Bullying, Mental Health&
Sex Wars ^ Gender
National School Survey
“hostile school climate widespread”
verbal harassment:
74% trans students
55% sexual minority students
26% non LGBTQ students
64% LGBTQ feel unsafe at school EGALE 2011
Bullying in Sex Now
Internet Sample n=7,908
Sample age
Mean = 43
<25 9.6%25-29 10.1%30-39 18.8%40-59 50.6%60+ 10.9%
1,523 <30
Bullying in Sex Now
anti gay verbal & physical violence (lifetime)
42.2% / 7,908 bullied
72% verbal only
38% physical & verbal
Age Factor
>25 25-29 30-39 40-59 60+0
10
20
30
40
50
60
SuicidalBullied>25% Sad>25% LonelyCareer
Mental Health Effects
Bullied Not Bullied ORMH Care 65.4% 40.4% 2.673Suicidal 64.2% 34.2% 3.487Depression Care 40.6% 20.9% 2.586>25% Sad 43.2% 31.2% 1.674Career Impacted 39.6% 9.9% 5.323Unwanted Sex 34.5% 17.3% 2.518Substance Care 6.1% 3.2% 1.970
Career Impact
Bullied 73.1% 33.9% 5.323
Impacted No Impact ORNews Sensitive 83.4% 67.0% 2.477Suicidal 70.1% 40.0% 3.733MH Care 68.7% 46.8% 2.491>25% Sad 50.3% 32.5% 2.009Depression Care 46.2% 24.7% 2.621
In-Gender Comparison
Gay 6303 81%MSM 1490 19%
Single & Male Partnered VS Female Partnered
Disparities
Gay MSM ORBullied 49.8% 10.7% 8.279Suicidal 50.7% 30.1% 2.391MH Care 54.8% 37.7% 2.002Depression 31.9% 18.2% 2.082
Discussion
Observations
Bullying research commonly neglects sexual orientation
Yet, LGBT over represented among bullied
Intersecting oppressions: race, ethnicity, class, gender, new comers, disabilities…
Lit links
Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, Vol. 19, No.3/4, 2007, pp. 9-29
Traversing the Margins: Intersectionalities in the Bullying of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Youth
Andrea Daley, Steven Solomon, Peter Newman, Faye Mishma: School of Social WorkUniversity of Toronto
Qualitative findings
Bullying triggered by gender norm transgressions
i.e., figure skating v hockey
“stereotypically gay”
“soft, shy, smart” targets
Means “Insufficient commitment to masculinity”
Lit Links
Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 50, 2000, pp. 1385-1401
Constructions of masculinity and their influence on men’s well being: a theory of gender and health
Will H. Courtnay
Practice Implications
Sex Now 2011