a customs agent at the airport refusing to process me and my then-husband together; instead of demanding the agent accept our civil union or asking to speak to his boss, I remained silent, too afraid of what could happen if I complained and too exhausted from 8 hours on a plane and a lifetime of homophobia to protest. I shared how I was advised to hide being gay during graduate school interviews because being open could risk my chance of admission, being harassed at academic conferences, being told not to mention the words “gay” or “bisexual” in grant applications, and having interviewers on a faculty search committee literally walk out of the room when they heard about the LGBTQ focus of my work. Sharing these stories only took about 10 minutes, but it felt like a grueling hour. When I finished, supportive and appreciative text messages, emails, and Zoom chats started to pour in, and continued for days. One particularly stuck with me: “Your essay was deeply moving, and I appreciate that you were willing to be vulnerable and give voice to what many can't say.” In the months since that meeting, I have had mixed feelings. I believe it is unfair to ask marginalized people to take on the burden of educating others about the -isms that plague academia and beyond. Yet I saw the motivating power of sharing vulnerability with the right audience, and I have noticed other faculty and staff feeling newly empowered to share their personal experiences. Will such inspiration be enough to advance the hard work of making structural changes to increase equity and inclusion? I honestly don't know. But I do know that, although the young man who called me a “faggot” probably won't read this essay, the scientific community is in my—and our—sphere of influence. And by opening up, perhaps I can help spur change. [1]: #fn-1

Being Simultaneously Curious and Stressed, Precipitants to Methamphetamine Initiation Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men: Findings From a Qualitative Study.

The cultural context and precipitants for initiating methamphetamine (MA) using among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) are unclear. This qualitative descriptive study, which explores the specific precipitants of MA initiation within a cultural context among MSM in China, was conducted with data from semistructured, face-to-face interviews with 24 MA-using MSM (8 HIV positive). Two themes were identified, internal precipitants included the following: (a) curiosity, (b) desire for maximum sexual pleasure, (c) experience with other drugs, and (d) strong sense of self-control capacity. External precipitants included (a) Xiao (filial piety), (b) peer pressure, (c) negative life events, (d) parental emotional neglect, and (e) experiences of homophobia. Internal precipitants to MA initiation for Chinese MSM are consistent with past research. External precipitants were more culture specific. This exacerbates the vulnerability of MSM to MA initiation and keeps it hidden among this population. Future drug use prevention interventions for MSM should address external precipitants and integrate culture-specific strategies.

Associations of social capital resources and experiences of homophobia with HIV transmission risk behavior and HIV care continuum among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles

ABSTRACT For men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US, the positive and negative aspects of social capital – access to resources within their social networks and experiences of homophobia – may explain their disproportionate burden of HIV infection. We analyzed data from 379 HIV seronegative and seropositive MSM in Los Angeles, collected between May 2017 and February 2018. Dependent variables were HIV transmission risk behaviors and care continuum outcomes. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association between social capital resources and experiences of homophobia with dependent variables, adjusting for sociodemographics and drug use. Most participants were under age 40 and 41% identified as Black/African American and 36% as Hispanic/Latino. Social capital resources associated with likelihood of new sexually transmitted infections (−5.5% per standard deviation (SD), 95%CI −10.3, 0.7%) and HIV testing (5% per SD, 95%CI 0.8, 9.2%). Experiences of homophobia associated with likelihood of methamphetamine use during sex (10% per SD, 95%CI 7, 14%), receiving (4.3% per SD, 95%CI 1.9, 6.7%) and giving (7.2% per SD, 95%CI 4.5, 9.9%) exchange sex, and missing appointments (7.2% per SD, 95%CI 0.8, 13.6%). Findings that social capital associated with HIV transmission risk behaviors and HIV testing suggest interventions to increase social capital resources would impact the HIV-prevention continuum.

David Albaharis Roman Der Bruder als Lektüre aus der sephardischen Diaspora

In his novel The Brother, David Albahari designs a transmedial network that relates to the breakup of Yugoslavia and the breakup of a family. The confrontation with an unknown brother, who was adopted by a Jewish family in Argentinian exile, lets the coordinates of morality and aesthetics get out of hand: The brother not only reveals himself as a connoisseur of the literature of Jorge Luis Borges, he also bursts into the everyday life of a country that is unprepared for him as a transsexual person. In this spectrum of literary discourse and through the experience of homophobia, of diaspora and transgender reality, memories are stimulated by photographs and aesthetic lines of escape unfold and help accepting the unknown Other.

Digital (dis)connectivity in fraught contexts: The case of gay refugees in Belgium

The key role of digital and mobile media for refugees is increasingly acknowledged, but while the literature on the topic tends to celebrate the advantages of digital media, it is important to also acknowledge limitations. Thus, the focus on the creation and maintenance of connections through digital media may obscure experiences and practices of disconnection. This is certainly the case for forced migrants with non-normative sexual orientations, for whom experiences of homophobia within the family and ethno-cultural community in the country of origin may extend to fraught situations in the country of residence. As with digital media in general, it is important to consider the ‘offline’ social and cultural conditions determining online media uses. This article focuses on the specific challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer refugees, both in general and in Belgium, drawing on desk research and expert interviews, as well as nine in-depth interviews with gay-identifying male refugees. While the refugees are relatively positive about the Belgian situation, they do identify a number of challenges. They use digital media to stay connected to family and other people in the country of origin, but often this connection has become difficult. Social media and dating sites also offer a way to connect to other gay men, but these connections can be equally fraught, particularly in the country of origin for danger of exposure but also in Belgium as social media transcend national boundaries. For this reason, some participants created new or parallel profiles, to keep their gay lives disconnected from their family lives. Overall, then, digital media are a tool not only of connection but also of strategic disconnection for gay refugees.

All Bad? Experiences of Aging Among LGBT Elders in South Africa.

There is an almost complete dearth of research on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders in South Africa. This study was a qualitative exploration through focus group discussions of the lived experiences of 22 LGBT people over 50 years of age in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. Given high levels of poverty and inequality in South Africa, findings from a thematic analysis of participants' narratives foregrounded surprisingly strong themes of inclusion and belonging despite the structural challenges faced by many in South Africa. While narratives of marginalization and exclusion were present, these were juxtaposed with reports of belonging and inclusion in families, communities, through friendship networks, and in health care. Findings indicate that, while experiences of homophobia and transphobia are real among LGBT elders in South Africa, participants experience agency, support, and relatively high reported levels of social belonging as they age.

Perspectives on academic mentorship from sexual and gender minority students pursuing careers in the health sciences.

High-quality academic mentorship is key to the success of students pursuing careers in the health sciences. Mentorship may take on additional importance for sexual and gender minority (SGM) students, who often face stressors related to stigmatized identities. We conducted an anonymous online survey to assess the mentorship experiences of SGM students pursuing careers in the health sciences and to elicit their perspectives on what makes an effective mentor. Students (N = 166) were pursuing a variety of health-related careers, including medicine (12.7%), nursing (7.8%), public health (21.1%), and social work (19.3%). Overall, students rated the quality of their mentorship experiences as (very) good: 83.8% among participants who reported having had an academic mentor that openly identified as SGM and 79.5% among participants who had a non-SGM identified mentor (ns). Participants recommended individual, dyadic and structural level activities that could be undertaken by academic mentors of SGM students to promote the students' academic success and positive career trajectories. Education on SGM issues, direct conversation about experiences of homophobia and transphobia in academic settings, and advocacy for including SGM content in coursework were among the suggestions provided by participants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Positioning discourse on homophobia in schools: What have lesbian and gay families got to say?

This paper reports findings from a study in England, which investigated the experiences of lesbian and gay parents in relation to homophobia in primary and secondary schools. The study was part of a larger European Union project investigating the impact of family and school alliances against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools across six nation states. Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven lesbian and gay parents from five families were conducted to explore their unique experience and perspectives on these issues. Discourse analysis was used to facilitate understanding of how lesbian and gay families negotiated the outsider/insider and public/private spheres of the school and communities of which they were a part. Parents identified a number of strategies to address their experiences of homophobia within schools. The findings have implications for how social work recognises and promotes diversity and equality when working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families, as social workers have a powerful role in supporting families. This involves recognising the strengths of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families in their assessments.

"It's Just More Acceptable To Be White or Mixed Race and Gay Than Black and Gay": The Perceptions and Experiences of Homophobia in St. Lucia.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals come from diverse cultural groups with differing ethnic and racial identities. However, most research on LGB people uses white western samples and studies of Afro-Caribbean diaspora often use Jamaican samples. Thus, the complexity of Afro-Caribbean LGB peoples' experiences of homophobia is largely unknown. The authors' analyses explore experiences of homophobia among LGB people in St. Lucia. Findings indicate issues of skin-shade orientated tolerance, regionalized disparities in levels of tolerance toward LGB people and regionalized passing (regionalized sexual identity shifting). Finally, the authors' findings indicate that skin shade identities and regional location influence the psychological health outcomes of homophobia experienced by LGB people in St. Lucia.

Attitudes of Heterosexual Men and Women Toward HIV Negative and Positive Gay Men

ABSTRACT Attitudes of Italian heterosexual men and women toward gay men, both HIV positive and negative, are poorly investigated. Italian culture is still extremely conservative and provides limited support to the gay community (e.g., lack of same-sex marriage recognition). Consequently, gay men experience social exclusion and disparities. The present study explores the association between homophobia and closeness with sexual orientation and HIV status. 261 heterosexual Italian men and women were assessed for feelings of closeness and homophobia after reading a vignette where the character was C1: heterosexual and HIV negative; C2: gay and HIV negative; or C3: gay and HIV positive. Experiences of homophobia and closeness varied depending on gender of participant and condition assigned, and higher levels of homophobia were correlated with lower levels of closeness regardless of HIV status. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Intersectional (un)belongings: Lived experiences of xenophobia and homophobia

abstractThis reportback summarises two workshops held in South Africa, which engaged with lived experiences of homophobia and xenophobia. Partnering with PASSOP and Access Chapter 2, the sessions were open to individuals who felt subjective salience with the broad categories of African, ‘foreign’ in South Africa, male, and experiencing same-sex desire. The guided sessions created temporary spaces which explored what it means to legally and socially belong in South Africa as ‘LGBTI foreigners’. Drawing on the narratives of the participants and the issues shared, the reportback emphasises that the enabling conditions surrounding the Constitution need to be multi-sited. The Constitution and supporting structures are framed as being inaccessible for many, contrasting formal equality with daily experiences in the country. It begins to shape steps towards an intersectional understanding of sexual and national belonging in a context of violent structural and substantive unbelonging and institutionalised homophobia and xenophobia. In framing key experiences, it questions the premise of substantive equality offered by the Constitution of South Africa, focusing on the lack of access to the Constitution experienced by the participants.

Experiences of homophobia among gay and bisexual men: results from a cross-sectional study in seven countries

Experiences of homophobic discrimination are associated with an increased prevalence of psychological disorders and increased odds of reporting suicidal ideation among gay and bisexual men. We examine two domains of homophobia – external homophobic discrimination and internalised homophobia – and their associations with sexual orientation, demographic characteristics, relationships and social support among a sample of gay and bisexual men from seven countries. Sexually active gay and bisexual men aged over 18 and residing in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Thailand, the UK and the USA were recruited through banner advertisements on Facebook. Two outcomes were examined: reporting experiences of homophobic discrimination and reporting feelings of internalised homophobia. No covariates were consistently significantly associated with experiencing external homophobic discrimination across countries. Across all countries, bisexually identifying respondents reported significantly greater feelings of internalised homophobia. Respondents in Brazil and the UK reporting a main partner, and respondents in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Thailand and the USA reporting a larger gay/bisexual social network, reported significantly fewer feelings of internalised homophobia. Results suggest an ameliorative effect of social networks on experiencing homophobia. Additional research should focus on the mechanisms through which social networks reduce feelings of internalised homophobia.

‘It’s Nothing Personal’: Anti-Homosexuality in the British Workplace

Scholarship on homophobia has been critiqued for being individualistic and psychological, failing to account for structural inequalities, experiences of homophobia and discursive manifestations of homophobia. This Economic and Social Research Council funded study attempts to address some of these concerns by focusing on the experiences of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGBs) in relation to bullying, harassment and discrimination in the British workplace. We examine what homophobia is understood to be and how psychological and organisational discourses make it difficult to make sense of negative experiences and how anti-homosexual attitudes and work environments are sustained and left unchallenged through the claim ‘it’s not personal’. Drawing on theories of selective incivility and modern discrimination, we illustrate how ambiguous anti-homosexual sentiments are, and argue that the term ‘homophobia’ not only prevents people from challenging negative experiences, but it further masks inequalities based on sexuality at work.

The Practitioner's Role in Cervical Cancer Screening Practices Among Women Who Have Sex With Women [213

INTRODUCTION: Although women who have sex with women are at risk for cervical cancer, they exhibit poor Pap screening practices. Commonly reported barriers to care include a low perceived cervical cancer risk, experiences of homophobia, or lack of insurance. Relationships between women who have sex with men and their health care providers might further discourage patients to seek care. It was the objective of this study to 1) evaluate patterns of cervical cancer screening among women who have sex with women; 2) investigate perceptions of their health care providers; and 3) assess the perceived need for education related to this topic. METHODS: Participants were recruited from Los Angeles women who have sex with women centers and received a validated questionnaire. The sample included 33 predominately Hispanic women who have sex with women. Data were analyzed using REDCap. RESULTS: A total of 75.8% of women experienced regular Pap screenings every 1–3 years. The minority of women who have sex with women experienced educational interventions regarding cervical cancer by their health care provider. Most women who have sex with women stated health care providers should be more aware of the needs of women who have sex with women; they did not feel ashamed to disclose their sexual orientation. Most participants reported practicing “protected sex,” yet 60% never used protection. Sixty-seven percent perceived themselves as having a low risk to develop cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: The majority of participants complied with recommended Pap screening guidelines. Our participants would like their health care provider to be more aware of women who have sex with women patients' health needs. Health care providers have to be informed and provide tailored care and sensitive patient education on topics such as safe sex practices. Understanding our women who have sex with women patients will translate into better health care delivery to this demographic and minimize apparent health care disparities.

Decolonizing Sex: A Multicultural and Gay Affirmative Approach to Counseling with African American and Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men

This article presents a theoretical model for providing psychotherapy to Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) and African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM). Clinicians will learn to use a colonial mentality lens, thus seeing these clients’ internally and externally imposed experiences of homophobia and racism. Using this colonial mentality lens while integrating gay affirmative therapeutic interventions, therapists and counselors serving LMSM and AAMSM clients may better understand the broadest context of these marginalized clients’ experiences. A clinical vignette offers intervention strategies supporting this novel approach for serving LMSM and AAMSM.

Racism and Homophobia in Cuba: A Historical and Contemporary Overview

Research indicates that the combined experiences of homophobia, heterosexism, and racism have an exponentially negative impact on the mental health and social functioning of Black LGBTQ people throughout the diaspora (Majied & Moss-Knight, 2012; Wheeler & Dodd, 2011; Williams, 2000). This article will provide an analysis of the oppressive paradigms that impact LGBTQ Black Cubans. There will be an overview of race and racism in Cuba as well as a discussion of the history of sexual orientation–based oppression in Cuba. Current challenges for Black LGBTQ Cubans as well as resources and implications for social work research, policy, education, and practice will also be discussed.

Heteronormativity, homophobia and ‘culture’ arguments in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Despite a progressive Constitution and affirming legislation, sexual and gender minorities experience discrimination in South Africa. This reflects the ongoing impact of heteronormativity, ‘culture’ arguments and violence in suppressing non-normative sexual and gender identities. In the present study we conducted interviews with eight young, lesbian women and gay men in eThekwini municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province. Three major themes emerged: Language and constructions of gender and sexuality; Experiences of homophobia; and Challenging ‘culture’ arguments. Participants tended to replicate heteronormativity and traditional understandings of gender in their lives; they experienced homophobia and homophobic violence; and they challenged homophobic ‘culture’ arguments.