Alex Kulick

“That’s so Gay” Heterosexual Male Undergraduates and the Perpetuation of Sexual Orientation Microagressions on Campus

“That’s so gay,” a popular expression on campuses, is a sexual orientation microaggression that can contribute to a hostile environment for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students. Using data from a campus climate survey conducted at a large urban university, we investigated use of the phrase among heterosexual male undergraduates who are emerging adults (18–25 years). Multiple regression analysis suggested that saying the phrase is positively associated with hearing peers say it and with holding negative perceptions of feminine men, whereas having LGB acquaintances was negatively associated with use of this expression. We offer practice and policy recommendations for curbing its use, thereby enhancing campus climate.

Contemporary heterosexism on campus and psychological distress among LGBQ students: the mediating role of self-acceptance.

Contemporary heterosexism includes both overt and subtle discrimination. Minority stress theory posits that heterosexism puts sexual minorities at risk for psychological distress and other negative outcomes. Research, however, tends to focus only on 1 form at a time, with minimal attention being given to subtle heterosexism. Further, little is known about the connection between minority stressors and underlying psychological mechanisms that might shape mental health outcomes. Among a convenience sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) college students (n = 299), we investigated the role of blatant victimization and LGBQ microaggressions, both together and separately, on psychological distress and the mediating role of self-acceptance. We conducted structural equation modeling to examine hypothesized relationships. Heterosexism was measured as blatant victimization, interpersonal microaggressions, and environmental microaggressions. Self-acceptance included self-esteem and internalized LGBTQ pride. Anxiety and perceived stress comprised the psychological distress factor. Our results suggest that students with greater atypical gender expression experience, greater overall heterosexism and victimization, and younger students experience more overall heterosexism, and undergraduates report more victimization. Microaggressions, particularly environmental microaggressions, are more influential on overall heterosexism than blatant victimization. Overall heterosexism and microaggressions demonstrated main effects with self-acceptance and distress, whereas victimization did not. Self-acceptance mediated the path from discrimination to distress for both overall heterosexism and microaggressions. Our findings advance minority stress theory research by providing a nuanced understanding of the nature of contemporary discrimination and its consequences, as well as illuminating the important role self-acceptance plays as a mediator in the discrimination-psychological distress relationship.

The LGBQ Microaggressions on Campus Scale: A Scale Development and Validation Study

Although LGBQ students experience blatant forms of heterosexism on college campuses, subtle manifestations such as sexual orientation microaggressions are more common. Similar to overt heterosexism, sexual orientation microaggressions may threaten LGBQ students’ academic development and psychological wellbeing. Limited research exists in this area, in part due to lack of a psychometrically sound instrument measuring the prevalence of LGBQ microaggressions on college campuses. To address this gap, we created and tested the LGBQ Microaggressions on College Campuses Scale. Two correlated subscales were generated: Interpersonal LGBQ Microaggressions and Environmental LGBQ Microaggressions. The results indicated that the subscales demonstrate strong reliability and validity.

LGBTQQ Youth Using Participatory Action Research and Theater to Effect Change: Moving Adult Decision-Makers to Create Youth-Centered Change

Research has documented the importance of empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth and creating LGBTQQ-focused institutional changes in schools. However, little is known about youth-centered strategies in creating such institutional changes. This study examines how participatory action research (PAR) and theater can effect change among adult powerholders in schools and contribute to LGBTQQ-youth-centered changes in schools. Findings suggest a mutually reinforcing relationship between PAR and theater in elevating youth voices and motivating adults to work toward individual and institutional change that is responsive to LGBTQQ students’ needs.

The LGBQ Social Climate Matters: Policies, Protests, and Placards and Psychological Well-Being Among LGBQ Emerging Adults

Sexual minority youth, including emerging adults, are at risk for negative health outcomes. Minority stress theory posits that heterosexism can contribute to these outcomes among sexual minorities. Researchers have tested this theory with respect to interpersonal heterosexism; however, little attention has been given to macro-level and environmental forms of heterosexism, especially among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) youth. In this study, we examine the role of objective social climate (LGB state-level policies) and experiential distal and proximal environmental microaggressions on the psychological well-being of LGBQ emerging adults. Furthermore, we examine the role of LGBQ identity salience as a moderating factor on the macro/environmental-heterosexism and well-being relationship. Multivariable linear regression results suggest that living in a state without same-sex marriage laws is associated with greater self-esteem, whereas both distal and proximal environmental microaggressions are risk factors for anxiety and perceived stress. Furthermore, identity salience can ameliorate the effects of distal microaggressions and intensify the effects of proximal microaggressions and same-sex marriage legislation. Implications for practice with sexual minority youth are discussed.

Gender Identity Disparities in Bathroom Safety and Wellbeing among High School Students

By examining the relationship between trans identity, bathroom safety and wellbeing among high school students, this article empirically investigates how educational institutions operate as sites through which gender is negotiated in ways that are consequential for trans youth. We draw cross-sectional survey data, from a multi-school climate survey (n = 1046) conducted in the Midwestern United States, to examine three aspects of high school students’ wellbeing: safety at school, self-esteem, and grades. The sample included students in 9th–12th grade who identified as trans (9.2%) and cisgender (41.2% boys, 49.6% girls), as well as LGBQ (21.6%) and heterosexual (78.4%). Most respondents were monoracial white (65.8%), monoracial Black (12.4%), and multiracial (14.1%). Using mediation and moderation linear regression models, we show that feeling safe using school facilities helps to explain widespread inequalities between trans and cisgender students. Based on these results, we suggest that in order to address disparities in educational outcomes between trans and cisgender students, as well as to improve student wellbeing in general, policies and practices need to ensure that all students have the right to safely access bathrooms and school facilities.

Heterosexism, Depression, and Campus Engagement Among LGBTQ College Students: Intersectional Differences and Opportunities for Healing

ABSTRACT LGBTQ people experience health disparities related to multilevel processes of sexual and gender marginalization, and intersections with racism can compound these challenges for LGBTQ people of color. Although community engagement may be protective for mental health broadly and for LGBTQ communities in buffering against heterosexism, little research has been conducted on the racialized dynamics of these processes among LGBTQ communities. This study analyzes cross-sectional survey data collected among a diverse sample of LGBTQ college students (n = 460), which was split by racial status. Linear regression models were used to test main effects of interpersonal heterosexism and engagement with campus organizations on depression, as well as moderating effects of campus engagement. For White LGBTQ students, engaging in student leadership appears to weaken the heterosexism–depression link—specifically, the experience of interpersonal microaggressions. For LGBTQ students of color, engaging in LGBTQ-specific spaces can strengthen the association between sexual orientation victimization and depression.

Theater and Dialogue to Increase Youth's Intentions to Advocate for LGBTQQ People.

Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention using theater and dialogue to raise awareness about homophobia and transphobia and increase intentions to participate in macro-level change efforts around lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) issues. Methods: Using a pretest–posttest design, this study examines changes in advocacy intentions around LGBTQQ issues among middle school and high school students who participated in the intervention (n = 515). Results: Students reported a significant increase in intentions to advocate. Existing intervention behaviors and increased recognition of homophobia/transphobia as problems were associated with greater increases in intention to advocate. Respondents with higher existing intervention behaviors, as well as White students and cisgender women, reported higher advocacy intentions compared to students of color and cisgender men. Further, we found indication of greater awareness of homophobia/transphobia as a problem in school. Conclusions: Youth-led theater and dialogue-based interventions may be a promising strategy for addressing heterosexism and genderism in schools.

Three strikes and you’re out: culture, facilities, and participation among LGBTQ youth in sports

ABSTRACT School-based sports and physical education play an important role in the development of youth (Jones, Edwards, et al., 2017), but participation in athletics is unequal for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth compared to their straight/cisgender peers [Greenspan, S. B., Griffith, C., & Murtagh, E. F. (2017). LGBTQ youths’ school athletic experiences: A 40-year content analysis in nine flagship journals. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 11(3), 190–200]. Sport cultures, generally, recreate dynamics of exclusion for marginalized youth. However, there are opportunities to transform these spaces into more inclusive and positive environments to support positive growth for all young people [Newman, T., Alvarez, A., & Kim, M. (2017). An experiential approach to sport-based positive youth development. Journal of Experiential Education, 40(3), 308–322]. Our study uses a data set of adolescents, collected as part of a community-based participatory action research project led by high school students in southeast Michigan, USA. Respondents reported their sexual and gender identities, as well as experiences in youth sport, as well as safety using sex-segregated facilities (i.e., bathrooms and locker-rooms). Using mediation models based on linear regression, we found evidence that LGBQ high school students play sports at a significantly lower rate compared to straight students, and among those who play sports, LGBTQ respondents felt significantly less safe compared to straight and cisgender students. Opposite to the LGBQ and trans youth in this study, straight/cisgender youth also reported feeling safer using all facilities. The mediation models suggest that these inequalities help to explain disparities in rates of sports participation and feelings of safety while participating. These findings have important implications for policy, practice, and future research.

LGBTQ policies and resources on campus and the experiences and psychological well-being of sexual minority college students: Advancing research on structural inclusion.

Among sexual minority (LGBQ+) college students, research suggests that experiencing heterosexist discrimination can contribute to poor psychological well-being. Institutional policies and resources can also affect students’ well-being and experiences, but structural-level factors have received little empirical attention among this population. We present the results of a cross-sectional study that investigates the association between campus-based structural factors and the experiences and psychological well-being of cisgender LGBQ+ college students. Participants (n = 268, 58% undergraduates; 25% students of color; 62% gay/lesbian) from 58 colleges completed an anonymous online survey addressing experiential heterosexism and psychological well-being. Based on information available on each college’s website/staff interviews, we documented the existence of 11 policies and institution- or student-operated resources/programs designed to promote the inclusion and well-being of sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ). Combining survey and objective data, we examined participants’ experiences of heterosexist discrimination (victimization, microaggressions), psychological distress (perceived stress, anxiety), and self-acceptance (self-esteem, pride) and associations with each LGBTQ-related policy and resource. Structural equation modeling results suggest nondiscrimination policies inclusive of gender identity and sexual orientation (vs. only sexual orientation), offering at least one for-credit LGBTQ course, and a higher ratio of LGBTQ student organizations to the student population were directly associated with participants reporting lower levels of discrimination, which was associated with less distress and higher self-acceptance. The results underscore the importance of particular structural initiatives on campus in protecting LGBQ+ collegians from discrimination. The findings also highlight the value of studying specific structural initiatives when investigating structural stigma and inclusion.