LGBTI discrimination classrooms

Abstract

Introduction: Although the great social, legal and cultural advances made in some countries have facilitated a greater acceptance of sexual diversity, the stigma associated with homosexuality still plays an important role in the psychosocial adjustment of
people with a sexual orientation alternative to heterosexuality. In particular, these people still face multiple barriers of discrimination due to their sexual orientation, both in the educational and in the family context. For this reason, the aim of this work was to analyse homophobic attitudes among adolescents, as well as the degree of victimization due to sexual orientation. Method: To reach this objective, 87 high school students (49.4% girls, 50.6% boys) aged between 13 and 16 years old (M = 13.34, SD = 567) completed an ad-hoc questionnaire on discrimination towards the LGTBI collective.
Results: First, significant differences according to gender emerged on the homophobic discrimination level (t = 2.47, p =, 015): boys showed higher level of discrimination towards LGTBI people (M of 57.56 in boys versus 49.34 in girls [range of 21 to 105]). Similarly, none of the girls said to have played practical jokes to LGTBI people, compared to 13.2% (X2 = 5.35, p =, 040). Analysing in particular the different forms of homophobic discrimination, statements where the participants obtained a higher average were “the majority of gay men who are insulted provoke it by the way they speak, act or dress” and “one of the problems with the discrimination is that some lesbian women can’t tolerate a joke “(2.70 and 2.24 respectively [range of 1 to 5]). On the other hand, a significantly higher percentage of men reported having experienced threats (15.2% men and 0% in women [X2 = 5.41, p =, 020]) or taunts (10.5% and 0%) [X2 = 4.22, p =, 040]) due to their sexual orientation.
Conclusions: Considering these results, we propose to develop strategies to raise awareness among heterosexual young people about their responsibility as allies in the struggle for respect for LGTBI people; as well as in the prevention of discrimination. Likewise, there is also evidence of the need to develop strategies to promote safe spaces in educational centres and to address situations derived from homophobic bullying.