Straight Alliances Research Articles

Teaching Nigerian Heterosexual University Students About Homophobia, Heterosexual Privilege, Anti-LGB Oppression and the Need to Promote Social Justice and Social Inclusion for LGB Persons

ABSTRACT This article reports the findings, reflections and lessons learnt from teaching a module on anti-LGB oppression, heterosexual privilege, homophobia and the need for LGB inclusion. It reports the knowledge learnt by heterosexual-identifying university students in Nigeria and their attitudes and responses toward the challenges facing LGB persons. The author draws on evidence from brainstorming sessions, group discussions and other participatory methodologies utilized. The teaching intervention exposed the prejudice, stereotypes and implicit biases of the heterosexual-identifying students toward LGB persons and highlighted the importance of challenging these views in order to disrupt heterosexism. Many participants acknowledged their heterosexual privileges and the disadvantages LGB persons face in society. The teaching intervention led to an increase in the awareness of participants about homophobia and heterosexism as shown by the sympathy the students expressed toward LGB persons who face homophobic victimization and stress. The teaching intervention revealed that some participants have the potentials of becoming heterosexual allies of LGB persons and possibly agents of change in challenging heterosexism and homophobia in Nigeria. The intervention revealed some factors which influenced some students to agree with confronting heterosexism and homophobia as well as factors which contribute to the reluctance of heterosexual-identifying students in assimilating knowledge on anti-heterosexism.

Angry allies and fearful protesters: Communicating the right emotion during non‐normative non‐violent protests increases support for concessions among resistant high‐status group members

AbstractShuman et al. (2021) previously illustrated the effectiveness of non‐normative non‐violent protest tactics in gaining resistant high‐status group members' support for concessions. However, their focus on low‐status groups' tactics overlooks the real‐world complexities of protests, including emotional appeals and the presence of high‐status allies. Our research addressed this gap by examining emotion strategies in LGBTQ+ protests in the United States. Drawing on the concept of power‐congruent emotions (Kamans et al., 2014), two preregistered studies examined the impacts of anger and fear communication by heterosexual allies and LGBTQ+ protesters on resistant heterosexual audiences' support for concessions during non‐normative non‐violent protests. Study 1 (N = 1039) focused on how emotion communication by low‐status LGBTQ+ protesters influences support for concessions, while Study 2 (N = 1047) investigated the impacts of emotion communication by high‐status heterosexual allies. Our findings suggested that communicating actions out of fear by LGBTQ+ protesters increased support for concessions more than anger communication and the absence of emotion communication. Conversely, communicating actions out of anger by heterosexual allies increased support for concessions more than fear communication and the absence of emotion communication. These effects were evident among high‐status audiences resistant to change, but not among the progressive ones. Implications were discussed.

Supplemental Material for Factors Influencing Bullying and Sexual Orientation Microaggression Perpetration: The Role of Intergroup Contact, Heterosexual Ally Identity, and Attitude Toward Sexual Minorities

Supplemental Material for Factors Influencing Bullying and Sexual Orientation Microaggression Perpetration: The Role of Intergroup Contact, Heterosexual Ally Identity, and Attitude Toward Sexual Minorities

Anti‐LGBTQ+ sex education laws: The effects on students and implications for schools and school practitioners

AbstractAnti‐Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and/or Queer (LGBTQ+) education laws are defined as laws that prohibit or limit schools from discussing same‐sex relationships, broader sexuality, and gender issues in their sexual education curriculum. This study presents a historical context of anti‐LGBTQ+ sex education laws, examines the extant literature on the possible impact of these laws, and suggests recommendations for schools and school practitioners. Anti‐LGBTQ+ sex education laws may impact school climate and have been associated with poorer well‐being for LGBTQ+ students and cisgender heterosexual allies that encompass a range of sexual orientations and gender identities. With an Executive Order from the US president outlining the need to support LGBTQ+ youth in schools and the US Surgeon General's Advisory to highlight the urgent need to address the nation's youths' mental health, it is imperative to support LGBTQ+ students. We offer strategies that may be used to address anti‐LGBTQ+ sex education laws by school administrators and practitioners in a call for advocacy to make changes in sex education policy to improve the well‐being of students, particularly LGBTQ+ youth.

Intersectionalisation as meta-discursive practice: complicated power dynamics in Pink Dot’s movement-building

ABSTRACT This article adopts the combined perspectives of critical discourse studies and (critical) intersectionality studies to examine efforts at movement-building by Pink Dot SG, an LGBTQ group, which has developed within the illiberal geopolitical space of Singapore. The term ‘intersectionalisation’ is introduced to refer to a reflexive meta-discursive strategy which mobilizes the intersectionality of social identities (such as gender, sexuality, race, class, generation, and nationality) to advance particular sociopolitical objectives. The article illustrates three ways intersectionalisation operates in Pink Dot’s official videos: (i) to create solidarities within the LGBTQ community; (ii) to advocate for the LGBTQ community by straight allies, and (iii) to forge alliances dialogically between queer and straight communities in Singapore. The analysis of the videos shows that interactions between various assemblages of intersectional identities of privilege and marginality are brought to the fore in building the social movement, and how its discourse navigates a terrain of complicated power dynamics.

Supporting sexual and gender minority health-care workers.

Sexual and/or gender minority health-care workers are subject to the heteronormativity and cisnormativity of society and often face open discrimination. Empowering these individuals to bring their full, authentic selves to work so that they can serve their patients and institutions with the totality of their strengths requires institutes and cisgender or straight allies to support LGBTQ+ communities by creating a culture of inclusivity and enacting progressive policies.

Walking the Talk: LGBTQ Allies in Australian Secondary Schools.

Sexual culture(s) are an active presence in the shaping of school relations, and LGBTQ issues have long been recognized as a dangerous form of knowledge in school settings. Queer issues in educational domains quickly attract surveillance and have historically often been aggressively prosecuted and silence enforced. This paper examines the intersections of straight allies in promoting an LGBTQ visibility and agency in Australian secondary schools. Drawing on interviews with “straight”-identified secondary students, a narrative methodology was utilized to explore the presence of student allies for making safe schools. Drawing on straight secondary students' responses to LGBTQ issues in their schools, firsthand accounts of intervening in heteronorming school cultures focus on experiences of being an ally to address LGBTQ inclusivity in Australian secondary schools.

A qualitative exploration of the impact of the marriage equality debate on same‐sex attracted Australians and their allies

ObjectiveIn 2017, the Australian Government announced that a voluntary postal survey would be used to quantify the views of the Australian public on marriage equality. This non‐binding, voluntary postal survey—and the associated public debate—can be viewed as a discriminatory event for same‐sex attracted Australians. The exacerbation of minority stress likely imposed by this unexpected event has resulted in an unprecedented demand for psychological services by members of this community. Despite this surge of use, relatively little is known about the specifics of the impact of this discriminatory event.MethodIn this article, we present the findings of a thematic analysis of semi‐structured interviews that qualitatively examined the impact of the marriage equality debate among a sample of 14 Australians (eight sexual minority and six affected ‘allies’).ResultsTwo themes were identified from the interviews, each with four subthemes: (a) personal impacts (emotional wellbeing, empathic concern, devaluation, and connection to religion), and (b) social impacts (activism, avoidant behaviour, social connections, and societal perceptions).ConclusionsOverall, the findings of the current study reveal a range of intra‐ and inter‐personal negative impacts of public debate about the equal rights of same‐sex attracted people to marry. Moreover, the results suggest that the impact is not only on this minority and at‐risk group but also on their heterosexual allies. These results can help inform future policy with the aim of decreasing minority stress experienced by same‐sex attracted people.

Law and Disorder: Ontario Catholic Bishops’ Opposition to Gay-Straight Alliances

Originating in the United States, a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) is an in-school student club whose focus is on making the school a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students and their straight allies by raising awareness about, and hopefully reducing, school-based homophobia. The ongoing struggle for GSAs in Canadian Catholic schools is one example of how clashes continue to be played out between Catholic canonical law and Canadian common law regarding sexual minorities. This paper draws upon Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, and The History of Sexuality Vol. 1: An Introduction to analyze one particularly influential curricular and policy document entitled Pastoral Guidelines to Assist Students of Same-Sex Orientation from the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops. This paper posits that Catholic doctrine about non-heterosexuality functions as a Foucaultian Panopticon enabling Catholic education leaders to observe and correct the behaviour of non-heterosexual teachers and students that they deem runs counter to the values of the Vatican. This paper argues that successful resistance to the powerful disciplining regime of the Catholic school is possible.

Experiences of LGBTQ+ Students in Music Education Programs Across Texas

We examined the experiences of 95 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) music education majors, along with 39 heterosexual allies, who were student members of the Texas Music Educators Association. Participants addressed curricular practices and institutional factors that lend themselves to LGBTQ+ inclusion and safety among students, faculty, and staff. We collected data through an anonymous online survey, which included questions related to LGBTQ+ students’ experiences in their programs and across campuses. Five students participated in follow-up interviews designed to provide more in-depth information about their classroom experiences and campus-level actions taken to promote systemic change. Through multivariate analyses, as well as content analysis of the qualitative data, we found that although preservice music teachers in Texas feel accepted and supported in their music teacher education programs, they are entering the field feeling underprepared to address LGBTQ+ issues and support students who identify as such.

Homophobia in Nigerian schools and universities: Victimization, Mental Health Issues, Resilience of the LGBT Students and support from Straight Allies. A Literature review

This paper reviews the literature on the schooling experiences and challenges LGBT students face in Nigerian schools and universities, and how heterosexual students, teachers and school administrators view and respond to LGBT issues. Twenty-eight publications which include themes on LGBT experiences in Nigerian schools and universities were reviewed. Findings show that LGBT students experience rejection, bullying, and victimization from parents and siblings at home, and from students, teachers, and school administrators who sometimes expel LGBT students from schools and universities. The study shows internalized homophobia, stress and depression facing LGBT students, their resilience, and the support they receive from a few straight allies among students and lecturers. Findings reveal how Nigerian schools and universities promote compulsory heterosexuality through anti-gay views, disciplinary actions, and rules to discourage homosexuality. Finally, this paper discusses the implication of homophobia in Nigerian schools and universities and how to challenge homophobia regarding Nigeria’s inclusive education goal.

It’s not all rainbows and unicorns: Straight teacher allies reflect on privilege

The role of allies in social movements is an area of social justice activism that is at times celebrated and at other times contested. Sometimes, allies are celebrated for the “good work” that they do to support marginalized people in their struggle against oppression. They undertake challenging and demanding social justice work, often with little to no institutional support or training motivated by a desire to support all the students they teach. In other circumstances, allies are criticized (in some cases quite appropriately) for being naïve, self-interested, privileged, and—put pejoratively—”do-gooders.” Despite the discomfort that discussions of allies and their contributions may cause, particularly for some allies themselves, the role that allies play in social movements is an important area of exploration. In this discussion, I argue that teacher allyship needs to be envisioned differently, but not completely discontinued. Drawing on data from interviews with educators in Ontario, I argue that teacher allies must become responsible assets to social justice by resisting the dominant narrative of allyship and strive for on-going reflexivity.

Post-gay, Political, and Pieced Together: Queer Expectations of Straight Allies

Past research has examined straight allyship to the queer community from allies’ perspectives, but little is known about how queer people evaluate straight allies. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 20 LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) students from a large, public university in the southeastern United States, we show that respondents formulate their expectations by leaning on their understanding of their own queerness in relation to other privileged and marginalized identities they possess. We find two opposing camps of thought: one that allies should be attuned to the individual needs of queer people in their personal lives, and the other that they should be actively dedicated to supporting the broader queer community. Some respondents expressed sentiments of both camps, showcasing how expectations range with diverse identity constellations. We conclude with discussions of how diverse expectations complicate allyship as a vehicle for social change, and the implications of these results for allies’ roles in queer rights movements.

The push for transgender inclusion: Exploring boundary spanning in the gay–straight alliance

AbstractGay–straight alliance (or gender‐sexuality alliance; GSA) is a high‐school based club aimed at providing a safer environment for sexual and gender minority youth as well as their straight allies. Yet, as a club historically rooted in addressing sexual orientation‐related concerns, less attention has been given to understanding the changing relational dynamics of internal GSA activities aimed at expanding membership boundaries through the promotion of transgender inclusivity. I address this by bridging existing scholarship on GSAs, social movements, and the sociology of culture to showcase the impact boundary‐spanning strategies are having on GSA mobilization, in‐group solidarity, and external political and social activism. My findings reveal that membership boundary negotiations around gender diversity issues are shifting the social landscape of these clubs. Emerging barriers that impede boundary‐spanning efforts are also highlighted and discussed. More broadly, I generate new theoretical insights into how boundary spanning can shape political and social activism as well as offer promising future research directions in this area.

“I’ve Always Wanted a Gay Family Member!”: Straight Ally Girls and Gender Inequality in a High School Gay-Straight Alliance

Research on high school Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) focuses on these clubs as safe spaces for students of all sexual and gender orientations to gather, arguing that GSAs are usually associated with less hostile school climates. Less studied are the interactions among students in GSAs and the ways gender and sexuality intersect in this context. This ethnographic study bridges this gap, examining inequality along lines of gender and sexual identity. Findings show that straight girls are given a voice in the GSA, applauded for their support, and immune from critique of their ally work, however, some lesbian, bisexual, and queer-identifying (LBQ) girls are disenchanted with straight girls’ participation. Some LBQ girls remain silent critics of their high school’s GSA, or abandon it completely. This research suggests that within GSAs, the unconditional inclusion of straight allies may be reproducing the very inequalities such groups exist to dismantle.

Teachers’, LGBTQ Students’, and Student Allies’ Perceptions of Bullying of Sexually-Diverse Youth

ABSTRACTIn this study, educators, LGBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning their sexuality) students, and their allies in a southwestern Pennsylvania sample reported their perceptions of bullying of LGBTQ youth and school climate and awareness of anti-bullying laws and policies within their school systems. Results indicate differences in students’ and educators’ perceptions of the frequency of bullying of LGBTQ students and support for LGBTQ students. LGBTQ students report significantly more bullying of LGBTQ students than their straight allies as well as educators for all forms of bullying assessed. Additionally, educators perceive higher levels of support for students from school personnel and students than reported by students. The importance of educator understanding and intervention in the bullying experiences of LGBTQ students is discussed.

Stigma and stigma by association in perceptions of straight allies

ABSTRACTAs evidence builds for straight allies' contributions to battling sexual prejudice, barriers to assuming this role must be identified and dismantled. This study investigated stigma and stigma by association in perceptions of straight allies in a college population. Adjective rating items were completed by 505 participants who identified as heterosexual and not as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning. Results indicated stigma by association for the male heterosexual target, who was rated as more feminine in the ally than non-ally condition. Implications for research and ally training are discussed.

From awareness to action: Examining predictors of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activism for heterosexual people.

In recent history, heterosexual allies have played an integral role in promoting change for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations in the United States; however, questions have been raised as to what drives heterosexual allies to promote change via activism. To delineate factors important in engagement in activism, 207 self-identified heterosexual allies completed an online survey measuring components associated with LGBT activism using Bandura's (1986) model of triadic reciprocal determinism: personal factors (ally identity, social justice self-efficacy and outcome expectations, empathetic perspective taking, and gender) and environmental factors (social justice related supports and barriers, positive marginality, and education level) to predict behaviors (LGBT activism). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed a model accounting for 62% of the variance in LGBT activism, with dimensions of ally identification, social justice self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and education level emerging as significant predictors of engagement in activism behaviors. Empathetic perspective taking and social justice related barriers predicted lack of engagement in LGBT activism, however. Supporting the notion that personal and environmental factors simultaneously impact engagement in LGBT activism. (PsycINFO Database Record

How gender affects heterosexual allies’ intentions of confronting sexual prejudice.

Sexual prejudice and discrimination are extremely prevalent throughout society, and previous research suggests that there are a multitude of negative consequences associated with being the target of this prejudice. One way of reducing prejudice is for heterosexual allies to confront the perpetrator

Factors associated with straight allies' current engagement levels within Gay–Straight Alliances

Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) can foster action-oriented engagement among straight youth allies. The objective of the current exploratory study was to identify factors related to straight youth allies' greater engagement in GSAs. Participants included 156 straight members of 48 high school GSAs (78.2% female, Mage=15.71) who attended regional GSA conferences in 2013. The survey asked youth to report their engagement in their GSA based on multiple items, and it measured factors external to the GSA and GSA-specific experiences that could be related to GSA engagement. In an overall model with all factors as independent variables and engagement as the dependent variable, initial positive feelings after the first few GSA meetings and having more current LGBT friends emerged as the clearest contributors. This study broadens our understanding of how factors external to the GSA and GSA-specific experiences relate to straight youths' role in promoting social change through their GSA engagement.