Impact Of Homophobia Research Articles

On becoming a queer educator: reflections on queer perspectives and approaches in initial teacher education

ABSTRACT This paper will explores the experiences of embedding queer perspectives and approaches into Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Initial teacher education is a topic of great interest; however, little is known about how teacher educators and teacher training institutions can support queer preservice and graduate teachers’ transition into their chosen profession. Queer educators face unique challenges, including homophobia and transphobia, covert and complex norms that regulate and silence queer identities, and systemic, macro forces that play out in everyday work. This article explores the literature on this topic. A brief review of the literature contextualizes issues relevant to this article to frame an account of four reflective vignettes that illustrate key concepts. Concepts including queerness and queer identities, heterocentricity, heteroprofessionalism, the nature and impact of homophobia and transphobia in educational contexts, neoliberalism, critical theory and critical literacies are used to connect the reflective vignettes to these ideas. It concludes with recommendations for teacher educators and training institutions and future research. Recommendations for teachers and teacher educators are relayed including the facilitation of spaces for queer and allied educators as well as strategies for queering curriculum.

Impact of Homophobia and Racism on Comfort Receiving Pre-exposure Prophylaxis at Various Locations Among Black MSM in Mississippi.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is underutilized among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the Southern United States. We assessed comfort receiving PrEP at various locations among 65 BMSM. Chi-square and t-tests explored associations between demographics, experienced homophobia and racism, and comfort receiving PrEP. BMSM with greater experienced homophobia were less comfortable at academically affiliated clinics [X2(2, N = 59) = 10.61, p = 0.01], CBOs [X2(3, N = 59) = 10.02, p = 0.02], and STI/HIV clinics [X2(3, N = 59) = 8.63, p = 0.04]. Those with greater experienced racism were more comfortable receiving PrEP by mail [X2(3, N = 61) = 9.40, p = 0.02]. Homophobia and racism influence preferences of BMSM for where and how they receive PREP care. Private modes of PrEP delivery and interventions targeting provider and organizational bias should be explored.

The impact of homophobic trauma on gay men

This article is based on a presentation I made to a Group Analytic Society International (GASi) event on ‘The Impact of Homophobia on Mind, Body and Soul’ in May 2021. Much of what I discuss applies to gay women and people who are transgender. However, I will foreground the experience of gay men because I have more clinical and personal experience in this field. I provide a working definition of homophobia and how it impacts on the psychological development of gay men at various points during their earlier life stages. My contention is that the presentation of gay men in our clinics and practices in terms of their psychological difficulties and issues can be attributed, largely, to the impact of homophobic trauma rather than anything that is innate. This is largely due to gay men, from very young ages, having to manage a wide range of traumatizing negative responses and betrayal from their families and communities, ranging from ostracism to extreme violence and rejection from those who are meant to care for them. The more damaging impacts of these attitudes occur at points in the early developmental stages of gay men when they do not have a mature psychic apparatus with which to process and manage repeated and relentless homophobic trauma. This has implications for their personality formation and can lead to their developing some very unhelpful and dysfunctional defences. It is, in fact, surprising that gay men are such positive contributors to society and are not far more disturbed and destructive, given the amount of trauma that they face throughout their early development. I conclude with a discussion of the clinical needs of gay men.

Politics as Usual? Theatre, the Northern Irish Assembly, and the Romanticization of Normality

This article explores the treatment of Northern Irish electoral politics in two plays featuring Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) as major characters. Between 2007 and 2016, many viewed the stability of the Northern Irish Assembly as evidence of the continued success of the peace process. Although the principle of mandatory coalition at the system’s heart bears witness to the lasting nature of divisions within the state, the collaboration between once-bitter enemies demonstrates a real shift in Northern Irish politics. Until the institution’s (perhaps temporary) collapse in 2017, many commentators and politicians suggested that its success proved that the state was progressing in the nebulous but desirable direction of ‘normality’. Colin Bell’s God’s Country (2010) and Rosemary Jenkinson’s Planet Belfast (2013) suggest, however, that a valorization of normality obscures the dangers posed to Northern Ireland by problems that occur on more global levels. God’s Country explores the dangerous impact of homophobia in the North, and particularly within unionist politics, while Planet Belfast depicts the combined threat of environmental destruction and corporate interference. Both plays depict Northern Irish politics functioning smoothly, with minimal evidence of sectarian divisions deeper than the partisanship present in most democracies. In spite of this, however, they caution against treating normality as an end goal or as evidence that the state is safe. Instead, they suggest that the state faces a wide array of problems that have been obscured by the focus on sectarianism and the legacy of the Troubles.

‘I Just Want to Be Myself’: How We Can Challenge Homophobia, Transphobia, and Racism in Australian Schools

ABSTRACTDrawing on the experiences of Safe Schools Coalition in Australia since 2010, this article focuses on the potential for successfully challenging homophobia, transphobia, and racism in schools. The discussion challenges assumptions about the incompatibility of cultural difference with gender or sexual diversity, in particular the perceived irreconcilability of Islamic faith or culture with same-sex attraction. Comparing research on the health impact of homophobia and transphobia on students with the impact of racism provides the basis for a discussion of the benefits of challenging all forms of prejudice-based abuse and discrimination. While there are some key differences, the methods and strategies used in schools to value and support cultural diversity can also be applied in schools to support gender and sexual diversity. Lessons from the practice experiences of Safe Schools Coalition suggest that all forms of diversity can and do positively interact to create more inclusive educational environments.

The Impact of Homophobia and HIV Stigma on HIV Testing Uptake Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men: a Mediation Analysis.

Gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination are major barriers to accessing HIV prevention services among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) worldwide. We aimed to identify modifiable factors that mediate the relationships between gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination and HIV testing uptake among Chinese MSM. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of 523 HIV-uninfected or unknown HIV status MSM in Jiangsu Province, China between November 2013 and January 2014. Multivariable analyses were conducted to examine the associations among experienced homophobia, HIV stigma, and recent HIV testing. Causal mediation parametric analyses were conducted to assess whether depression and social norms mediated hypothesized associations. Stronger subjective norms toward testing was associated with higher odds of recent HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.21), whereas increasing levels of depression and HIV stigma were both associated with lower odds of recent testing (AOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92 to 0.99; and AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.99, respectively). There was an indirect relationship (natural indirect effect [NIE]) of experienced homophobia on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93 to 0.98) mediated (35.0%) through depression. Furthermore, there was an indirect relationship of HIV stigma on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95 to 0.99) mediated (19.2%) through subjective norms. Depression and social norms are important mediators of HIV testing uptake among stigmatized Chinese MSM. Therefore, in addition to advocacy efforts and policies that address social-level stigma and discrimination, HIV prevention programs should also address mental health issues and incorporate community-based approaches to changing social norms toward HIV testing.

The Impact of homophobia on adolescent health

Objective: This study had the purpose of recognizing the types of violence suffered by homosexual adolescents and understanding the effects of homophobia on the health of this group. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with nine adolescents that live in a country town on the state of Sao Paulo who declared themselves homosexuals. Results: The respondents reported cases of physical, verbal, psychological and sexual violence. Homophobia causes negative perceptions about themselves and the non-adoption of healthy lifestyle related to their nutrition, physical activity practice, sleep patterns and suicidal ideas. Homophobic situations were also described at health units. Conclusion: Homosexual adolescents are more vulnerable to different types of violence and the difficulty of access to health services increases the vulnerability. The relevance of this study is on the problematization of topics that can promote the construction of comprehensive care of this group.

Sexuality in the Therapeutic Relationship: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Gay Therapists

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) clients have reported experiencing heterosexist/homophobic attitudes from heterosexual therapists, but this has seldom been discussed for gay therapists. Such experiences could impact the therapeutic process and a gay therapist's willingness to self-disclose their sexuality. Self-disclosure of sexuality can be therapeutically beneficial for LGBTQ or heterosexual clients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven gay male therapists and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five themes emerged: affinity for working with LGBTQ clients, heterosexual males’ resistance to the therapeutic process, the impact of homophobia within the therapeutic relationship, empathy through shared humanity, and utilizing therapist sexuality as a tool within the therapeutic relationship.

Substance use by same sex attracted young people: Prevalence, perceptions and homophobia.

Research highlights that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people use alcohol and drugs (AOD) more than heterosexual people; however, the incidence of AOD use by LGBT youth is less understood. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain AOD prevalence rates for LGBT youth compared with the Australian youth population; perceptions of AOD use within the LGBT community; and the impact of homophobia on AOD use. The study surveyed a cross-sectional sample of LGBT youth (13-24 years) (n = 161) who attended a LGBT festival in Brisbane, Australia, in 2012. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and Drug Check Assessment Tool were utilised to examine patterns of AOD use, with items developed to explore perceptions of AOD use and homophobia. AOD use was common among the LGBT sample, with higher prevalence rates compared with the general Australian youth population (2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey). AOD use by under 18-year-olds, and gender diverse youth was markedly higher. The majority misperceived AOD use to be the same in the LGBT and heterosexual communities. Those who believed homophobia impacted on AOD use were significantly more likely to use AOD. The higher prevalence of AOD use strongly suggests the need for AOD agencies to better respond to LGBT youth by not only screening sexuality and gender identity but also exploring young people's perceptions of AOD use in the LGBT community and their experiences of homophobia in order to provide effective AOD clinical treatment.

Queering Conflict: Examining Lesbian and Gay Experiences of Homophobia in Northern Ireland. By Marian Duggan (Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2012, pp. 55.00 hb)

While religious and sectarian divisions are commonly understood to have dominated the lives of those caught up in ‘the Troubles’ of Northern Ireland, social conflicts can rarely be summarized in such a straightforward way. Various other divisions and exclusions exist within such wide-ranging and long-lasting conflicts, with unique impacts on diverse communities. In Queering Conflict, Marian Duggan explores homophobic violence and discrimination experienced since the 1970s by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities as set against the backdrop of the Troubles. Based on a mixed-methods study including ethnographic research, documentary analysis, life story interviews, focus groups with members of the LGBT communities and a survey exploring the unique experiences of women from these communities, this book foregrounds the stories of participants. It offers a vivid account of their lives, the impact of homophobia upon them and the way that these forms of discrimination drew from, and found support in, broader social divisions produced by the Troubles. The presentation of such a wide range of experiences allows for a variety of readers—including sociologists, queer theorists and LGBT historians—to be rewarded by reading this book. I will focus here on what is likely to be of interest to criminologists.

Tell Me Lies

This case explores the impact of being closeted on a gay, male preschool educator and the ways in which homophobic culture is fostered in one early learning center. Although sometimes protective, being challenged to hide one’s sexual orientation most always has negative consequences for the individual and society. Internalized homophobia silences and devalues individuals, and maintains a dominant homophobic culture. The complicated relationships between sexual orientation, race, class, and gender are also illuminated. This case encourages education administration students to consider the impact of homophobia on individual staff members and to imagine possibilities for advocacy and adequate staff support.

A White Queer Geek at School: Intersections of Whiteness and Queer Identity

Tetra is an “out” middle school student. She identifies as a “lesbian,” a “tomboy,” “butch,” an “oddball,” and a “geek.” These identifications could place her as a marginalized and alienated student. However, Tetra was a successful student, both socially and academically. At her diverse public middle school, Tetra was privileged in her Whiteness and economic class status. Tetra's story is the tale of how one lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender student used her privilege and power to counteract the negative impact of homophobia she faced at school. She was an outsider at school, and she used this oppositional identity for both survival and to maintain her own privilege. Tetra speaks to how we as educators can help students become active agents in handling their marginalizations and confronting their own race and class-based privilege.

Sexuality Matters in Physical Education and Sport Studies

Sport-crazy Australia embodies in the public imagination a ‘fair go’ ethos, giving everyone an equal opportunity to participate regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or religion. At the same time, sport can be seen by others to be the last bastion of male power, which can make sport participation difficult for those perceived to be or who are gay or lesbian. Homophobic attitudes and discriminatory behavior are also prevalent in other public settings, especially in schools. We examine the nature and impact of homophobia, especially on young people; then we discuss examples of curriculum materials and intervention strategies that can be used by teachers to promote sexuality inclusive teaching and learning in university or college level physical education and sport studies programs.

Is homophobia inevitable?

The impact of homophobia on gay men and lesbians has been extensively studied, and shown to have profound, negative impacts on people. The current study examines how fear of being perceived as gay restrains the attitudes and behaviours of heterosexual Australian men. Choices of what subjects to study, sports to play, ways of interacting with other males and displays of emotion are shown to be influenced by homophobia. Homophobia is theorized as a social construct, not a phobia in the psychological sense, and as such is learnt through interaction and observation of which styles of male behaviour are valorized and which are devalued. The period of late childhood through to early adulthood is described as that most influenced by homophobia, and all -male environments during this period — single-sex schools and employment areas, team sports and other mono-gendered environments — are shown to elevate a narrow range of behaviours for boys and men . Participants described a loosening of ideas of what they felt was acceptable behaviour once they moved beyond these environs, allowing them to unlearn homophobia, and they describe impact that this has on how they feel they embodied masculinity.

Playing it up, playing it down, playing it safe: Queering teacher education

The impact of homophobia and heterosexism on the e/quality of schooling experiences for many students and teachers in Australia places a responsibility on teacher education institutions to incorporate anti-homophobia and anti-heterosexist education in their courses. This discussion, based on research undertaken in universities across New South Wales, Australia, explores pre-service teacher educators’ perceptions of the importance and relevance of including anti-homophobia and anti-heterosexist education in teacher education courses. It examines how the application or avoidance of addressing these issues is a result of their positioning in discourses of personal investment and social justice, as well as their articulation in curriculum.

Beyond “Homophobia”: Thinking about sexual prejudice and stigma in the twenty-first century

George Weinberg’s introduction of the term homophobia in the late 1960s challenged traditional thinking about homosexuality and helped focus society’s attention on the problem of antigay prejudice and stigma. This paper briefly describes the history and impact of homophobia. The term’s limitations are discussed, including its underlying assumption that antigay prejudice is based mainly on fear and its inability to account for historical changes in how society regards homosexuality and heterosexuality as the bases for social identities. Although the importance of Weinberg’s contribution should not be underestimated, a new vocabulary is needed to advance scholarship in this area. Toward this end, three constructs are defined and discussed: sexual stigma (the shared knowledge of society’s negative regard for any nonheterosexual behavior, identity, relationship, or community), heterosexism (the cultural ideology that perpetuates sexual stigma), and sexual prejudice (individuals’ negative attitudes based on sexual orientation). The concept of internalized homophobia is briefly considered.

Male teachers, homophobia, misogyny and teacher education

Placing issues of homophobia and anti‐lesbianism on the agenda of teacher education programmes often meets with resistance from some students, and others. Such resistance is indicative of broader attempts to maintain the straight face of schooling. However, one way in which it is possible to place such issues on the agenda in schooling and teacher education is to demonstrate how these discourses impact upon all students and teachers. A current opening for raising such matters within teacher education programmes is the problematisation of the calls for more male teachers, calls that are becoming pervasive in many Western education systems. Within the drives to attract more male teachers to the profession there is usually a silence relating to the ways in which homophobia and its counterpart, misogyny, work to construct normalised notions of teachers. This paper examines the ways in which these silences perpetuate existing gender regimes in schools to the detriment of female teachers, girls, and marginalised male teachers and boys. It then suggests that teacher education programmes use this topic to demonstrate the impact of homophobia and misogyny on all involved in education.

HIV and AIDS among men of color who have sex with men and men of color who have sex with men and women: an epidemiological profile.

In the United States, more than half of the cumulative total of adult male AIDS cases are among men who have sex with men (MSM) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2001). Even with an increase in reported AIDS cases among injection drug users (IDUs) and heterosexual men in the past decade, MSM continue to constitute the largest proportion of annually reported AIDS cases in this country. In the most recent CDC report, a total of 31,901 adult male AIDS cases were reported. Of these, the largest proportion of cases (42%) was among MSM compared with 16% among IDUs, 9% among heterosexuals, 5% among MSM IDUs, and 28% whose risk was not reported (CDC, 2001). A similar pattern exists in HIV infection rates among males. Cumulative rates of HIV infection for MSM exceed those of IDUs and heterosexuals (CDC, 2001). Even with new HIV infections, MSM are still the largest subgroup among males (CDC, 2001). In the United States, however, the AIDS epidemic has had a disproportional impact on racial and ethnic populations. Today, it is people of color who carry the burden of this disease. In 2000, for example, the U.S. AIDS rate among non-Hispanic Blacks was 57 per 100,000, among Hispanic/Latinos the rate was 22 per 100,000, among Asian-Pacific Islanders (APIs) the rate was 3 per 100,000, and among Whites the rate was 6 per 100,000 (CDC, 2002; U.S Census Bureau, 2002). As we enter the 3rd decade of this epidemic, MSM of color represent the largest number of persons living with AIDS in this country. In communities of color, the impact of AIDS is even more uneven across ethnic groups in large urban epicenters such as Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. In Chicago, for example, HIV disease disproportionately affects non-Hispanic Blacks compared with other ethnic groups. Since 1990, non-Hispanic Blacks have had the highest annual AIDS incidence rates in the city. The most recently reported AIDS rate for non-Hispanic Blacks was 54 per 100,000 compared with 18 per 100,000 for Hispanics/Latinos, and 14 per 100,000 for Whites (Chicago Department of Health, 2002). In other parts of the country, such as Miami, non-Hispanic AIDS Education and Prevention, 15, Supplement A, 1–6, 2003 © 2003 The Guilford Press

A Study of Attitudes Toward Sexuality Issues Among Health Care Students in Australia

SUMMARY This study examined the attitudes of 1132 higher education students enrolled in health profession education degree programs. Students were asked to indicate their anticipated level of comfort in a variety of interactions including working with a lesbian client or a homosexual male, and asking a client about his or her sexual orientation. Students also indicated whether they perceived their degree program had dealt adequately with these issues. High levels of discomfort were identified in our large sample of students. Approximately 30% of the sample indicated they would be uncomfortable working with a lesbian client and 27% of the sample indicated that they would feel uncomfortable if working with a male homosexual client. There were significant differences for these two items depending on the student's gender. Female students indicated significantly higher levels of comfort in dealing with homosexual male clients than did their male counterparts. Male students indicated significantly greater comfort in dealing with lesbian clients. More than half of our sample indicated that they would not be comfortable asking about a client's sexual orientation. Over 75% of senior-year students believed that their degree program had not adequately dealt with these issues. The impact of homophobia and discomfort on the quality of care health professionals provide for lesbian and gay clients and the role of educational strategies to reduce this are discussed.

The impact of homophobia, poverty, and racism on the mental health of gay and bisexual Latino men: findings from 3 US cities.

This study assessed the relation between experiences of social discrimination (homophobia, racism, and financial hardship) and symptoms of psychologic distress (anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation) among self-identified gay and bisexual Latino men in the United States. Data were collected from a probability sample of 912 men (self-identified as both Latino and nonheterosexual) recruited from the venues and public social spaces identified as both Latino and gay in the cities of Miami, Los Angeles, and New York. The study showed high prevalence rates of psychologic symptoms of distress in the population of gay Latino men during the 6 months before the interview, including suicidal ideation (17% prevalence), anxiety (44%), and depressed mood (80%). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, experiences of social discrimination were strong predictors of psychologic symptoms. The mental health difficulties experienced by many gay and bisexual Latino men in the United States are directly related to a social context of oppression that leads to social alienation, low self-esteem, and symptoms of psychologic distress.