by Eric Rofes
page xv-xx
by Mary B Harris
page xxi-xxiv
by Susan L Morrow
page 1-15
Despite a rapidly growing literature on issues confronting lesbian and gay adolescents in today's society, little has been written about the effects of lesbian/gay identity development, the coming-out-process, and homophobia on the career development of lesbian and gay youth. This article first examines normal adolescent career development. Then, it describes the factors that impinge on the identity and career development of lesbian and gay adolescents, most notably the process of coming out to self and dealing with the homophobia of others. Next, it theorizes about the impact of sexual identity development, coming out, and homophobia on lesbian and gay adolescent career explanation and choice. Finally, recommendations for school practice (teaching, guidance, and counseling) and policy are made.
by Karen M Jordan, Jill S Vaughan and Katherine J Woodworth
page 17-33
Much has been written about gay lesbian and bisexual students' negative experience, such as harassment and hate crimes, in high school. This study was undertake to further explore these issues, as well as to elucidate the positive coping skills, traits, and experiences of the students. Thirty-four current high-school students completed a questionnaire containing both original items and previously-developed scales. The majority of the students (73.5%) reported receiving support regarding sexual orientation issues from someone at school, and 41.2% reported that information regarding gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues was available from school staff. However, 35.3% reported that a previous suicide attempt, a figure consistent with previous literature. Additional positive and negative high school experiences, as well as their interrelationships, are discussed.
by Kathleen P Malinsky
page 35-50
This study is based on E-mail interviews with 27 self-identified lesbian and bisexual female high school students. The interviews were conducted in an informal style over a period of several months, permitting the participants an opportunity to respond to a series of questions, as well as voice any other concerns relevant to their school experiences. The process involved three different objectives: (a) to define the forms of homophobia and heterosexism in the high school environment, (b) to explore the ways in which homophobia and heterosexism have impacted the participants, and (c) to propose ways to combat heterosexism and homophobia in high schools. This paper gives voice to these young lesbian and female bisexual students so that readers may develop a better understanding of the realities of their experiences in school.
by Kathryn Herr
page 51-64
Gay and lesbian youth drop out of school in disproportionate numbers. In tracing the school experiences of a young lesbian, this manuscript explores how heterosexism and homophobia contribute to the construction of a school 'failure.' It makes the point that what is constructed as a 'private problem,' i.e., one young lesbian dropping out of school, is in reality a socially constructed issues that needs to be addressed on a level beyond that of the individual.
by Amy M Rey and Pamela Reed Gibson
page 65-84
This study examined interpersonal heterosexist discrimination by examining self-reported anti-gay behaviors of heterosexual college students. Respondents were 226 college students; 94.9% had perpetrated some form of discriminatory behavior and 32.7% had committed a behavior that was rated as moderately harmful or higher. A higher amount of self-reported discriminatory behavior was associated with being male, having more homophobic attitudes, and having lower GPAs. Discriminatory bahaviors were not related to political ideology, religious influence, or interaction with gay men and lesbians. Neither discriminatory behaviors or homophobic attitudes were related to academic year, age, membership in a social fraternity/sorority, or membership on an intercollegiate athletic team.
by Mary B Harris and Gail K Bliss
page 85-100
The present study was conducted to learn more about the experiences of gay men and lesbians in educational settings, particularly about experiences relevant to disclosure of their sexual orientation. One hundred six gay men and 156 lesbian women responded to an anonymous questionnaire dealing with how their sexual orientation had affected their experiences in school.
As students, very few respondents had chosen to disclose their sexual orientation to principals, teachers, counselors, or friends. Reasons cited for nondisclosure included fear of the consequences and not wanting others to know. The majority of those who did disclose their sexual orientation received positive feedback for doing so, but respondents reported both positive and negative consequences of coming out. Gay men were aware of their sexual orientation at an earlier age than lesbians and were somewhat more likely to recommend disclosure to principals and teachers. Females were more likely to disclose only to females, whereas males were likely to come out to both males and females. Generally, similarities between males and females were greater than the differences, with both groups being cautious about coming out in a school setting.
by Janet H Fontaine
page 101-109
In spite of professional association leadership, public schools have been reluctant to accept responsibility for protecting sexual minority students against acts of harassment and discrimination. Study results show attitudes of students and educators toward homosexual youth have changed little over the past ten years. It is proposed that active involvement of educators in the creation of safe and supportive environments for gay and lesbian students is no longer optional due to recent court decisions. Problem areas and suggestions for developing gay supportive school environments are provided.
Transcribed by Angus Nicolson
8 April 1998