Hazards of stigma: the sexual and physical abuse of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents in the united states and canada

Saewyc, E, Skay, C, Pettingell, S, Reis, E, & Bearinger, L. (2006). Hazards of stigma: the sexual and physical abuse of gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents in the united states and canada. Child Welfare League of America, 195-213.

I will be researching the extent of the effort to prevent an anti-gay bias in teachers at all levels of education through both teacher workshops and programs within individual schools. I will also attempt to reveal the positive and negative effects of implementing these programs within schools at various levels of education (elementary, middle, and high school).

The article in focus involved multiple case studies as well as general surveys of LGBT-identifying school-aged students from middle school to high school. Observations ranged from cities within the United States to areas of Canada as well, linking the commonality of negative LGBT attitudes and the general consensus of the area on the subject. These attitudes were represented through analyzed victimization reports, bullying statistics, administrative actions, and protests in general regarding anti-bullying regulations focused primarily on anti-gay harassment. The survey also observed the various forms of abuse experienced by the students that identified as LGBT, finding that 1 in 4 of them experienced some form of sexual abuse in the past, 1 in 3 reported physical abuse from family members, and a general increase in both forms of abuse occurred over the span of 10 years since the first survey of this kind was taken.

Although this article, as some of the others I have reviewed, does not focus primarily on preventing an anti-gay bias amongst pre-service teachers, it helps to illustrate the immense need for these types of programs in order to provide a stable and safe environment for vulnerable students made even more vulnerable by being singled-out due to their sexual orientation. By creating a teacher work force that is educated in the sexual minority as well as ways to prevent bullying and victimization, educators can be given the power to provide LGBT students with the opportunity to learn in an environment that does not section them off as a majority of society has. I believe this article also brings to surface the question of why the students involved in both reported forms of abuse were not given the opportunity to report these events to their teachers – much of the education pre-service teachers are lacking would provide them with the ability to recognize the “red flags” of abuse in order to maintain the safety of the students as well as offer them help within their living situation.