Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Research Articles

Gay Men, The Invention of Ecclesial Injustice, and Aspirations for Redress and Renewal

Gay Men, The Invention of Ecclesial Injustice, and Aspirations for Redress and Renewal Joseph N. Goh (bio) The 2019 progress report of the Sustainable Development Goals states that despite notable developments registered in global efforts towards attaining gender equity (SDG5), these efforts are hampered and undermined by "insufficient progress on structural issues … such as legal discrimination, unfair social norms and attitudes, decision-making on sexual and reproductive issues and low levels of political participation."1 The understanding of gender equity in many parts of the world, however, is ordinarily limited to purposeful provisions for the sexual and gender empowerment of women and girls. For instance, the intended reforms in accordance with SDG5 in Malaysia—whence the case studies on gay men for this article are drawn—concentrate solely on female citizens in terms of the eradication of discrimination, violence, sexual exploitation, forced marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM), redressing unpaid reproductive labor, inaccessibility to leadership and ownership positions in socio-political and economic arenas, and attenuated accessibility to resources pertaining to technology as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights.2 While these reforms are indispensable in the pursuit of greater equity in Malaysia that is home to 32.6 million people,3 I argue that they ironically demonstrate a lack of inclusivity on numerous levels through a deliberate elision of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues.4 Malaysian leaders portray LGBTQ people as enemies of Islam, consumers of a deviant and immoral culture, satanic disciples, malady-stricken [End Page 360] miscreants, and hapless victims of western moral depravity.5 They dismiss LGBTQ rights, principally same-sex marriages, as antithetical to Malaysian values6 despite the fact that sexually diverse and gendervariant people are an indelible part of the history of the Malay Archipelago.7 Same-sex expressions are criminalized in both secular and Syariah (Islamic) laws.8 Protection against gender discrimination as enshrined in Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution has been interpreted as exclusive of sexual diversity and by extension, gender variance as both non-normative genders and sexualities are often conflated.9 For instance, gay men are sometimes perceived as obsessively desirous of Gender Affirming Surgeries and transgender women are accused of being men who merely impersonate women. State-sanctioned exclusion of LGBTQ people is not executed exclusively in Malaysian politics and jurisprudence, but also in non-affirming ecclesial spaces. Akin to Malaysia's deliberate focus on women and girls in its SDG5 advocacies, such churches readily embrace and support gender-related social justice issues, insofar as they represent "decent" and "respectable" heteronormative and cisnormative issues, such as those involving women and girls who conform to socio-culturally sanctioned gender performativities. These efforts are undeniably crucial but deficient in ecclesial efforts towards more holistic gender equity in the country. Fueled by one-dimensional approaches to biblical interpretation, tradition and canonical legalities, non-affirming churches stand as unyielding bastions that participate in the ossification of what the United Nations refers to as "structural issues" of inequity which contribute to suspicion and discrimination among LGBTQ people. In this article, I showcase narratives from Malaysian Christian gay men that evince the injustice they experience in their own churches and their hopes for a more affirming praxis of communal Christianity in the country. "Aadesh," "Artisan," "Freddie," "Henri" and "Rainbowboy", whose selected narratives I feature, are English-speaking, educated, self-identifying gay men of various Christian denominations from Malaysia's Klang Valley who participated in a more expansive qualitative research project I undertook between 2012 and 2014 involving thirty Malaysian gay and bisexual men.10 While some of them continue to attend church services, others have ceased any form of ecclesial participation and formulated [End Page 361] individualized spiritualities or combined both, as most churches continue to act as sites of protracted oppression, intolerance and stigmatization for Christians whose sexual and gender identities are incongruous with ecclesial and theological heteronormativity and cisnormativity. I am not setting out to construct a gay-affirming or masculinist ecclesiology in this article, or generalize the experiences of Malaysian gay men. My intention is to accompany the discourses of a selection of Malaysians who are customarily silenced and disregarded due to condescending perceptions...

“My Existence is not Haram”: Intersectional Lives in LGBTQ Muslims Living in Canada

ABSTRACT Little is known about the lived experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer (LGBTQ) Muslims living in Canada. Using an intersectional theoretical perspective and a qualitative methodology, this paper examines key themes emerging in the stories of six LGBTQ Muslim women and men living in Canada. The key themes emerging in this research were the tension between perceived family obligations and religious values, the ambiguous relationship with Islam, and coping with mental health issues. The research points to the importance of understanding such experiences as occurring in a matrix of identities and processes, as postulated by intersectionality theory.

Methodology of the Discrimination in the United States survey.

ObjectiveTo describe survey methods used to examine reported experiences of discrimination against African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, women, and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) adults.Data Source and Study DesignData came from a nationally representative, probability‐based telephone survey of 3453 US adults, conducted January‐April 2017.MethodsWe examined the survey instrument, sampling design, and weighting of the survey, and present selected survey findings.Principal FindingsExamining reported discrimination experienced by multiple groups in a telephone survey requires attention to details of sampling and weighting. In health care settings, 32 percent of African Americans reported discrimination, as did 23 percent of Native Americans, 20 percent of Latinos, 18 percent of women, 16 percent of LGBTQ adults, and 13 percent of Asian Americans. Also, 51 percent of LGBTQ adults, 42 percent of African Americans, and 38 percent of Native Americans reported identity‐based violence against themselves or family members; 57 percent of African Americans and 41 percent of women reported discrimination in pay or promotions; 50 percent of African Americans, 29 percent of Native Americans, and 27 percent of Latinos reported being discriminated against in interactions with police.ConclusionsEven the small selection of results presented in this article as examples of survey measures show a pattern of substantial reported discrimination against all six groups studied.

African, Religious, and Tolerant? How Religious Diversity Shapes Attitudes Toward Sexual Minorities in Africa

AbstractDespite trends towards greater LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) rights in industrialized democracies, the rights of sexual minorities have become increasingly politicized and restricted throughout Africa. Recognizing religion's central role in shaping attitudes toward gays and lesbians, we hypothesize that local religious diversity could expose individuals to alternative religious perspectives, engender tolerance toward marginalized communities, and therefore dislodge dogmatic beliefs about social issues. Employing cross-national Afrobarometer survey data from 33 countries with an index of district-level religious concentration, we find that respondents living in religiously pluralistic communities are 4–5 points more likely to express tolerance of homosexual neighbors (50% increase) compared to those in homogeneous locales. This effect is not driven by outlier countries, the existence of specific religious affiliations within diverse communities, respondents' religiosity, or other observable and latent factors at the country, sub-national, district, and individual level. Further robustness checks address potential threats to validity. We conclude that religious diversity can foster inclusion of sexual minorities in Africa.

Millennial Consumers’ Responses to Cause-Related Marketing in Support of LGBTQ Homeless Youth

This study explored Millennial consumers’ responses to a cause-related marketing (CRM) initiative for a sensitive social cause—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) homeless youth. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to examine the effectiveness of CRM in generating financial support for LGBTQ homeless youth. Findings revealed that self-cause congruence may be an important factor in determining Millennial consumers’ responses to a CRM initiative for LGBTQ homeless youth; whereas, message frame/appeal may be less important for generating response to such an initiative. Findings also indicated that gender, information processing, guilt, and skepticism influenced Millennial consumers’ attitudes toward brand, attitudes toward cause, and behavioral intentions toward the CRM initiative. These findings offer implications for brands/companies that may wish to engage in CRM initiative in support of sensitive social causes. By addressing a sensitive social cause—LGBTQ homeless youth—findings provide an original contribution to the CRM literature. Findings reveal that self-cause congruence is an important predictor of behavioral intention toward the LGBTQ social cause. This provides an implication for marketers who want to target their relationship-building efforts toward individuals who have demonstrated prior engagement with a social cause. Findings also have implications for brands/companies that wish to develop CRM initiatives for controversial causes.

Weight-based victimization among sexual and gender minority adolescents: Implications for substance use and mental health.

Weight-based victimization (WBV) involves being the target of intentional physical, verbal, or psychological harm because of one's body weight. Youth experience harmful health consequences from WBV, but this literature has neglected sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth, despite their high rates of overweight and obesity, and mental health problems. The present study assessed health behaviors (substance use), self-rated health, perceived control over stressors, depressive symptoms and self-esteem as a function of WBV in a large, national sample of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) adolescents. Participants (N = 9,838, Mage = 15.6 years, SD = 1.26) completed a web-based battery of questionnaires examining victimization, health, family, and school experiences of LGBTQ adolescents in the United States. WBV was associated with increased odds of alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, and cigarette use, independent of adolescents' age, race, body mass index (BMI), sexual identity, gender identity, caregiver education, and U.S. region. Frequency of WBV at school and weight teasing from family members were both consistently associated with lower self-rated health, lower perceived control over stressors, lower self-esteem, and higher depressive symptom scores. These findings present the first large-scale evidence of the relationship between WBV and adverse health behaviors in SGM youth. Sexual minority youth who experience WBV, especially from family members, may be vulnerable to adverse health behaviors and low perceived health, regardless of their BMI. These findings highlight the importance of considering WBV when examining health behaviors in LGBTQ youth, and increased awareness of these issues among health care professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining Public Opinion About LGBTQ-Related Issues in the United States and Across Multiple Nations

Over the last three decades, many countries across the world, including the United States, have experienced major increases in support for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) individuals and related issues. In partial relation to these changes, multiple studies have examined the factors shaping public opinion. In this review, we focus on four major areas of research on public opinion in this field of study. First, we assess the terms that scholars typically use when examining attitudes and highlight the areas of public opinion research that have received the most attention. Second, we focus on the data and measurement challenges related to examining attitudes in the United States and across many nations. Third, we consider how and why attitudes and related laws have changed over time and across nations. Finally, we discuss the major micro and macro empirical forces that influence and the theoretical explanations for why there are such differences in attitudes. We end by offering several suggestions for future research.

Contraception, Abortion and More: Understanding Health Disparities for LBGTQ Patients in their Own Words [10G

INTRODUCTION: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) women experience numerous obstacles to accessing equitable reproductive healthcare. These barriers lead to known disparities in health outcomes between LGBTQ women and their straight counterparts. Despite these disparities, few published research studies specifically explore the health experiences of LGBTQ women in regards to contraception, abortion and obstetric care. This qualitative, grounded theory study seeks to address that gap. METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to recruit English speaking, LGBTQ individuals aged 18- to 45-year-old living in Kentucky. Participants (n = 10) were recruited and in-depth audio recorded interviews were performed. The transcriptions were then uploaded to Atlas.ti and analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method to identify relevant themes. RESULTS: Six themes were identified, including: identifying LGBTQ friendly practices, establishing trust and rapport, covert and overt provider bias, provider ignorance of LGBTQ health-specific issues, patient education and counseling, and additional barriers for transgender patients. These themes were sorted into a conceptual paradigm that represents three phases of the health care experience relating to care within the scope of Ob/Gyn: Pre-visit inquiry, direct provider interaction, and post-provider effects. CONCLUSION: Participants identified numerous barriers for LGBTQ patients seeking care within an Ob/Gyn practice. These barriers included a uniform difficulty with identifying receptive and adequately trained providers, perceived covert and overt bias, as well as difficulty establishing trust and rapport. Finally, while all LGBTQ women experienced some aspect of bias, the difficulties faced by transgender patients in accessing reproductive health care were notably more challenging.

Mandating Inclusion: Critical Trans Perspectives on Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy.

In 2013, the Violence Against Women Act became one of the first federal laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination against transgender people, yet little is known about its impact in practice. This qualitative study draws on in-depth interviews with transgender people working in domestic and sexual violence advocacy organizations. Building on critical and intersectional perspectives, the findings suggest that the persistence of inequities for trans survivors are tied to the reliance on criminal legal responses, contingent access to gender-specific services, compliance-focused approaches to inclusion, operating theories of gender-based violence, and the diversion of responsibility to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) programs. This study highlights the participants' recommendations for change.

Straight Paths Through Queer Walking Simulators: Wandering on Rails and Speedrunning in Gone Home

This article identifies the limitations of queerness in Gone Home (The Fullbright Company, 2013) by exploring the ways in which players’ movements through space in video games can be considered queer or “straight.” Drawing from Sara Ahmed, I demonstrate how the potential for queer in-game movement in Gone Home has been straightened both by the game itself and by elements of its player reception. Gone Home is widely seen as exemplifying a current shift toward increased LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) representation in video games. The game is also associated with queerness through its status as a “walking simulator,” a genre with ties to the queer flaneur. Indeed, Gone Home’s gameplay seems to encourage queer wandering, moving not straight but instead meanderingly. Yet, a closer analysis of its interactive elements reveals that Gone Home is far less queer than it may initially appear. The player’s path is rigid and linear, much like in a “rail shooter.” The potential for queer movement in Gone Home has been furthered straightened by speedrunners who play the game along the straightest possible paths. This article argues for player movement as an important site of meaning in video games and calls for an increased engagement with the tensions that surround queerness and video games.

Predictors of sexual minority men’s sexual objectification of other men

Given the link between sexual objectification experiences and negative psychological and mental health outcomes for sexual minority men, it is important to explore which men are more likely to enact sexually objectifying behavior. We examined predictors of sexual minority men’s sexual objectification of other men (e.g., engaging in body evaluations, making unwanted sexual advances), including focusing on appearance, involvement in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, pornography use, and men’s gender role conflict among 450 gay and bisexual men. Our findings revealed that importance placed on appearance, involvement in the LGBTQ community, and pornography use and less restrictive affectionate behavior between men were uniquely related to sexually objectifying other men. In addition, older men were more likely than younger men to sexually objectify other men, and gay men were more likely than bisexual men to sexually objectify other men.

CARE DECISION-MAKING AND OLDER LGBTQ ADULTS IN SWEDEN: GETTING PAST GENERALITIES

There is mounting evidence that Swedish elder care is unable to adequately address the unique needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) persons, and that social work rese ...

‘Life has actually become more clear’: An examination of resilience among LGBTQ young adults

Though lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) young adults in the USA experience identity-based adversities, they also develop resilience. Research overemphasizes these young people's risks without fully considering their unique social environments. This study documents how LGBTQ young people subjectively and contextually interpret arduous life experiences. Based on 46 LGBTQ young adults aged 19–26 who are either homeless or attending college, we examine how LGBTQ young people with diverse contextual life situations develop understandings of resilience. Findings underscore nuanced processes young people use to reframe their identity-related challenges that enrich their lives in meaningful, resilience-building ways.

The persistence of policies of protection in LGBTQ research & advocacy

ABSTRACTSchools across the United States have taken up the task of ‘protecting’ lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth, but their reliance on identity-based antidiscrimination policies may reinscribe power inequities. While previous scholarship critiques and cautions against such protectionist approaches, this paper explores why such policies persist. We argue that research and advocacy efforts persist in upholding protectionist frameworks because of three key investments that are inadequate for addressing power: (1) universalizing the individual, (2) prioritizing individual over structural change, and (3) addressing inequities through punishment and surveillance. We draw on a Foucauldian analysis of power, and biopower specifically, to explore how these policies do little to alter the underlying norms that impact the ways young people experience school. To exemplify our claims, we analyze the Safe School Improvement Act of 2015. As an alternative to these policies that privilege youth who most closely approximate normative standards, we push for intersectional reforms that target underlying racist and heterosexist norms.

Abstract P305: Psychosocial Stressors and Tobacco Use: Views of the Transgender Community in a 2016 Focus Groups Study

Background: Studies have found that cigarette smoking is higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) groups compared to heterosexual individuals. However, limited research is available about factors related to tobacco initiation or continuation among transgender adults. Methods: During summer 2016, the AHA-Tobacco Regulatory and Addiction Center (A-TRAC) conducted 27 focus groups and 196 surveys among smokers and non-smokers (ages 18-64) who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ). Study participants were of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and were recruited in Chicago, New York City and San Diego. Using qualitative data analyses, we analyzed a subsample of the LGBTQ data to examine the views and experiences of transgender individuals and identified themes related to psychosocial stressors linked to tobacco use. Atlas ti.v 7.5 qualitative software was used for analysis. Results: A total of 26 participants were identified as transgender, representing 13.9% of the total LGBTQ sample. Psychosocial stressors that were often mentioned by study participants and were associated with initial and continuing tobacco use included: childhood and adulthood trauma due to family, peer and community rejection and/or exposure to partner and/or community violence; surgery and the side effects of medication; use of hormones and/or other experiences related to the process of transitioning. Structural discrimination associated with low income, housing, and employment was also mentioned. These psychosocial stressors were also associated with depression and the use of intoxicating substances (i.e., alcohol and drugs). Tobacco use was felt to provide relief from these stressors. Conclusion: Transgender individuals perceived tobacco use as a relief from everyday chronic psychosocial stressors and appears to be associated with tobacco initiation and continued use. Health communication messages stressing healthy lifestyle practices and encouraging drawing on professional and informal support systems may prevent tobacco use.

Complex Processes of Religion and Spirituality Among Midwestern LGBTQ Homeless Young Adults

The role of religion and spirituality in young people’s lives is diverse and multifaceted. Little research has examined how religion shapes the experiences of socially marginalized groups, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) homeless young adults. This study illustrates how Midwestern LGBTQ homeless young people interpret the role of religion and spirituality in their lives. Drawing from a sample of 22 LGBTQ homeless young people between the ages of 19 and 26 years, we qualitatively explore how they distinctively frame religion, spirituality and religious identity through an intersectional lens of their life experiences. Our findings demonstrate the complex ways that young adults from multiple marginalized social groups can interpret religion in the unique context of their social environments. Many young people highlighted the positive impact of religion and spirituality in their lives by constructing them as sources of resilience. Other LGBTQ young adults also discussed how religion was often a source of stigma that interacted with participants’ highly vulnerable social environments and backgrounds. Implications for service providers and policy improvements are discussed.

Quality of web-based family-building information for LGBTQ individuals

Objective: The number of patients who seek health information on the internet is increasing. Rates are particularly high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, due to health care barriers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and inclusivity of web-based information pertaining to LGBTQ family building. Methods: The first 100 US-based websites pertaining to LGBTQ family building were identified through a terminology-based internet search. After eliminating 45 websites, 55 websites were found to be eligible. The 2016 Website Information Reliability Evaluation Instrument (of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, US Department of Health and Human Services) was used to analyse the quality of information on each website. Websites were analysed for inclusivity of important topics surrounding LGBTQ family building. Results: A total of 46 websites (83.6%) belonged or were related to reproductive services and served as advertisements for their respective owners; nine websites (16.4%) belonged to third parties. No website met more than four of the six major reliability criteria, and 42 websites (76.4%) met only one or two of the six major reliability criteria. When inclusivity was considered, 29 websites (52.7%) mentioned options for transgender individuals and nine websites (16.4%) mentioned adoption. Conclusions: There is a lack of reliable web-based information for LGBTQ family building and a need for improvement in quality and scope. Improvements could lead to a shift in reproductive health care towards better inclusion of and catering to LGBTQ individuals.

Complicating cosmopolitanism: Ethno-cultural and sexual connections among gay migrants

ABSTRACT Contemporary migrants are described as “connected migrants,” as they maintain multiple connections using digital and social media. This article explores how this leads to processes of cosmopolitanism and/or encapsulation in a particular group, voluntary gay migrants in Belgium, focusing on the intersection between ethno-cultural and sexual identifications and connections. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the cosmopolitan outlook of the participants becomes clear, as their national and ethno-cultural connections are relatively weak while they identify more strongly with cosmopolitan LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) culture. However, while more salient, sexuality is not all-defining either, bespeaking their rather privileged position as a group of migrants who are self dependent and not strongly encapsulated in ethno-cultural nor sexual communities, with neither minority identity causing excessive stigmatization. As a consequence, they use digital and social media to simultaneously connect to different social spheres, although most do manage their self-presentation to avoid the clash or “collapse” of different social contexts online.

Does it Get Better?: Childhood Bullying and the Positive Mental Health of LGBT Canadians in Adulthood

Globally, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals are a highly discriminated group. Few academics have explored whether LGBTQ youth who experience discrimination can “get better”, especially with respect to their positive mental health. Using minority stress theory, the current study explored whether there was a long-term relationship between childhood bullying and positive mental health in adulthood among LGBTQ individuals. The results suggest that there was a negative long-term relationship, wherein participants bullied in childhood displayed lower levels of positive mental health in adulthood. Suggestions for practices to promote positive mental health among LGBTQ individuals are then discussed, followed by suggestions for future research.

Logics of Freedom: Debating Religious Freedom Laws and Gay and Lesbian Rights

In the wake of marriage equality for same-sex couples, many states have introduced and passed laws that provide religious exemptions for certain services and benefits for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) persons. The authors use data from a general population survey of Nebraskans as a mixed-methods case study to examine public opinion of religious freedom laws. Drawing on data from both closed-ended ( n = 1,117) and open-ended ( n = 838) questions, the authors show that opposition to religious freedom laws is quite high, as 64 percent of respondents report that they oppose laws that would allow business owners to deny services to gay men and lesbians. The authors outline how both sides rely on frameworks that are foundational to the American experience: the protection of rights and the capitalist economy. The authors argue that these appeals to broad American values underscore why these bills will continue to be introduced and seen as controversial despite low levels of support.