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The research literature suggests that the mental health professionals serving lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people may not be prepared to adequately address the unique needs of the population. There is a need to study the factors that influence the degree to which therapists attitudes and behaviors are affirmative toward their gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients. One obstacle to pursuing this research agenda is the lack of valid and reliable instruments available for research with this population. The purpose of this study is to address the concerns in the literature regarding the lack of reliable instruments by establishing adequate psychometric properties for three scales: the Non-heterosexist Mental Health Organizations Scale, the Affirmative Behaviors with GLB Clients Scale, and the Affirmative Behaviors with All Clients Scale. Preliminary information about the instrument development process, factor structure, and the reliability and validity of these scales is presented. (Contains 23 references.) (GCP)

The Rainbow Visibility Project has the primary goal of raising awareness to sexual orientation as a diversity issue at the University of San Diego (USD) (California), a Roman Catholic liberal arts university. It was designed to be consistent with other efforts supporting the cultural competence at the university, whose mission statement explicitly advocates the "recognition of the dignity of each individual." However, gay and lesbian students, staff, and faculty expressed incongruity between the university's stated mission and goals and their experiences of invisibility and, when visible, harassment. The Rainbow Educator Program (REP) was one of five components of the project, the only component continued after 2001 and funded by the university. The goals of the REP are to: (1) nurture effective and comfortable interactions among members of the USD community on topics related to sexual orientation and other diversity issues; (2) provide accurate, up-to-date, information on sexual orientation; (3) dispel homophobic stereotypes; and (4) address issues impacting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community on campus. To accomplish these goals the Rainbow Educators (REs), a small group (between 12 and 18) of graduate and undergraduate students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni/ae, engage the campus community on sexual orientation and other diversity issues through a variety of educational avenues. This paper describes a model for sexual orientation education at a religiously affiliated university that respects the religious character and mission of the university and also promotes an atmosphere of respect for sexual orientation. The paper hypothesizes that the REP is an essential component of creating an ethical school and argues that the REP has had a transformative impact on the campus climate at USD. It offers suggestions on how the REP can be adapted for other religiously-affiliated institutions. (Contains 36 references.) (BT)

Sexual minority youth (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning) function in a society that condones homophobia. Results of a research study conducted by J. Sears (1991) indicated that teachers often expressed that they should be more proactive, supportive, and committed to the welfare of all their students, but the realities of their professional intervention and support for homosexual students were quite different. This study examined the personal beliefs of 200 preservice educators from the Midwest about homosexuality and how these attitudes and feelings are actualized in the schools. Findings suggest that this sample differed little from the sample of the 1991 study. Preservice teachers in this study did obtain a higher percentage of correct answers when tested on their knowledge of homosexuality, which suggests that though becoming better educated on issues surrounding homosexuality, these future teachers did not incorporate this knowledge into their personal attitudes and feelings. While black preservice teachers and early childhood preservice teachers obtained higher mean scores on both attitudinal measures (attitudes toward homosexuality and index of homophobia), race was the only variable that proved to be statistically significant. The paper also discusses implications for future research. (Contains 1 figure, 6 tables, and 42 references.) (SLD)

This paper reviews the statistical evidence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) violence in the United States and in the world. Statistics are from Amnesty International and the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. Reasons why this violence exists and international human rights responses are reviewed. In addition, research on homophobia, homonegativity, and antigay violence is also reviewed. An argument for a greater role in the amelioration of prejudice against LGBT people by the American Psychological Association as the premier psychological organization involved in social justice issues around the world is presented. The paper concludes with recommendations for future directions. (Contains 25 references.) (Author/GCP)

This report presents current information available on each state and the District of Columbia related to education issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. It summarizes the laws affecting students, LGBT students. Results from the 2001 National School Climate Survey of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network indicate that more than 82 percent of LGBT students report verbal, sexual, or physical harassment. More than 90 percent of LGBT students regularly hear anti-LGBT comments at school, and almost one in four hear these comments from school staff. Transgender youth are disproportionately likely to face harassment. With laws in place in eight states and the District of Columbia, only 25 percent of students have statewide legal protections, leaving 75 percent of students in states with no state laws to protect them from harassment and discrimination. At least seven states have prohibitions on the positive depiction of homosexuality, and eight states require the promotion of monogamous heterosexual marriage. Data are provided on state public school characteristics, safe school laws, and other relevant state laws (including laws related to hate crimes, non-discrimination, and HIV and sexually transmitted disease education). (SM)

This report presents findings from the 2001 National School Climate Survey related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students' experiences and feelings of safety in school. A total of 904 LGBT students from 48 states and the District of Columbia participated. Results indicated that the overwhelming majority of students heard homophobic remarks, and faculty and staff contributed to the problem by making comments or failing to intervene when necessary. A large percentage of LGBT students (83.2) reported name calling, threats, and other forms of verbal abuse. Verbal, sexual, and physical harassment were common experiences for LGBT students of color and for female students, and the abuse was often compounded by racism and sexism. The majority of LGBT students reported feeling unsafe at school, and they were likely to skip classes or even days of school out of fear for personal safety. Transgender students were the least likely to feel their school communities were places of safety. Many schools failed to recognize the abuse faced by LGBT students, and as a result, resources and supportive personnel were rare. However, where resources and support were available (e.g., gay-straight alliances), a statistically significant number of LGBT students felt a greater sense of belonging at school. A copy of the survey is attached. (SM)

One of the strongest sources of anti-gay discriminatory rhetoric comes from various religious traditions. In spite of such animosity, gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) people continue to claim their place at the table and a number of religious leaders with same-sex sexual orientation continue to work within their religious denominations. The present study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to gather information on this unique sample of GLB population: GLB clergy. In particular, the study examines the levels of self esteem, social support, stress over sexual orientation, religious orientation, and spiritual well-being in a sample of 32 religious leaders who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Furthermore, this study examines the effects of religious backgrounds (i.e., conservative) and practices (i.e., conversion therapy) on GLB clergy's emotional, spiritual, and relational health. (Contains 48 references.) (JDM)

This research investigates the development of conflict between sexual minority identity and religious identity in sexual minority youth, examining religion as both a risk factor and a protective factor. Intrinsic religion was expected to predict self reported conflict between religious and sexual minority identity. Retrospectively reported homophobic content of childhood and adolescent religious socialization messages was expected to predict factors related to identity conflict, although individual intrinsic religion was expected to interact with or mediate that relationship. Thirty-three religiously and racially diverse sexual minority college undergraduates participated in this study. The data confirmed the hypotheses. Intrinsic religion predicted belief in the immorality of homosexuality, but was not significantly correlated with any other measure of internalized homophobia. Although intrinsic religion predicted self reported conflict between religious identity and sexual identity, belief in the immorality of homosexuality entirely mediated this effect. Homophobic content of childhood and adolescent religious socialization messages predicted anti-religious attitudes, but intrinsic religious mitigated against this effect. Although homophobic religious socialization messages put sexual minority youth at risk for higher levels of internalized homophobia, an intrinsically motivated religious commitment works simultaneously as a protective factor, buffering youth against some of the negative consequences of internalized homophobia. (Contains 24 references.) (JDM)

Research on the attitudes of heterosexual churchgoers is extensive. However, very little empirical information is available about the attitudes held by gay and lesbian Christians. In the current study, it was hypothesized that gay and lesbian Christians, unlike their heterosexual peers, would demonstrate desire for and acceptance of social closeness with other gay and lesbian people, whether or not the person was sexually active, and would desire social distance from homophobic persons and those who reject same-sex relationships. Results of questionnaires completed by 282 gay men and lesbians confirm these hypotheses and indicate significant relationships between social distance and religious motivation and an individual's approach to scripture. Results also suggest that social distance may be an inadequate measure of prejudice in this population. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/JDM)

This paper draws on recent poststructural, psychoanalytic, feminist, and queer theorizing to analyze progressive pedagogies described by homosexual physical educators and professors. It is based on two life history projects conducted with physical educators. The overall purpose of the research was to examine the social construction of female sexualities within the physical education profession. The teachers' personal narratives described how their identities (whether they were racial, gendered, or sexual) shaped their pedagogies. One teacher came out as a lesbian to her students each year in a planned manner, then formally used her lesbian identity to illustrate the classroom management principle of pride as an element of respect. Another teacher made explicit the link between her lesbian desire and her ethical response as a teacher, though that link was only articulated in non-teaching conversations and was not part of a formal anti-homophobic pedagogy. Two other teachers' narratives made overt ties between racial identity and pedagogy. They outlined direct links between their teaching and different forms of racism. The links between lesbian identity and anti-racist responses were less explicit. (Contains 46 references.) (SM)

This paper, via a collection of personal stories, describes two educators' experiences of homophobia in the world of education. The paper uses stories from their experiences as students, teacher candidates, professional teachers, and graduate students. According to the paper, this work is unique in educational research in that it seeks to represent the educators' lived experiences and personal ways of knowing in an authentic, holistic manner. The paper explains that the stories were collected in an investigation of how the educators' personal and professional lives have been shaped by homophobia, sexism, and other oppressive forces. It uses reported speech, available narrative/category-bound activities (c-b-a), evaluation, performance/reenactment, and orientation and frame as specific tools to enable the examination of the meaning and functions of personal narrative in education. It focuses on context as well as text to explore the relationships between the narrative and the event and to examine the interactions of speakers and listeners. These tools and modes of analysis lead the two educators to look at the juxtaposition of "taleworld" and "storyrealm." (Contains 26 references.) (BT)

This roundtable offered a springboard for discussion on homophobia in the workplace in four major areas: education, industry, mental health, and public service. In the discussion on education, gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) college students explored ingrained attitudes and beliefs that impact their college life. Other issues explored in academia were job safety, curricula, coming out, and the impact of institutional homophobia. Homophobia in the corporate world considered strategies to help GLBs throughout their careers. Gay professional athletes explored the obstacles in professional sports for gay men to come out, the employment obstacles for gay men (such as coaching jobs), and their thoughts about being constrained to the closet. Homophobia in the helping professions examined the prejudicial attitudes of mental health professionals regarding GLBs and the impact on service delivery. It also addressed the issues GLB ethnic minority therapists face including training and supervision needs, countertransference, and boundary concerns. In the public service field, a discussion was held on the effects that police force homophobia can have on both the force and the public. Sexual minorities discussed their experiences working for religious organizations and the strategies for coping with discrimination. (Lists 22 web sites and 103 references.) (JDM)

This project explores the use of narrative to mediate the delivery of information on the effects of harmful discrimination in a simulated environment that is intended to arouse empathy and inspire reflection. It focuses on the potential of instructional narrative simulation to change biased beliefs about homosexuality. "This just is!" Jeff's Story is an instructional development project that utilizes narrative simulation as a strategy for affective learning. It focuses on enhancing empathetic abilities, stimulating self-reflection, fueling group discussion, and offering opportunity for reconstruction of storied biases. Initially developed as a paper and pencil exercise, it has been evaluated through expert review and user testing, and is currently being developed into an interactive multimedia program. Jeff's Story has been field tested with a variety of users in both the original pencil and paper format and as an interactive multimedia program. Overall user feedback indicated that the experience stimulated continued thinking and discussion. Since reflection is a necessary activity for reconstructing biased beliefs, such feedback offers hope that this instruction experience, at least, can create the possibility of changing biased beliefs over time. Appendices present an image of the opening splash screen from the interactive multimedia program and a sample Internet resource link screen. (Contains 41 references.) (AEF)

This descriptive study examined two aspects of teacher education (text materials and curricular methods) with respect to the question of how gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual (GLBT) issues are presented and discussed. The first study focused on a content analysis of a variety of textbooks (lifespan development, adolescent development, and multicultural/social foundations) that are available for use in teacher education programs. Findings here indicated a general inclusion of GLBT issues in lifespan and adolescence texts, though there were some structural and content treatment considerations. The second study involved a set of interviews with 11 teacher educators from a variety of programs nationwide. Four main themes were derived from the data (curricular consistency, community/campus contexts, perceived administrative response, and perceived student response). Findings suggest that while GLBT issues are increasingly a part of teacher education programs, there is still inconsistency across and within programs. Implications for these studies include recommendations for incorporating GLBT issues into teacher preparation in a more formal manner as well as integrating the issues across the curriculum. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/SM)

It is important to discuss sexuality with elementary students. Elementary teachers can help children learn to share public space with people who are similar and different from themselves. This should include discussions of homosexual people. One reason to discuss sexuality in elementary schools is that it is already present in students' lives (via public spaces, media, and peer groups). Sexuality is present and visible in public images experienced by virtually all Western children, and value judgments are implicit in these images. Curriculum resource materials and teaching strategies employ these value-loaded images long before they admit to talking about sex. Gender role socialization, including the accompanying devaluation of homosexual identities, is an inevitable element of how children are guided to behave by the hidden curriculum of peer interaction and school activities. Often teachers who make independent choices to discuss this controversial issue are presumed homosexual and thereby at risk of job loss. There is no evidence that explicit sex education leads to increased sexual behavior, but teachers do not get much latitude to teach about sexuality. Questions of sex, gender, and homosexual identity can fit into elementary curriculum in many places. Many recent curricula emphasize respect and tolerance for diversity. The mini-society of elementary classrooms becomes more inclusive when all members respectfully interact with diverse individuals and unfamiliar ideas. (Contains 44 references.) (SM)

This paper presents the stories of gay and lesbian Catholic elementary school teachers. Through interviews and dialogues at social gatherings, these teachers shared their fears, hopes, and strategies they used in order to be able to truly live in the context of the Catholic elementary school. All of the participants had taught only in Catholic schools for their entire teaching careers. Results indicated that the teachers had come to accept the oppression and were working with the system, as opposed to against the system, to create a more inclusive school environment that truly echoed the gospel message of loving one another. Catholicism was an important factor that influenced their choice to work in Catholic schools. Participants acknowledged that they continually experienced a conflict between their religion and their lifestyle. They did not feel safe to come out to their students, though they acknowledged there would be some benefits to doing so. They did not believe that their administrators would support them if they came out. Participants had at least one confidant who knew explicitly that they were homosexual, and most felt that many of their colleagues knew. They believed that they had to work harder than their heterosexual colleagues and be model teachers so it would be more difficult for the administration to dismiss them. (Contains 18 references.) (SM)

This paper reports on the development, design, and initial field testing of a narrative simulation, "'This Just Is!' Jeff's Story," that focused on homophobia and adolescent suicide. The initial field test was conducted with two user groups--a graduate class of professionals in the field of higher education student development, and a small group of ministers certified as pastoral counselors. The evaluation utilizes data obtained through expert feedback, exercise field tests, individual and focus group interviews, and observation, as a basis for informing continued development of this design. Formative evaluation results are summarized in the following areas: usability; veracity; the extent to which the user felt the experience was informative; cognitive, or the extent to which the exercise provoked thinking; affective, or impact on attitude; and the value of group discussion in the exercise process. Desired learning outcomes that focus on attitudes, beliefs, and biases may lend themselves to further evaluation of narrative simulation in creating contexts in which to examine deeply held beliefs. (Contains 40 references.) (MES)

Support groups are powerful tools that assist gay men in dealing with isolation from other gay men, a lack of information about themselves and others as gay men, and the fear either of being identified or of self-identifying as gay. In this article, 10 gay men speak about their experiences in a support/psychoeducational group. (Author)

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) conducted a survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students affiliated with local youth service organizations around the United States. A total of 496 youth from 32 states completed the survey fully. Over 90% reported that they sometimes or frequently hear homophobic remarks in their school, and almost all reported hearing these remarks from other students. The majority (69%) reported experiencing some form of harassment or violence, and 13.7% reported experiences of physical assault. Nearly half (two of five) did not feel safe in school, and over one third did not feel comfortable speaking to school staff about issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender status. (SLD)

The Lesbian and Gay Child Care Task Force documented anecdotal evidence of homophobia in child care and school age communities, including: (1) refusal to accept children from lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families into child care; (2) biased attitudes expressed to children when they speak about their families; and (3) demonstrated lack of understanding of the unique issues that children and LGBT families face on a day-to-day basis even when biased attitudes are not expressed or may not exist. Adopting an Appreciative Inquiry methodology, the Task Force undertook a study to identify the best of what is currently happening in child care for LGBT parents and children, to envision what might be in the future, to foster dialogue about what should be, and to develop provocative propositions for shaping the most positive future imaginable for child care that supports LGBT families. The topics explored were school climate/environment, curriculum, resources, staff training, parent information, policies/procedures, parent involvement, "out" role models, anti-bias philosophy, and leadership. Appreciative interviews were conducted with LGBT parents/guardians and child care providers. One hundred sixty-seven stories were transcribed documenting the best that currently exists in child care for LGBT parents and children. Thirteen stories appear in this report. Peer researchers and participants at a Community Summit and at the 1998 WAEYC (Washington Association for the Education of Young Children) Conference read all the stories and identified compelling forces and elements that created the positive aspects of the stories. These elements were clustered into five core themes: provider staff awareness and enlightenment; family pride and self pride; non-discrimination policies, procedures, and practices; curriculum and environment which reflect and affirm all families and cultures; and communication that builds understanding. Participants stretched and expanded these themes by imagining the best possible world of child care for LGBT parents and children and discussed provocative propositions. (Appendices contain study materials, resources, and 14 references.) (EV)

This paper discusses three aspects of bias crimes against sexual minorities: (1) perpetration rates among young adults; (2) perpetrators' motivations; and (3) factors that prevent some people from committing hate crimes. In an anonymous survey of 484 students at 6 community colleges: one in 10 respondents admitted physical violence or threats against presumed gay men or lesbians, and another 24% reported anti-gay name-calling. Assailants tended to be young men in groups who assaulted largely in response to environmental pressures. In particular, a rigid gender code seemed to encourage physical punishment of gender deviance. Four distinct motivations were found to underlie anti-gay violence: self defense, ideology, thrill seeking, and peer dynamics. These impetuses may also apply in hate crimes against racial and religious minorities and women. Due to the environmentally driven nature of most anti-gay bias crimes, educational campaigns within primary and secondary schools are an essential avenue for prevention. In the absence of positive images of minorities in school curricula, negative stereotypes proliferate. These, in turn, foster both bias crimes in the wider community and a climate of pervasive harassment and violence against students who are perceived as deviant. (Contains five tables.) (EMH)

In 1997 an online survey of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth was conducted. The survey, which was available only on the Internet, was promoted through magazines and the World Wide Web. It contained more than 150 questions and took about half an hour to complete. Although all people accessing the web site were allowed to complete the survey, only surveys from respondents under 25 years old were used in the study. The questionnaire was designed to explore many areas of interest in the lives of homosexual, bisexual, and transgender youth, and included sections on: (1) general background; (2) about being queer; (3) the Internet; (4) school policies; (5) school groups; (6) school life; (6) sexual activity; (7) sexual health; (8) the media; (9) harassment; (10) suicide; (11) religion and spirituality; (12) "who I am"; (13) relationships; (14) community; and (15) the future. The Internet survey method allowed for possible sources of error, including falsification, the bias caused by Internet access, and bias introduced by the length of the survey. Although two-thirds of those who started it did not complete the survey, 3,061 complete surveys form the database. Survey data is now available to qualified scholars researching issues surrounding queer youth, social service, and government agencies working to set policy and determine priorities, and to authors who wish to make their needs more well-known. Data are available in a variety of formats. The survey and a summary of responses for each item are presented. (SLD)

This document presents some helpful examples of existing school policies and state laws that may spark action to help communities deal with homophobia and harassment of homosexual students. Most school districts have nondiscrimination policies of one sort or another, but these policies may not cover discrimination based on sexual harassment. Appendixes A, B, and C contain the model anti-harassment policies developed for school districts by the state of Vermont, Dade County (Florida), and the school district of Ashland (Wisconsin). Other statewide ethical codes that apply to educators are found in Alaska, Connecticut, Florida, and Pennsylvania. These states legally oblige educators not to discriminate against students on the basis of sexual orientation. Appendix D contains these codes of ethics. Of course, improvements in antidiscrimination policies or laws at the state level can have much broader favorable impact, although the protections operate at various levels and may involve varying effectiveness in terms of enforcement and remedies. Appendix E contains a copy of Rhode Island's policy statement, and Appendix F contains a summary of protections against anti-gay bias in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Minnesota also contains a broad civil-rights statute. These sample policies and laws are helpful to the efforts of all those advocates doing the important work of helping to save the futures of youth struggling with anti-gay discrimination. (SLD)

This presentation takes an historical approach to homosexuality and homophobia in public schools. The methodology of "history from below" is applied. Methodological considerations are discussed, and experiences of gay and lesbian teachers and students are explored. The psychological, moral and political meanings various groups attach to homosexuality are reviewed in the context of history, paying attention to political issues and the pathologization of homosexuality. The legacy of the McCarthy era "witch hunts" is discussed. Despite the American Psychiatric Association's removal of homosexuality from the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" in 1973, a number of educators and administrators have continued to view it as a form of mental illness. Since the 1970s, the emerging gay and lesbian rights movement coupled with the rise of the religious right have served to polarize the politics of American public education. Suicide is a major problem among young homosexuals. The fight against California's "Proposition 6," which would have barred gays and lesbians from working in public schools, is reviewed. The coming of AIDS to the United States heightened public awareness of homosexuality and presented an opportunity for education. The political and social climate of the 1990s has intensified the paradoxes. Appendix A shows results of a Dissertation Abstracts search and ERIC search. (Contains 58 references.) (EMK)

Initial efforts to study the prevalence of homophobia targeted specific groups such as college students, health care workers, social workers, and others. Some of the specific correlates of homophobia, including gender, previous contact with gay people, the quality of that contact, religious affiliation, and the degree of religious practice are examined in this paper. The subjects, 200 female and 120 male undergraduates enrolled in human sexuality classes at a large university, completed informational surveys and self-report measures of homophobia. Homophobia was measured via self-reports of cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of anti-gay and anti-gay prejudice. Results showed that women reported lower levels of homophobia than men in the cognitive, affective, and behavioral measures, and that both men and women indicated lower levels of cognitive homophobia toward lesbians when compared to gay men. Homophobia negatively correlated with (1) previous contact with gay men and lesbians, (2) the degree of positive previous interaction with gay people, and (3) the number of gay and lesbian friends and acquaintances, but not family members. The levels of self-reported anti-gay attitudes positively correlated with church attendance, but not church affiliation. Limitations of the study, along with future directions for research, are offered. (Contains 63 references and 7 tables.) (RJM)