Showing papers on "Heterosexism published in 2002"

Gay characters in conventional spaces: Will and Grace and the situation comedy genre

Abstract: This paper explores how Will & Grace, which has been heralded in the popular press for its positive representations of gay men, situates the potentially controversial issue of homosexuality within safe and familiar popular culture conventions, particularly those of the situation comedy genre. This paper draws on feminist and queer theory to examine the liabilities of relying on these familiar situation comedy conventions, demonstrating how the program equates gayness with a lack of masculinity, relies on sexual tension and delayed consummation, infantilizes the program's most potentially subversive characters, and emphasisizes characters' interpersonal relationships rather than the characters' connection to the larger social world. Additionally it argues that by inviting mainstream audiences to read the program within familiar televisual frames, Will & Grace can be read as reinforcing heterosexism and, thus, can be seen as heteronormative.

Strategies for managing heterosexism used among African American gay and bisexual men.

Abstract: Oppression and oppression management are focal topics of inquiry in research on African Americans’ social behaviors. Previous research has failed to investigate the methods that African Americans w...

Making the invisible visible : gay and lesbian issues in early childhood education

Abstract: This article, based on empirical qualitative data gained from a survey and interviews with a group of early childhood educators, argues for the inclusion of sexual differences, or more specifically, gay and lesbian equity issues, in approaches to anti-bias. The article examines the discourses that prevail in the field, that perpetuate the perceived irrelevance, invisibility and exclusion of lesbian and gay issues in early childhood settings and education generally. The discussion focuses on several main areas, including: the prevalence of the dominant discourses of childhood and sexuality that intersect to constitute sexuality as irrelevant to children; the pervasiveness of the discourse of compulsory heterosexuality and the assumed absence of gay and lesbian families in settings; or the assumed absence of significant gay and lesbian adults in children's lives; the presence of homophobia and heterosexism in early childhood settings; and the perceived irrelevance of broader social, political and economic issues to the 'child's world'. This article highlights some crucial issues for practice and policy development in the area of anti-bias education concerned with sexual differences.

'It's not a choice, it's the way we're built': Symbolic beliefs about sexual orientation in the US and Britain

Abstract: Heterosexual-identified Americans who believe that sexual orientation is immutable typically express more tolerant attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Attribution theorists argue that this is because immutability beliefs reduce stigmatization. In two studies, 97 American and 72 British heterosexual-identified students reported their beliefs about the immutability and fundamentality of sexual orientation, their attitudes towards lesbians and gay men and their judgments about the values that those beliefs expressed. In both samples, tolerant attitudes and immutability beliefs were correlated only among participants who consistently judged that immutability beliefs would be expressed by more tolerant heterosexual persons. More condemning participants judged lesbian and gay people and heterosexual people to be more fundamentally different in both samples. I argue that links between immutability and tolerance depend more on social constructions of immutability beliefs as expression,; of tolerance and less on the attributional content of such beliefs than previous theorists have acknowledged. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

From Homophobia and Heterosexism to Heteronormativity

Abstract: SUMMARY By examining homophobia and heterosexism within the larger context of heteronormativity at the intersections of race, class, and gender, I propose, in this article, a model of queer interventions in the university classroom. The article is divided into three sections. First, I describe the conceptual terrain of homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity, and their potential limitations. Second, I present an integrative model, using heteronormativity as the central site of violence, to examine homophobia at the intersections of race, class, and gender within the larger social and cultural domain (macroscopic level) and interpersonal context (microscopic level) and illustrate this model with specific classroom activities. Finally, I discuss the implications of the model for teaching and theorizing about homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity.

Getting Ready for Benjamin: Preparing Teachers for Sexual Diversity in the Classroom

Abstract: Part 1 Surveying the Landscape Chapter 2 The Challenges of Gay Topics in Teacher Education: Politics, Content, and Pedagogy Chapter 3 "But No One in the Class is Gay": Countering Invisibility and Creating Allies in Teacher Education Programs Chapter 4 What do we do in Physical Education Chapter 5 "Pedophiles and Deviants": Exploring Issues of Sexuality, Masculinity and Normalization in the Lives of Male Teacher Candidates Chapter 6 Homophobia in the Schools: Student Teachers' Perceptions and Preparation to Respond Chapter 7 Education by Association: The Shortcomings of Discourses of Privacy and Civility in Anti-Homophobia Education Chapter 8 The Gay Ghetto in the Geography of Education Textbooks Part 9 "Add LGBT And STIR": Multiculturalism and Sexual Diversity Chapter 10 "Talking about Inclusion like it's for Everyone": Sexual Diversity and the Inclusive Schooling Movement Chapter 11 Re-visioning Multiculturalism in Teacher Education: Isn't it Queer? Chapter 12 Queer Developments in Teacher Education: Addressing Sexual Diversity , Homophobia and Heterosexism Chapter 13 Getting to the Heart of Teaching for Diversity Part 14 Telling Our Stories Chapter 15 How My Teacher Preparation Program Failed Chapter 16 Visibility, Invisibility, and "The Thickness of Non-Diversity": What I learned from Karen Chapter 17 Heteronormativity and Common-sense in Science (teacher) Education Chapter 18 "I was Afraid He Would Label Me Gay If I Stood Up For Gays" The Experience of Lesbian and Gay Elementary Education Credential Candidates at a Rural State University Chapter 19 Teacher Educators and the Multicultural Closet: The Impact of Gay and Lesbian Content on an Undergraduate Teacher Education Seminar Chapter 20 Can of Worms: A Queer TA in Teacher Ed Chapter 21 I'm Every Woman: Multiple Identities as Part of the Diversity Curriculum Chapter 22 Campus Dyke Meets Teacher Education: A Marriage Made In Social Justice Heaven Part 23 Afterword

Sexual Harassment between Same-Sex Peers: Intersection of Mental Health, Homophobia, and Sexual Violence in Schools.

Abstract: This article provides a historical and legal framework for defining peer sexual harassment from three different perspectives: sex discrimination, mental health, and sexual violence. Major court decisions that define sexual harassment in both education and the workplace are highlighted, and arguments regarding sexual harassment between peers of the same sex are profiled. This research also identifies sexism and heterosexism as a major social violence problem in U.S. education and argues that peer sexual harassment is sexual violence with considerable mental health implications for both boys and girls. Recommendations for social work practice regarding peer sexual harassment in schools are discussed.

The Experiences of Lesbian and Bisexual Women in College Residence Halls

Abstract: SUMMARY In-depth interviews were conducted with ten lesbian and bisexual women university students to learn about their experiences living in college residence halls. Many of the women reported experiencing a hostile environment as a result of direct and indirect harassment and lack of support from roommates, resident assistants, and other residents. Participants also reported supportive factors that helped to make the environment more comfortable. In particular, these students appreciated residence life staff who actively confronted homophobic acts and showed their support by providing information on lesbian, gay, and bisexual topics. Interviewees provided suggestions for improving the climate in residence halls and for training residence hall staff to work more effectively with lesbian, gay, and bisexual students. Implications are offered for addressing homophobia and heterosexism in women's residence halls.

Policy Issues Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People in Retirement

Abstract: Many of the same concerns, but different barriers compared to heterosexual peers. Although they share many of the same human needs and concerns with their heterosexual peers, gay and lesbian elders often experience particular barriers as well. Those barriers include discrimination; unequal treatment under Social Security, pension plans, and 401(k)s; and concerns related to housing, healthcare, and long-term care. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elderly population, currently estimated at from i million to 3 million people, will increase to between 4 million and 6 million by 2030 (Cahill, South, and Spade, 2000). We can only estimate because most research does not ask about sexual orientation or gender identity. Gerontologists and government researchers could capture much needed information on gay elders by adding a standard sexual orientation "self-identifier" to all surveys. Many gerontologists do acknowledge the need for more research on LGBT elders. But the limited research that does exist indicates that older gay people tend to live out the last decades of their lives very much as they have lived the middle decades. Several studies point to a phenomenon called "crisis competence," whereby the stress and pain of living through years as the targets of homophobia and discrimination do serve to prepare gay elders for the stresses of getting old. In addition, LGBT baby boomers- "out"for most of their lives-are increasingly unwilling to retreat to the closet when they encounter homophobia in aging services. Most gay people of all ages have experienced both "heterosexism" and homophobia. The psychologist Gregory Herek defines heterosexism as "an ideological system that denies, denigrates and stigmatizes any non-heterosexual form of behavior, identity, relationship or community." Homophobia is the fear or hatred of lesbian and gay people based on perceived or actual sexual orientation (Herek, 1992). People also experience gender-related bias because they do not fit into expected male-female gender roles (Green, 1994).. People acting out antigay bias may use derogatory language, engage in discriminatory behavior, or even perpetrate violence against LGBT people. Heterosexist attitudes and assumptions can interfere with the well-being and happiness of BT elders. As gay people grow older and rely increasingly on public programs and social services for care and assistance, they may become less independent from heterosexist institutions and peers. The fear of experiencing discrimination can reinforce social isolation and keep gay elders from making use of healthcare and other services. Gay elders often experience homophobia in senior services. For example, in a 1994 study, 46 percent of New York state's Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) -the regional entities that distribute federal funds for senior services-- reported that openly gay and lesbian elders would not be welcome at senior centers in their areas. And only ig percent of the lesbian and gay elders interviewed had any involvement with their local senior center (Lesbian and Gay Aging Issues Network, 1994). INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS Gay and lesbian elders have various problems in relation to the traditional income support mechanisms of Social Security, pension plans, and plans like 401k) s. Social Security. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. retirees rely on Social Security for more than half of their annual income; for 15 percent of elders, Social Security is their only source of income (Liu,1999). But lesbians and gay men in same-sex partnerships are not eligible for the spousal benefit or the survivor benefit that Social Security offers to their heterosexual counterparts. This lack of eligibility costs lesbian and gay elders hundreds of millions of dollars in unaccessed income every year. Social Security survivor benefits allow widows, widowers, and dependent children to put food on the table when the beneficiary dies. …

Among the Missing: Content on Lesbian and Gay People in Social Work Journals

Abstract: The 1980s and 1990s brought a strengthened commitment on the part of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to focus on issues of practice with gay and lesbian people. Each new version of the NASW Code of Ethics (2000) and the CSWE Curriculum Policy Statement (1992) shows an expanded commitment to addressing issues of sexual orientation. This progress in the profession parallels the civil rights struggle for gay men and lesbians that became increasingly visible and much more political after the Stonewall uprising in 1969. Despite progress in gaining recognition and acceptance of homosexuality as normative, institutional discrimination continues through the lack of civil and legal rights, as well as social intolerance, hostility, and violence (DePoy & Noble, 1992). Social workers practice within a heterosexist society and have been socialized in heterosexist institutions. As Hartman's (1993) editorial in Social Work stated, "Every social worker must recognize that we have all grown up in a heterosexist society, and we must face within ourselves the residue of living in a homophobic world" (p. 360). Berkman and Zinberg (1997) also wrote about heterosexual social workers' "often unconscious bias and ... information deficit concerning the gay and lesbian communities and the unique difficulties that homosexual men and women encounter living in a predominantly heterosexual society" (p. 319). Similarly Swigonski (1995) stated: "Social workers need to be educated about their personal and professional biases and about the life conditions of lesbians and gay men" (p. 414). To address individual practitioner ignorance and bias, Hartman urged practitioners to replace presuppositions and theories about homosexuality with knowledge gained from the narratives of the experiences of le sbians and gay men. Because of the continuing and widespread institutional discrimination against lesbians and gay men and societal intolerance of homosexuality, heterosexism and homophobia are perceived to be pervasive in the United States. Heterosexism is "a belief system that values heterosexuality as superior to and/or more 'natural' than homosexuality" (Morin, 1977, p. 629). In contrast to homophobia, which has been defined as "fear, disgust, anger, discomfort and aversion that individuals experience in dealing with gay people" (Hudson & Ricketts, 1980, p. 358), heterosexism is much more subtle. It is also more widespread as Berkman and Zinberg (1997) noted: "Heterosexism permeates the culture in which social institutions and social work practice are built" (p. 320). Negative attitudes toward homosexual people can be seen in the military policy of "don't ask, don't tell." This policy reflects the continuing societal opposition to allowing the same rights and protections for lesbians and gay men as those provided to nongay people in such areas as housing, health care, and employment. Heterosexism and homophobia could be seen in the political organizing that led to Colorado's Proposition 2, a constitutional amendment designed to eliminate protection for gay men and lesbians, and subsequent efforts to prevent it from being overturned in the courts. Another indicator of the heterosexist bias in U.S. society was the flurry of activity that led to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which was legislation to protect states from having to recognize homosexual marriages if they became legal in another state. Most recently, heterosexist political action in Maine led to the reversal of legislation that had protected lesbian and gay people from discrimination in employment and housi ng. CSWE showed its commitment to preparing social workers for practice with gay and lesbian clients by adding a requirement in 1992 that each program's curriculum must include content on sexual orientation. Before 1992 the CSWE Curriculum Policy Statement urged, but did not require, programs to include content on sexual orientation. …

Sex and Sexuality in Men's Personal Advertisements

Abstract: In this article, the author examines 2,400 men's personal advertisements from the Internet to explore gender role and sex role preferences in mate selection. Using content analysis, the author examines how men define their gender roles and sex roles, and how they express role preferences in their mate. The results show that when compared with gay men, straight men are less concerned about gender roles and sex roles. Gay men's personal advertisements are the real analytic lens here because they are the ones faced with the ambiguities that need to be negotiated, whereas straight men may have taken gender-typical roles for granted. The author also discusses how men knowingly or unknowingly express and reproduce cultural norms of heterosexuality and gender-typical behavior, and how they may perpetuate forms of heterosexism and sexism.

Who am I in Relation to Them? Gay, Lesbian, and Queer People Leave the City to Attend Rural Family Weddings

Abstract: Nine gay, lesbian, and queer adults who were raised in rural areas but now live in the city returned to their families and communities of origin to attend family weddings. The shift from urban to rural, nonfamily to family, everyday to ritual, was a shift by which they renegotiated their sense of self as different from their families and communities of origin. What it meant to be gay, lesbian, or queer (GLQ) depended upon specific interaction contexts. The negotiation of being different as GLQ occurred within dialectics of visibility/invisibility, closeness/distance, and comfort/discomfort during weddings. Results presented here emerged as significant within a larger study of heterosexism and family ritual. Data were collected in focus group interviews and analyzed inductively using a combination of family discourse and grounded theory methods.

Intimate Betrayal: Domestic Violence in Lesbian Relationships

Abstract: Help ease the secret suffering of lesbians in abusive relationships!Why is woman-on-woman violence so often ignored or discounted? Intimate Betrayal: Domestic Violence in Lesbian Relationships uncovers the hidden problem of lesbians who hurt the women they love. This long-needed book brings together theory, practice, and research to suggest new and fruitful ways to understand, prevent, and treat this common problem. Intimate Betrayal provides new empirical research into the psychological and sociocultural causes of abuse. As several of the chapter authors demonstrate, neither traditional feminist theories about power nor heterosexist paradigms explain the causes, dynamics, or treatment of this problem. However, the new research presented here suggests helpful diagnostic criteria and effective treatments. Intimate Betrayal analyzes the factors that contribute to lesbian domestic violence, including: heterosexism and homophobia minority stress emotional isolation and lack of community ties revictimization of women who have previously suffered abuseThe thorough literature review included reveals the paucity of attention that has been paid to this problem. Intimate Betrayal suggests exciting new models for freeing women from domestic violence, including the use of clinical and community resources and liberation theology. Community activists, counselors, and psychologists will be intrigued by the insightful analysis of the root causes of lesbian-on-lesbian violence and the valuable treatment suggestions. Researchers will welcome the new avenues it opens for additional research.

Difference matters: sexuality and physical education

Abstract: Earlier chapters within this collection have pointed to the specific traditions of physical education and in particular to the highly gender differentiated nature of these. These markedly conservative traditions have had a deleterious impact not only on the teaching and nature of the subject but also on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. This has contributed to a situation whereby damaging myths and stereotypes specifically about the participation of women and girls in physical education and sport have largely gone unchallenged. These prejudices centre on issues to do with the athletic body, heterosexuality and physicality. This chapter consequently seeks to raise issues around sexuality and physical education. It focuses attention on Section 28 of the Local Government Act (1988) which sought to prohibit the promotion of homosexuality within schools, and thereby illustrates attitudes towards sexuality and the impact that these have had on the educative system. Biographical research which endeavoured to make sense of the life stories of lesbian physical education teachers within the English schooling system is utilised to explore the effects of heterosexual discourses on their professional lives. Although the focus is largely on the experiences of lesbian physical education teachers it is crucial to acknowledge the impact that heterosexism and homophobia has had on boys and men and gay teachers in physical education and sport. Heterosexismrefers to the system of beliefs, attitudes and institutional arrangements which reinforce that everyone is, or should be heterosexual; that heterosexuality is the only valid and worthwhile form of sexual expression; and that relationships between people of the opposite sex are vastly superior to any other lifestyle whether lesbian, gay, bisexual or single.

Out in the Academy: Heterosexism, Invisibility, and Double Consciousness

Abstract: f speaking subjects are always the products of cultural and historical forces, then how do they assume political agency to resist those forces? In queer theory, the most basic answer to this question requires an understanding of discourse, indeed of any action, as performative-as exercising agency within the conditions set by a person's current and historical contexts. The problem for many people who have no experience in speaking/reading/acting as "others" is that the performative nature of discourse is not readily visible. Because their experiences with discourse have not consistently placed them in positions in which they needed to speak back to cultural values that defined them in problematic ways, they have difficulty understanding why others must do so. Thus, for many people, the ideologies of culture and discourse appear neutral and their sense of agency as relatively unencumbered.

Get Your Freak on: How black girls sexualise identity

Abstract: Despite reported increasing levels of teenage pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infection among African-Caribbean young people in the UK, young Black women express sexual identities that are both over- and non-sexualised and exclude themselves from reference to sexual desire and experience. This article will argue that through engaging in complex processes of denigrating the sexual activity of other peers, young Black women attempt to portray themselves as sexually respectable. In doing so, they become entangled in the tensions created by such positions within school-based discourses of heterosexism. This discussion will explore the processes and implications of hiding/silencing Black female sexuality both for the emerging identities of Black girls and the sex educational discourses which attempt to engage with them.

How Might Social Education Resist Heterosexism? Facing the Impact of Gender and Sexual Ideology on Citizenship

Abstract: This paper examines the mutually-reinforcing problems of sexism and heterosexism, and the actions that may be taken by social educators to ameliorate such injustices. Various approaches to anti-heterosexism education are organized in relation to the three dimensions of handling social conflict: intervention procedures (in particular the management of sexual and heterosexist harassment), teaching knowledge and skills (in particular skills for recognizing the role of gender and sexuality in culture and for managing controversy), and restructuring patterns of relationship (in particular reducing the climate of heteronormativity and status competition that exacerbate harassment and exclusion).

A reflection of resistance : discourses of heterosexism and homophobia in teacher training classrooms

Abstract: Training pre-service teachers about lesbian and gay issues and heterosexism is crucial to counteracting the harassment of young people and teachers in schools, in promoting social change and enhancing the quality of life of lesbian and gay individuals However, this discussion focuses on pre-service teachers' resistance to addressing lesbian and gay issues in schooling The forms of resistance encountered are many, and include the personal perception of the relevance of lesbian and gay issues to teaching in schools and the various discourses in which these perceptions are situated This discussion reflects upon the experiences of the authors, who have taught social justice issues in education to pre-service teachers in a metropolitan university in Sydney, Australia

Hatred, Murder, and Male Honour: Anti-Homosexual Homicides in New South Wales, 1980-2000

Abstract: Based on evidence from a study of 74 anti homosexual homicides with male victims that occurred in New South Wales between 1980 and 2000, this report analyses the social characteristics of victims and perpetrators and the situational factors involved, as well as case studies outlining specific homicide scenarios. The study also examines the links between such killings and commonplace issues of male identity. The link to various aspects of masculinity, including heterosexism and male honour, that have community support leads to a critical scrutiny of the legal issues involved, including the homosexual advance defence and the idea of homosexual panic as a legal defence.

Rehearsing Heterosexuality: "Unspoken" Truths in Dance Education

Abstract: While recent research in the United States indicates that gay and bisexual men comprise half the male population in dance, a very limited amount of scholarship focuses on the experiences of gay men and boys in dance education (Hamilton 1999). Cultural heterosexism and homophobia certainly contribute to this conspicuous absence of scholarship and discourse, as does institutionalized heterosexism in concert dance and Western social dance forms (Adair 1992; Burt 1995; Hanna 1988). Given the rich and compelling dance research in gender (Albright 1997, 1998; Bond 1994; Case et al. 1995; Crawford 1994; Daly 1998; Stinson et al. 1990; Stinson 1998; Thomas 1993) and feminist theory (Albright 1990; Banes 1998; Daly 1991, 2000; Foster 1996; Shapiro 1998; Stinson 1993), one questions the absence of scholarly analysis surrounding gay issues in dance education. Unfortunately, dance and dance education may unwittingly reproduce asymmetrical power relationships, social inequities, and sexist patriarchy by reaffirming the status quo operating in contemporary American culture. In doing so, the profession ignores vast educative opportunities for diminishing homophobia and antigay bias. In view of the relatively large numbers of gay men and young adults in the field, the lack of serious discourse and study of these critical issues is disheartening. I am reminded that Susan Stinson importantly asked the dance community these ethical questions nearly two decades ago. Regrettably, her cogent questions remain largely unanswered:

Heterosexism and homophobia among college students.

Abstract: This paper distinguishes between heterosexism and homophobia. Focusing on homophobia the importance of conducting research with respect to reducing homophobia of lesbians and gay males among heterosexual college students is considered. Inconsistencies in the research dealing with the reduction of homophobia are discussed. Consideration is given to the application of social contact theory as a way of reducing heterosexual college student homophobia of lesbians. (authors)

Allies in the struggle.

Abstract: SUMMARY Providing a community that is committed to standards, diversity, and enhancement of the academic environment is often difficult. Offering an Allies or Safe Zone program is among of the first steps an institution can take to achieve a community that embraces diversity and creates a learning environment that is accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals. While there are many opportunities in institutional group settings to address these issues, they often go either unnoticed or untapped. How can being an ally impact the greater institutional environment? This paper will discuss the campus environment for LGBT students, examine existing Allies and Safe Zone programs, and offer a framework to assist program coordinators and participants in establishing comprehensive programs to change the campus climate and develop institutional environments that are gay affirmative.

Moral imperialism : a critical anthology

Abstract: I Civil and Political Rights 1 Imperial Humanitarianism 2 Toward a Multicultural Conception of Human Rights 3 Orientalism Revisited in Asylum and Refugee Claims 4 Homophobia/Heterosexism in African Americans 5 Children and Right to a Fair Trial 6 Domestic and International Adoptions II Social, Cultural, and Economic Rights 7 Economic Globalization and the Redrawing of Citizenship 8 The Recognition of the Individual 9 Rerouting the Race to the Bottom? 10 Both Work and Violence 11 Policing the Boundaries of Truth in Narratives 12 Imperial Knowledge 13 U.S. Policy on "Female Genital Mutilation" 14 Bridging False Divides 15 Membership Denied 16 The Moral High Ground? 17 Indigenous Peoples' Human Rights in U.S. Courts 18 Climate Change, Opinions, and Imagination 19 Immigration, Poverty, and Transnationalism 20 Human Rights, Globalization, and Culture

Treatment with lesbian alcoholics: healing shame and internalized homophobia for ongoing sobriety.

Abstract: Traditionally, within the field of mental health, all forms of homosexuality have been viewed as pathological. This belief system reflects the larger societal attitude of heterosexism. According to Herek (1986), heterosexism is a "world-view, a value system that prizes heterosexuality, assumes it is the only appropriate manifestation of love and sexuality, and devalues homosexuality and all that is not heterosexual" (p. 925). Heterosexism is enforced by intimidation, harassment, and exclusion of those who are different (Rivers & D'Augelli, 2001). Until 1973 homosexuality was labeled a disease in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1973). It was removed from the disease classification after research by Hooker (1968) documented that as a group, homosexuals showed no greater pathology than did the general population. More recent literature has stated that homosexuality itself does not cause or indicate pathology; but that heterosexist society's response to homosexuality, homophobia, causes severe problems for gay people. "The impact of heterosexism on gays/lesbians/bisexuals in today's society is hampering individual growth and development by instilling shame.., shame due to heterosexism" (Neisen, 1993, p. 51). The phenomenon of homophobia is prevalent in our society. Homophobia can be defined as "fear, disgust, anger, discomfort and aversion that individuals experience in dealing with gay people" (Hudson & Ricketts, 1980, p. 358). This fear becomes generalized to a societal endorsement of negative myths and stereotypes about gay men and lesbians (Berkman & Zinberg, 1997). Understanding lesbians, then, rests on the recognition of homophobia as an ongoing oppressive force. It is also dependent on the awareness of the specific problems faced by all women. Lesbians are oppressed not only because they are homosexual, but also because they are women. As women, lesbians face problems not faced by gay men. Lesbians in treatment therefore require a different perspective from the therapist. According to Miller (1976), all women experience a degree of shame for being women in our patriarchal culture. Spaulding (1993) redefined heterosexism as being necessarily inclusive of sexism: "Heterosexism can be viewed as a form of social control in which values, expectations, roles and institutions normalize heterosexuality which, in turn, is promoted and enforced formally and informally by structures in which men are dominant, i.e. the patriarchy" (p. 232). The sanctioned norm in U.S. society is that men are entitled to more control, privilege, and status than women are and that heterosexuals are entitled to more acceptance, privilege, and rights than homosexuals are. Not only are lesbians devalued because they are women, they are again devalued, more severely, because their existence is not dependent on a relationship with a man. The lesbian poses a provocation to the status quo of the patriarchy and therefore is continually devalued by the patriarchal culture as a whole to maintain the status quo. This essential provocation to the patriarchy puts the lesbian at risk of continual denigration and stigmatization by the larger society. "Any woman can be threatened with the label 'lesbian' if she rejects male domination and control" (Ellis & Murphy, 1994, p. 52). The ever-present possibility of harassment creates continual pressure on lesbians to remain as invisible as possible. The lesbian "exits the heterosexual assumption," putting herself outside the norm to "recognize her same sex desire and identify as lesbian" (Schneider, 2001 p. 84). The degradation in status created by this position outside the expectations of society creates a need for secrecy and hiding. The need to hide has damaging psychological consequences. "The sense of 'otherness' results from isolation from those with similar feelings and from messages that homoerotic feelings are shameworthy" (Rivers & D'Augelli, 2001, p. …

Lesbian and bisexual girls in the juvenile justice system.

Abstract: This article examines the experiences of lesbian and bisexual girls in the juvenile justice system Its purpose is to document how the juvenile justice system serves this population The researcher interviewed six lesbian or bisexual youth and six staff participants who work with them and found that the system is lacking in its awareness and treatment of this population Some problems include homophobia and heterosexism in policy, staff attitudes, and by other girls, disparate treatment of lesbian and bisexual girls motivated by stereotypes and misinformation, and little understanding of the role that sexual orientation may play in a girl's life Implications for future practice and policy are offered

Promoting Democracy and Overcoming Heterosexism: And never the twain shall meet?

Abstract: This article deals with the issue of including gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) themed materials in school curricula. It is argued not only that such materials should be included but also that the more radical notion of 'positive systematic inclusion' should be followed. Positive systematic inclusion requires the positive portrayal of GLB persons in the curriculum and prohibits teachers, at least in the early school years, from expressing opinions against homosexuality. Using a recent critique of this position provided in Sex Education by John Beck as a foil, the author argues that positive systematic inclusion is required by and promotes the liberal democratic tradition. Furthermore, positive systematic inclusion represents the radicalization of the liberal democratic tradition necessary to respond adequately to legitimate criticisms from postmodernists.

Teaching about Homophobia in a High School Civics Course.

Abstract: “Homophobia Prevention” is a two-week social studies mini-unit. The purpose of this mini-unit is to raise awareness and understanding levels surrounding heterosexism and heterosexual privilege. Additional student goals for the mini-unit include forming connections between heterosexism and other forms of oppression, as well as identifying homophobia as an issue of social justice. Through the mini-unit, students come to understand prejudgments about homosexuality and the historical context of present day homophobia, and they gain an understanding of the destructive consequences of homophobia. Lessons include a reflective writing assignment, a class dialogue, relevant video programs, selected readings, and other student activities. A list of “Homophobia Prevention” mini-unit instructional resources is also provided.

Conquering Heterosexism: The Gay and Lesbian Challenge to Social Work Education

Abstract: At the beginning of the 21st century, it appears some social work educators are ambivalent about teaching gay and lesbian issues. At times, educators have been supportive of efforts by gay and lesbian people to fight heterosexism. However, social work education's overall record as advocates for gay and lesbian rights can be characterized as erratic. This article is a call for social work education to acknowledge its institutional heterosexism, to return to its roots of advocacy for all disenfranchised and oppressed people, and to take an unequivocal stand in support of gay and lesbian civil rights. This article also challenges individual educators to acknowledge their own personal heterosexism and to implement the profession's historical commitment to social justice for gay men and lesbians. Specific actions that social work educators can take to support the movement of gay men and lesbians toward equality are described.

Policy and Practice: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Homophobia and Heterosexism Among Social Work Students

Abstract: SUMMARY This article outlines a variety of structural approaches that together work to interrupt heterosexism and homophobia in social work programs. The approaches offered include policy development, recruitment and hiring practices, and the development of innovative student support services. Program evaluation is suggested as a way to assess program performance and target areas for change. While these strategies are targeted at social work programs, the recommendations in this article are appropriate to most academic disciplines.

Male-Male Sexuality in Lesotho: Two Conversations

Abstract: Lesotho has an assertively heteronormative and “macho” culture. Indeed, Basotho men have long possessed a reputation in southern Africa for being among the fiercest gangsters, toughest workers, and...