S. Keuzenkamp

Victimization and Suicidality Among Dutch Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youths

We examined Netherlands Institute for Social Research data, collected between May and August 2009, on 274 Dutch lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. The data showed that victimization at school was associated with suicidal ideation and actual suicide attempts. Homophobic rejection by parents was also associated with actual suicide attempts. Suicidality in this population could be reduced by supporting coping strategies of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths who are confronted with stigmatization by peers and parents, and by schools actively promoting acceptance of same-sex sexuality.

Combining work and informal care: the importance of caring organisations

Population ageing and rising costs of long-term care mean that organisations will be confronted in the future with a growing number of employees who combine paid work with providing informal care to a relative or non-kin. Combining work and informal care successfully partly depends on job and care-related features, but more information is needed on the importance of organisational aspects in this regard. The impact of organisational support on work outcomes (work–care balance and perceived need for job adaptations) was studied among 1,991 employed informal caregivers in 50 different organisations. Multilevel logistic regression analyses revealed that a heavy care burden decreased the odds of combining work and care successfully. Caregivers who felt supported by colleagues and supervisors, and who worked in supportive organisations had higher odds of good work outcomes. The findings imply that organisations should be explicit about their concern for informal caregivers and be particularly aware of colleagues with heavy care responsibilities.

A matter of culture and cost? A comparison of the employment decisions made by mothers with a lower, intermediate and higher level of education in the Netherlands.

This article is focused on financial-economic and socio-cultural factors in explaining differences in labour participation and working hours of Dutch mothers with diverging educational levels. The data used are taken from a survey held among approximately 1700 women in the Netherlands from two-parent households with children up to 12 years old. The models for participation and working hours are simultaneously estimated for different levels of education. It is found that socio-cultural factors have slightly more impact on the employment decisions of lower educated mothers compared to their higher educated counterparts, although the differences are only minor. Despite the level of education, socio-cultural factors appear to be more important in mothers’ employment decisions than financial-economic factors. In addition, both factors are better predictors for mothers’ decisions to participate than for their number of working hours; demographic variables are found to be the most important predictor for mothers’ working hours.

Multiple Dimensions of Attitudes About Homosexuality: Development of a Multifaceted Scale Measuring Attitudes Toward Homosexuality

Attitudes toward homosexuality are complex. To get a comprehensive view on the attitudes of people, different dimensions need to be included in research. Based on a review of the literature, we distinguish five dimensions: acceptance of homosexuality in a general sense; attitude toward equal rights; reactions to homosexuality “at close quarters”; reactions to homosexuality in public; and so-called modern homonegativity. In a study on a representative sample of Dutch Defence personnel (N = 1,607) we tested this model. Structural equation modeling of several items measuring the attitude toward homosexuality offers a six factor solution. These six factors are more or less comparable to the five dimensions we distinguished. The dimension “reactions to homosexuality at close quarters” is, however, empirically split in a dimension on affective reactions to homosexuality and homosexual persons in general and a dimension on affective reaction to homosexual friends or acquaintances.

Towards Bi-Inclusive Policies: Suggestions Based on Research on Dutch Same-Sex Attracted Young People

Dutch national LGBT policies are not bi-inclusive and this study provides suggestions for improvement, based on empirical research. Attention for bisexuality in policy appears simply to pay lip service and to endorse the construction of sexual orientation as a hetero/homo binary. The outcomes of our survey (n = 1449) and in-depth interviews (n = 38) of Dutch same-sex attracted young people suggest that special attention for bisexual people is warranted. Compared to exclusively same-sex attracted participants, the equally both-sex attracted participants scored worse on openness about their sexual attraction, visibility discomfort, perceived acceptance, and suicide attempts. Unique issues for bisexual-identified young people were identified as follows: marginalization of bisexuality; difficulty expressing bisexuality, particularly in relationships; and a lack of bisexual or bi-inclusive communities. These issues were all related to the hetero/homo binary and mononormativity. Suggested implications for more bi-inclusive policies focus on awareness of marginalization and invisibility of bisexuality, biphobia, community and capacity building, and comprehensive sexuality and gender education. Furthermore, rather than policies focusing on sameness, a comprehensive diversity perspective on sexuality and gender offers more space for bisexuality. This may be particularly relevant for young people who are exploring their sexuality and developing a sense of their sexual self.

Belasting van werkende mantelzorgers

SamenvattingHet verrichten van mantelzorg kan leiden tot een (te) hoge belasting. In dit artikel gaan we na in hoeverre de mate van belasting van werkende mantelzorgers samenhangt met kenmerken van hun werk (zoals de omvang van de arbeidsduur en de sector) en in hoeverre strategieën voor het combineren van betaald werk met mantelzorg die belasting (lijken te) verminderen. Daarbij wordt rekening gehouden met de objectieve belasting, persoonskenmerken van mantelzorgers en de ondersteuning door anderen. De gegevens zijn afkomstig van het onderzoek Informele hulp 2007 van het Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek en het Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau. De analyses richten zich op mantelzorgers tussen de 18 en 65 jaar met betaald werk (van minstens een uur per week) (n=1343). Van deze groep geeft 19% aan dat zij ernstig belast zijn door het helpen. Deze groep ervaart dat de zorg te veel op hun schouders neerkomt, dat hun zelfstandigheid in de knel raakt en dat de zorgverlening ten koste gaat van hun gezondheid. De vier strategieën, individueel afspraken maken met de werkgever, het opnemen van vakantiedagen, het gebruik van verlofregelingen en de aanpassing van de arbeidsduur, worden vaker toegepast door matig tot zwaar belaste werkende mantelzorgers. Als echter ook rekening wordt gehouden met objectieve belasting, kenmerken van mantelzorgers, het verkrijgen van mantelzorgondersteuning en werkkenmerken, dan is het effect van verlofregelingen en individuele afspraken met de werkgever niet langer significant. In het algemeen blijken werkkenmerken en werkstrategieën slechts een klein deel van de variantie in de belasting te verklaren. Net als bij niet-werkende mantelzorgers, komt een hogere belasting vooral voor bij werkende mantelzorgers die intensieve en complexe zorg bieden dan wel hun partner of kind verzorgen.

The Importance of Gender and Gender Nonconformity for Same-Sex-Attracted Dutch Youth's Perceived Experiences of Victimization Across Social Contexts

In this survey study, the impact of gender and gender nonconformity on Dutch same-sex-attracted youths perceived experiences of same-sex sexuality-related victimization was systematically compared across social contexts. Participants were between ages 16 and 18 and enrolled in secondary education (n = 305). In contexts of school and strangers, boys and participants reporting more gender nonconformity reported more perceived experiences of victimization. Effects were negligible in contexts of parents, extended family, and heterosexual friends. The effect of gender nonconformity was not stronger for boys than girls in any social context. Our findings underpin the role of context in victimization research.

Labeling same-sex sexuality in a tolerant society that values normality: the Dutch case

ABSTRACT Studies have pointed to a trend in Western societies toward the normalization of homosexuality and emerging “post-gayness” among young people, who no longer consider their sexual identity meaningful in defining themselves. This article takes a closer look at the Dutch case where tolerance is regarded as a national virtue, while society remains heteronormative. In 38 interviews with Dutch same-sex-attracted young people, we investigated the labels they used to describe their sexual orientation to reveal what they can tell us about normalization, tolerance, and heteronormativity. In their labeling strategies, participants de-emphasized their sexual identity, othered, and reinforced the hetero/homo binary. They preferred labels without connotations to gender expression. While post-gay rhetoric was ideologically appealing, its use was not an outcome of their sexual orientation having become insignificant; it rather enabled them to produce normality. We discuss the findings against the backdrop of “Dutch tolerance,” which rests on an ideology of normality.

The mechanisms behind the formation of a strong Sense of Coherence (SOC): The role of migration and integration

Considering how much we know about the impact of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) on different health-related outcomes, we know surprisingly little about how a strong SOC actually develops. In this study we examine the mechanisms behind the formation of a strong SOC and study the role of migration, integration and general resistance resources (GRRs) in this process. We held 46 life-story interviews with women of Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese descent. We divided the respondents in a relatively strong and weak SOC group in order to discern patterns of life experiences associated with SOC development. We find that, as Antonovsky predicted, experiencing consistency and load balance are associated with a strong SOC. In opposition to Antonovskys claims, decision making power is not a necessary condition to develop meaningfulness. Moreover, the womens life narratives show that migration and integration are related to the mechanisms shaping SOC, yet, the impact is subjective and depends on the availability and use of GRRs. Our findings provide improvements to Antonovskys salutogenic theory and provide suggestions for interventions aimed at strengthening SOC.

Ongelijkheid in Nederland

Hedendaagse maatschappelijke debatten over ongelijkheid in Nederland grijpen te pas en te onpas terug op het magnus opus van de Franse econoom Thomas Piketty – Kapitaal in de 21ste eeuw (2014). In een notendop stelt Piketty dat de eco‐ nomische ongelijkheid in westerse samenlevingen toeneemt doordat het rende‐ ment op vermogen de economische groei overstijgt. Op basis van deze analyse is zijn verwachting dat bij het uitblijven van herverdelend beleid de kloof tussen arm en rijk blijvend zal toenemen. Hoewel direct werd bediscussieerd of Piketty’s analyse ook opgaat voor Nederland, resoneerden zijn bevindingen met de inhe‐ rente beleidsconsequenties sterk bij opiniemakers en politici. De aandacht voor de oorzaken en gevolgen van toenemende economische ongelijkheid culmineerde in een bezoek van de Fransman aan de Tweede Kamer waarin hij zijn bevindingen toelichtte. Anderhalf jaar later lijkt de aandacht voor dit thema wat te zijn ver‐ slapt, maar desondanks is het niet ondenkbaar dat ongelijkheid een prominente rol zal spelen bij de aankomende Tweede Kamerverkiezingen (zie Wilterdink in Sloot 2016). Omdat ongelijkheid nu eenmaal een hoofdthema is binnen de sociologie kunnen we niet anders dan verheugd zijn over deze toegenomen aandacht de afgelopen jaren. Toch zijn enkele kritische kanttekeningen op zijn plaats. Allereerst is het niet abnormaal dat Piketty vanwege zijn gedegen analyse het voortouw neemt in de publieke debatten; desondanks doet het wenkbrauwen fronsen dat de Tweede Kamer hem een dermate prominente positie heeft toebedeeld in de politieke debatten over ongelijkheid in Nederland, te meer omdat een grondige analyse over de casus Nederland van zijn hand achterwege blijft. Aansluitend op het bezoek van Piketty aan de Commissie voor Financiën van de Tweede Kamer was er dan wel een rondetafelgesprek georganiseerd waarbij ook enkele Nederlandse weten‐ schappers werden opgevoerd, maar ook hier leken sociologen jammer genoeg gepasseerd. Daarnaast kan je je bovendien afvragen waarom het publieke debat over ongelijkheid in Nederland pas losbarstte na het verschijnen van Kapitaal in de 21ste eeuw. Immers, er is bepaald geen gebrek aan Nederlands sociologisch onderzoek naar ongelijkheid – en evenmin aan alarmerende conclusies. Nog voor de huidige buzz publiceerde de Raad voor Maatschappelijke Ontwikkeling (RMO) in 2011 het rap‐ port Nieuwe ronde, nieuwe kansen, uitgerekend om zicht te krijgen op trends in sociale ongelijkheid. Ondanks de vrij optimistische titel kwam de RMO op basis van verschillende sociologische studies tot de conclusie dat zich in Nederland een ‘nieuwe klassenmaatschappij’ langs lijnen van opleidingsniveau aftekent; een