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Sexual orientation discrimination effects
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“I’ve been shoved into lockers and sometimes people will just push up on me to see if I have boobs,” a 17 year old transgender boy in Utah told Human Rights Watch. After the incident, he told his school administrators and they dismissed his complaints of verbal and physical abuse. LGBT students receive social pressure at school regardless if they are out or not. Also, LGBT kids often struggle to understand their identity, and during that time, depending on, who knows, they lack support from family and friends. When LGBT students come out in high school, the negative effects put them at psychological and physical risk and limiting their education (Thoreson). Having to face/deal with bullying, exclusion, and antiquated school/state policies …show more content…
In 2016 the Youth Risk Survey found that 34.2% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents in the US have been bullied on school ground. There are many types of bullying that LGBT students have encountered. One type of bullying is physical bullying. Some students that the Human Rights Watch have interviewed have told them they have faced physical violence at school, but their school took no effective steps to stop it. Sometimes, students who have faced this type of bullying are even afraid to tell adults for the fear of telling them would make the situation worse or they would take no action to stop it again. Cyber bullying is another thing LGBT students face. They receive unflattering photos or videos to misgender, mock, and embarrass them online by their peers. Teachers also bully and mock LGBT students. Also, some fail to take harassment seriously and never raise or discuss issues in class. Another type of bullying are types of harassment. A type of harassment is verbal harassment. A lot of students’ mental health is negatively affected by targeted verbal harassment. Sexual harassment also happens to LGBT students. Lesbian and bisexual girls that were interviewed by the Human Rights Watch say there are regularly propositioned for sex by straight male classmates. Also some bisexual, lesbian, transgender, and gender nonconforming students receive overt threats of sexual assault. Due to all the different …show more content…
Even though some students suffer depression, coming out can also cause less depression, less anxiety, and a better self-esteem (Stevens). Also, the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry did a study and found that LGBT youth who come out at school report more positive adjustment. Also, LGBT students who try to hide their gender identity or sexual orientation at school receive more victimization. Being out also has a strong connection with life satisfaction in young adulthood (“Coming Out At
Increased acceptance among the peers of transgender students. (Students look to those in a position of authority to garner a sense of appropriate behavior.)
Those who become marginalized can lose control of their own lives and the available resources they can access; they can become nothing more than stigmas and often negatively treated in public. Because of this, their social contributions are sometimes hampered and this, consequently, causes them to become socially isolated and/or sufferers of low esteem. Approximately, in America, thirty percent of LGBTQ youth were often abused by their parents over their orientation or gender, with an estimated forty percent of homeless youths identifying as LGBTQ themselves. (Chatterjee) These statistics and stigmas can affect those who haven’t fully comprehend their feeling and those who stay closeted (keeping their sexual orientation or gender identity as a secret) because they fear the possible negative reactions from family and
Although most lesbian and gay adults acknowledge their sexual orientation to themselves during adolescence, most have not “came out” by the time they enter their college or university (D’Augelli, 1991 pg. 247). Although several studies involving college students in their samples (e.g., Savin-Williams, 1990 pg. 247) no reliable estimate of the number of college students is available.
Over the past several years, research and advocacy has stressed the urgent nature of youth bullying as a major public health problem. The matter is further emphasized with a quick look through any media source, which is sure to highlight at least one heartfelt and tragic outcome to such bullying. What is often not brought forth, is the disproportionate nature of bullying against youth identifying under the LGBTQ umbrella, and the significantly more drastic consequences. The American Public Health Association, has not only acknowledged this phenomena, but also released a policy statement, Reduction of Bullying to Address Health Disparities Among LGBT Youth, specifically addressing the matter through the lens of public health (The American Public
B., Crothers, L. M., Bundick, M. J., Wells, D. S., Buzgon, J., Berbary, C., & ... Senko, K. (2015). Teachers' Perceptions of Bullying of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students in a Southwestern Pennsylvania Sample. Behavioral Sciences (2076-328X), 5(2), 247-263. doi:10.3390/bs5020247
According to a study conducted by the American Medical Association, “ over 15,000 6th-10th graders, approximately 3.7 million youths engage in and more than 3.2 million are victims of moderate or serious bullying each year” (Cohn, A, & Canter, A, 2003). Bullying not only takes place in person but can presented in many different forms and manners. Some including online or more formally known as cyberbullying, where a person is threatened by the means of online communication or social networking. According to Statistics Canada (2009), “1 in 10 adults living in a household with children reported a child victim of cyberbullying” (StatsCan, 2009). Other types of bullying include physical bullying, where a person is at a risk of physical threats. Verbal bullying, where a person deals with a the use of words to verbally upset the victim (Cohn, A & Canter A, 2003). Also emotional bullying which can include things such as spreading rumours with the intent on hurting the victims feelings.
Despite the transition, little consideration has been given to understanding the growing population of gay adolescents. 25% of American families are likely to have a gay child (Hidalgo 24); In the United States, three million adolescents are estimated to be homosexual. Yet, American society still ignores gay adolescents. Majority of children are raised in heterosexual families, taught in heterosexual establishments, and put in heterosexual peer groups. Gay adolescents often feel forced by parents to pass as “heterosexually normal” (Herdt 2). As a result, homosexual teens hide their sexual orientation and feelings, especially from their parents. Limited research conducted on gay young adults on disclosure to parents generally suggests that disclosure is a time of familial crisis and emotional distress. Very few researchers argue that disclosure to parents results in happiness, bringing parents and children closer (Ben-Ari 90).
D’Augelli, A.R. (1992). Lesbian and gay male undergraduates’ experiences of harassment and fear on campus. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 7(3), 383-395.
(Main Point) Students should not be bullied or harassed for any reason including their characteristics, appearance, or sexual orientation. (Evidence) People do not have control over these aspects, so they should not be harassed for them. People need to understand that everyone is unique, including the oppressors, and they
In the United States, more than 700,000 people have identified themselves as transgender. These statistics include people of all ages from the children to the elderly. In several surveys conducted in U.S. schools, several children were identified as transgender. For instance, in a 2015 survey in Dane County, 1.5% of the students were transgender (Hoffman). With the revelation, there is a call for unisex bathrooms to accommodate all these students. For example, a nine-year-old student was denied access to the female bathroom in Queensland (Hosking and Sun). This shows that transgender people sometimes go through a hard time; especially in societies where being a transgender has not been accepted. Statistics show that transgender people often become victims of bullying. For instance, 22 women were murdered in 2015 due to being transgender (Goodyear). Additionally, a report by The National Transgender Discrimination Survey shows that more than 40% of transgender people have attempted suicide because of the lack of acceptance in the society (Grant, Mottet, and Tanis 2). Although unisex bathrooms will not eliminate transphobia, it will be a start to ensuring their acceptance in the future. Stereotypes associated with transgender people will be crushed at an early age, giving an opportunity for their acceptance in the
As such, they are susceptible to such difficulties as mental illness, substance abuse, low self-esteem, and, suicide anxiety (Mizock, & Mueser, 2014). Mental illness amongst LGBT youth is a significant human behavioral issue for professionals to address. Although society has begun to move towards acceptance of LGBT individuals over the past fifty years; stigma and discrimination still exists Hackimer, & Proctor, 2015). However LGBT youth still experience a wide array of mental health conditions including but not limited to depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, (PTSD), anxiety, and suicidal ideation. They may also experience greater stressors than LGBT adults due to the effects of the natural challenges of puberty (Mustanski, Andrews, & Pucket, 2016).
... Bullying." Digital Directions 13 June 2012: 8. Educators Reference Complete. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
While sexual harassment is generally considered to be aimed from a male to a female, both males and females are victims and perpetrators of this destructive act. For people who are not knowledgeable on the subject of school violence, they may be confused on where the line has been crossed and dangerous behavior begins, nevertheless, there is clear data on who is a bully, what behavior is characterized by a bully, who are victims of bullies, what sexual harassment is, and who is affected by sexual harassment. Many factors in a child’s life may lead him or her to have such emotional distress that they begin bullying other students at school. Social factors are usually the easiest aspect to identify that would cause a child to bully their classmates. The child may have been bullied themselves, which leads to pent up aggression, which leads to the release of this aggression on other students.
An estimated amount of 160,000 students across the United States misses school each day due to being a victim of bullying. From a present study, 29% of students involved in bullying, 14% of the children were said to be victims, 7% were bullies, and 8% were bullies and victims. The worst type of social behavior stems from bullying, and leads to complications in a student’s future. Bullying is a way of expressing aggressive behavior that is intended, and continues that sometimes leads to physical or mental injuries. Those who are victims of bullying, lack self-esteem, and become easily depressed by small objects. There are four common types of bullying: verbal, physical, relational aggression, and
13 March 2014 www.ncbi.nlm.nin.gov/articles/pc3707280/#_ffn_sectitle>. Riese, Jane. A. Bullying and Sexual Orientation. www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/>.