Lesbian,gay, bisexual,and transgender college students with disabilities: A look at multiple cultural minorities

College students with disabilities who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) represent diverse cultural minorities with multiple service needs involving disabilities, identities, and adjustment strategies. These students are usually accommodated in the college environment because of their disability while simultaneously marginalized based on their sexual orientation. This article discusses LGBT college students with disabilities as multiple cultural minorities with a focus on educational environments, institutional issues, and strategies for university personnel. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Parental Sexual Orientation and Children's Psychological Well-Being: 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey

Debate persists about whether parental sexual orientation affects children's well-being. This study utilized information from the 2013 to 2015 U.S., population-based National Health Interview Survey to examine associations between parental sexual orientation and children's well-being. Parents reported their children's (aged 4–17 years old, N = 21,103) emotional and mental health difficulties using the short form Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Children of bisexual parents had higher SDQ scores than children of heterosexual parents. Adjusting for parental psychological distress (a minority stress indicator) eliminated this difference. Children of lesbian and gay parents did not differ from children of heterosexual parents in emotional and mental health difficulties, yet, the results among children of bisexual parents warrant more research examining the impact of minority stress on families.     

Coparenting Among Lesbian,Gay, and Heterosexual Couples: Associations With Adopted Children's Outcomes

Coparenting is associated with child behavior in families with heterosexual parents, but less is known about coparenting among lesbian‐ and gay‐parent families. Associations were studied among self‐reported divisions of labor, coparenting observations, and child adjustment (M_age = 3 years) among 104 adoptive families headed by lesbian, gay, or heterosexual couples. Lesbian and gay couples reported sharing child care, whereas heterosexual couples reported specialization (i.e., mothers did more child care than fathers). Observations confirmed this pattern—lesbian and gay parents participated more equally than heterosexual parents during family interaction. Lesbian couples showed the most supportive and least undermining behavior, whereas gay couples showed the least supportive behavior, and heterosexual couples the most undermining behavior. Overall, supportive coparenting was associated with better child adjustment.     

Effective Counseling With Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Clients

Professional organizations mandate that effective counseling be provided to lesbian, gay male, and bisexual male and female (LGB) clients. This article presents the characteristics, challenges, and needs of sexual minorities, along with therapeutic strategies that practitioners may use in facilitating a positive self‐image among the lesbians, gay men, and bisexual men and women whom they counsel.     

Preschool selection considerations and experiences of school mistreatment among lesbian,gay, and heterosexual adoptive parents

The current study is the first to investigate the school selection considerations and school-related experiences of sexual-minority parents with young children. The sample consisted of 210 parents in 105 couples, including 35 lesbian couples, 30 gay male couples, and 40 heterosexual couples, all of whom had adopted a child three years earlier. We found that parents with less income were more likely to consider cost in choosing a preschool, and parents with less education were more likely to consider location. More educated parents tended to emphasize racial diversity and the presence of adoptive families, and, among sexual-minority parents, the presence of other lesbian/gay parents. Sexual-minority parents were more likely to consider racial diversity than heterosexual parents. In reporting on their experiences with schools, heterosexual parents were more likely to perceive mistreatment due to their adoptive status than sexual-minority parents, and sexual-minority parents living in less gay-friendly communities were more likely to perceive mistreatment due to their sexual orientation than sexual-minority parents living in more gay-friendly communities. Our findings have implications for early childhood educators and administrators seeking to create an inclusive learning community for all types of families.     

On Becoming Allies: A Qualitative Study of Lesbian‐, Gay‐, and Bisexual‐Affirmative Counselor Training

The authors present a qualitative analysis of a process by which a research team of counselors‐in‐training confronted their heterosexist biases while investigating heterosexual attitudes toward sexual minorities. Members of the research team discovered that it was essential to reflect on and evaluate their attitudes, assumptions, and biases before they could conduct scientific research about affirmative attitudes toward lesbian, gay male, and bisexual male and female individuals. Self‐reflective narratives written by each research team member were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methodology. Results yielded 10 general categories or themes. Implications for counseling theory, training, and future research are discussed.     

Stereotypes of Older Lesbians and Gay Men

This study examined stereotypes of older lesbians and gay men. Key findings are that older lesbians and gay men were perceived as similar to older heterosexual women and men with regard to aging stereotypes, such as being judicious. At the same time, sexual minorities were targets of unique stereotypes. Consistent with the implicit inversion theory, lesbians were conceived as similar to heterosexual men, and gay men similar to heterosexual women with regard to gender-stereotypic traits, and regardless of age. These findings suggest the persistence into late adulthood of the belief that lesbians and gay men are inverted females and males.     

Lesbian,gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth within in welfare: Prevalence,risk and outcomes

The purpose of this study was to estimate the population of sexual minority or LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) children and youth involved with the child welfare system, and to compare their health, mental health, placement and permanency outcomes to those of non-LGB youth. Data were drawn from the Second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW-II), a nationally representative sample of children who were referred to child welfare due to a report of abuse or neglect over a fifteen month period. This sample included youth ages eleven and older who self-identified their sexual orientation (n = 1095). Results indicate that approximately 15.5% of all system involved youth identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual, and that lesbian and bisexual females, and LGB youth of color are both overrepresented within child welfare systems. Although no substantive difference in risk factors, permanency and placement were found between LGB and Non-LGB youth, LGB youth were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for adverse mental health outcomes. Implications for child welfare practice and policy are presented, along with recommendations for future research in this area.     

HOMOSEXUALITY AND NORMALITY: BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SCHOOL CONSULTATION

In the United States, controversy persists regarding what it means for heterosexuality to be the norm, or more pointedly, what it means for those not strictly heterosexual to be outside the norm. It is important that consultants in schools be aware of the current state of research bearing on homosexuality. Consultation provides a viable approach to assist educators with the questions that students, parents, teachers, and administrators themselves may be asking: What is homosexuality? Is heterosexuality the only natural sexual orientation? Can lesbian, gay, and bisexual people be psychologically healthy? Are the children of lesbian and gay parents “at risk”? Can one become ungay? What about a gay or lesbian teacher? This article explores these questions with particular attention to how consultation may be used to promote educational practices that foster positive school environments for all students.     

Reports of parental maltreatment during childhood in a United States population-based survey of homosexual,bisexual, and heterosexual adults

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to determine the nature and prevalence of childhood maltreatment experiences among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and to compare findings to those obtained from similar heterosexual adults. METHOD: Data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), which measured both childhood experiences with parental emotional and physical maltreatment and adult sexual orientation, were used to compare childhood maltreatment experiences of 2,917 heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual individuals, age 25-74 years, separately by gender. RESULTS: Homosexual/bisexual men reported higher rates than heterosexual men of childhood emotional and any physical maltreatment (including major physical maltreatment) by their mother/maternal guardian and major physical maltreatment by their father/paternal guardian. In contrast, homosexual/bisexual women, as compared to heterosexual women, reported higher rates of major physical maltreatment by both their mother/maternal guardian and their father/ paternal guardian. Differences among individuals with differing sexual orientations were most pronounced for the more extreme forms of physical maltreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Adult minority sexual orientation is a risk indicator for positive histories of experiencing parental maltreatment during childhood. While the reasons for this are beyond the scope of the current study, previous research suggests that childhood individual differences, including possibly gender atypicality, may be a causal factor.     

School psychology and issues of sexual orientation: Attitudes,beliefs, and knowledge

The purpose of this study was to investigate school psychologists' attitudes toward lesbians and gay males. Aspects of school psychologists' knowledge, beliefs, current practices, and levels of preparedness related to issues of sexual orientation were also explored. A sample of 288 school psychologists (215 females and 73 males, mean age = 44 years) who were members of NASP participated in this study. Participants completed research packets containing a hypothetical case analogue vignette and three questionnaires querying their attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about issues of sexual orientation. The results indicated school psychologists endorse relatively positive attitudes toward lesbians and gay males, report low‐to‐moderate levels of knowledge about lesbian and gay male issues, are willing to address lesbian and gay male issues on the job, are generally aware of how such issues impact schools, and are inadequately prepared to deal with lesbian and gay male issues. These findings are discussed in relation to their impact on the field and the implications for graduate training. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 201–210, 2004.     

Wearing My Identity: A Transgender Teacher in the Classroom

The term transgender is used by people whose gender identity or expression falls outside the boundaries of traditional gender expectations. In educational systems, transgender issues are becoming increasingly relevant as both students and staff "come out" as transgender, and as young people explore non-normative gender expression. In comparison to the empirical and theoretical discussions on gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth issues in education, research on transgender youth is sparse, and academic research on transgender teachers is non-existent. Like closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual teachers, transgender teachers are isolated, hidden, and silent about their authentic identities. This exploratory study offers one transgender-identified teacher's story in an urban public school system. The issues addressed include gender dynamics in the classroom, relationships with students, the connections between sexual orientation and gender identity, and discrimination in the work environment.     

Does Sex Education Help Everyone?: Sex Education Exposure and Timing as Predictors of Sexual Health Among Lesbian,Bisexual, and Heterosexual Young Women

ABSTRACT

Using data from 2002 to 2013 collections of the National Survey of Family Growth, we explored how exposure and timing of sex education were associated with sexual health outcomes of 5,141 women between the ages of 15 and 20 years. Consistent with previous literature, sexual minority (e.g., lesbian and bisexual) women reported engaging in sexual intercourse with a male partner earlier than their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority women were also more likely to receive sex education after already engaging in sexual intercourse. Exposure to sex education was associated with poorer outcomes—such as an increased number of male sexual partners and higher reports of pregnancy—for sexual minority women but not for their heterosexual peers. Receiving sex education before engaging in intercourse was associated with an increase in birth control use among bisexual participants. Therefore, school psychologists and counselors should promote inclusive sex education programs that fully address the needs of sexual minority youth.     

Experiences of Being Heterosexual Allies to Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual People: A Qualitative Exploration

In this qualitative study, heterosexual professionals with an interest in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues were surveyed about their ally work with LGB people. Data were analyzed to describe participants' experiences. Results are discussed in terms of implications for counseling and student affairs professionals who engage in LGB‐affirmative work.     

Do schools discriminate against homosexual parents? Evidence from a randomized correspondence experiment

The recognition of homosexual rights is a controversial issue in many countries. Spain was the third country in the world (after the Netherlands and Belgium) to introduce a law recognizing homosexual marriage and the adoption of children by homosexual couples. In this paper, we examine for the first time whether schools are more hesitant about giving feedback to homosexual parents during children's pre-registration period in Catalonia (Spain). To do so, we designed a correspondence experiment to be conducted in schools. We created three types of fictitious couples—one heterosexual, one gay, and one lesbian—and sent emails to schools in which the couples’ sexual orientation was explicit. Our results show that gay couples had a significantly lower (22 percentage points) call-back probability than heterosexual couples. No statistically significant differences in call-back probability were found between the lesbian and heterosexual couples.     

Educating queer sexual citizens? A feminist exploration of bisexual and queer young women’s sex education in Tasmania,Australia

There is a well-documented absence of inclusive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE) for Australian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Moreover, relatively few studies specifically examine how bisexual and queer-identifying young Australian women experience SRE. This qualitative study addresses the gap and contributes new perspectives by examining bisexual and queer young women’s experiences of school-based SRE in the state of Tasmania through the lens of sexual citizenship. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 Tasmanian bisexual and queer young women, we argue that biomedical, risk-based and heteronormative approaches to SRE reduce young women’s sexual health literacy. By framing SRE around the concept of ‘sexual citizenship’, this article provides important guidance on how SRE can more effectively provide bisexual and queer young women with the skills they need to be effective, engaged sexual citizens.     

Taking Students Seriously: Their rights to be safe at school

In a broader study of students' rights at school, high school students in New Zealand were asked about whether gay/lesbian/bisexual students would feel safe at their school. Data are reported from a nationwide survey of 107 high schools involving 821 students (aged 15-16 years) and 438 staff who responded to a questionnaire. The article focuses on how students and staff describe attitudes to lesbian/gay/bisexual students, and identifies the most prevalent discourses, including a counter-discourse of acceptance. Although attention to a discourse of acceptance risks the effect of undermining the implications of extreme violence against lesbian/gay/bisexual students, it also challenges the pervasive construction of lesbian/gay/bisexual students as victims. The authors argue that attention to discourses of acceptance might open up further discursive and material strategies for working towards the safety of all school students, including lesbian/gay/bisexual students.     

Sexual orientation and college choice: Considering campus climate

What do gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer (GLBTQ) students look for when choosing a college? The results of Doug Burleson's research on this question provide insight about how to reach out to these potential students.