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Heterosexism

About: Heterosexism is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1594 publications have been published within this topic receiving 61610 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that LGBs have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than heterosexuals and a conceptual framework is offered for understanding this excess in prevalence of disorder in terms of minority stress--explaining that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems.
Abstract: In this article the author reviews research evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) and shows, using meta-analyses, that LGBs have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than heterosexuals. The author offers a conceptual framework for understanding this excess in prevalence of disorder in terms of minority stress— explaining that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems. The model describes stress processes, including the experience of prejudice events, expectations of rejection, hiding and concealing, internalized homophobia, and ameliorative coping processes. This conceptual framework is the basis for the review of research evidence, suggestions for future research directions, and exploration of public policy implications. The study of mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations has been complicated by the debate on the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder during the 1960s and early 1970s. That debate posited a gay-affirmative perspective, which sought to declassify homosexuality, against a conservative perspective, which sought to retain the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder (Bayer, 1981). Although the debate on classification ended in 1973 with the removal of homosexuality from the second edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association, 1973), its heritage has lasted. This heritage has tainted discussion on mental health of lesbians and gay men by associating— even equating— claims that LGB people have higher prevalences of mental disorders than heterosexual people with the historical antigay stance and the stigmatization of LGB persons (Bailey, 1999). However, a fresh look at the issues should make it clear that whether LGB populations have higher prevalences of mental disorders is unrelated to the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. A retrospective analysis would suggest that the attempt to find a scientific answer in that debate rested on flawed logic. The debated scientific question was, Is homosexuality a mental disorder? The operationalized research question that pervaded the debate was, Do homosexuals have high prevalences of mental disorders? But the research did not accurately operationalize the scientific question. The question of whether homosexuality should be considered a mental disorder is a question about classification. It can be answered by debating which behaviors, cognitions, or emotions should be considered indicators of a mental

8,696 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Lisa Bowleg1
TL;DR: The history and central tenets of intersectionalities are described, some theoretical and methodological challenges are addressed, and the benefits of intersectionality for public health theory, research, and policy are highlighted.
Abstract: Intersectionality is a theoretical framework that posits that multiple social categories (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status) intersect at the micro level of individual experience to reflect multiple interlocking systems of privilege and oppression at the macro, social-structural level (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism). Public health’s commitment to social justice makes it a natural fit with intersectionality’s focus on multiple historically oppressed populations. Yet despite a plethora of research focused on these populations, public health studies that reflect intersectionality in their theoretical frameworks, designs, analyses, or interpretations are rare. Accordingly, I describe the history and central tenets of intersectionality, address some theoretical and methodological challenges, and highlight the benefits of intersectionality for public health theory, research, and policy.

1,745 citations

Book
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the changing contours of sexual violence and the challenge of HIV/AIDS in black sexual politics and discuss the power of a free mind in the face of racism and sexism.
Abstract: Acknowledgements Introduction: No Turning Back I. African Americans and the New Racism 1. Why Black Sexual Politics? 2. The Past Is Ever Present: Recognizing the New Racism 3.Prisons for Our Bodies, Closets for Our Minds: Racism, Heterosexism, and Black Sexuality II. Rethinking Black Gender Ideology 4. Get Your Freak On: Sex, Babies, and Images of Black Femininity 5. Booty Call: Sex, Violence, and Images of Black Masculinity 6. Very Necessary: Redefining Black Gender Ideology III. Toward a Progressive Black Sexual Politics 7. Assume the Position: The Changing Contours of Sexual Violence 8. No Storybook Romance: How Race and Gender Matter 9. Why We Can't Wait: Black Sexual Politics and the Challenge of HIV/AIDS Afterword: The Power of a Free Mind Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

1,509 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The term "sexual prejudice" refers to negative attitudes toward an individual because of her or his sexual orientation as mentioned in this paper and is used to characterize heterosexuals' negative attitudes towards (a) homosexual behavior, (b) people with a homosexual or bisexual orientation, and (c) communities of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people.
Abstract: Sexual prejudice refers to negative attitudes toward an individual because of her or his sexual orientation. In this article, the term is used to characterize heterosexuals' negative attitudes toward (a) homosexual behavior, (b) people with a homosexual or bisexual orientation, and (c) communities of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. Sexual prejudice is a preferable term to homophobia because it conveys no assumptions about the motivations underlying negative attitudes, locates the study of attitudes concerning sexual orientation within the broader context of social psychological research on prejudice, and avoids value judgments about such attitudes. Sexual prejudice remains widespread in the United States, although moral condemnation has decreased in the 1990s and opposition to antigay discrimination has increased. The article reviews current knowledge about the prevalence of sexual prejudice, its psychological correlates, its underlying motivations, and its relationship to hate crimes and other antigay...

1,000 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The history and impact of homophobia are discussed in this paper, where three constructs are defined and discussed: sexual stigma (the shared knowledge of society's negative regard for any nonheterosexual behavior, identity, relationship, or community), heterosexism (the cultural ideology that perpetuates sexual stigma), and sexual prejudice (individuals' negative attitudes based on sexual orientation).
Abstract: George Weinberg’s introduction of the term homophobia in the late 1960s challenged traditional thinking about homosexuality and helped focus society’s attention on the problem of antigay prejudice and stigma. This paper briefly describes the history and impact of homophobia. The term’s limitations are discussed, including its underlying assumption that antigay prejudice is based mainly on fear and its inability to account for historical changes in how society regards homosexuality and heterosexuality as the bases for social identities. Although the importance of Weinberg’s contribution should not be underestimated, a new vocabulary is needed to advance scholarship in this area. Toward this end, three constructs are defined and discussed: sexual stigma (the shared knowledge of society’s negative regard for any nonheterosexual behavior, identity, relationship, or community), heterosexism (the cultural ideology that perpetuates sexual stigma), and sexual prejudice (individuals’ negative attitudes based on sexual orientation). The concept of internalized homophobia is briefly considered.

833 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202354
202289
202161
202056
201946
201869