Preservice Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Gay and Lesbian Parenting

ABSTRACT: This preliminary investigation assessed preservice elementary teachers' attitudes toward homosexual parents and their children. The study population included 195 college students enrolled in an elementary school health methods course at a large north-eastern university. A 51-item "Gay and Lesbian Parenting Questionnaire" was used for data collection purposes. Reliability estimates for the scales were: attitudes toward lesbians and gay men (alpha = .90), comfort toward gay and lesbian families (alpha = .92), and knowledge about homosexuality (alpha = .52), Most respondents agreed gay men: were not disgusting, should be allowed to teach, were not perverted, and should not overcome their feelings of homosexuality. Most respondents disagreed lesbians cannot fit into society or were sick. Nearly all agreed female homosexuality should not be a basis for job discrimination. Females were significantly (p < .001) more comfortable with gay or lesbian parents and their children than were males. Females had significantly (p < .01) more favorable attitudes toward gay fathers than did male respondents. Respondents with stronger religious attitudes had significantly (p < .01) more negative attitudes toward lesbian parents than respondents with weaker religious attitudes.     

Attitudes of Physicians in New Mexico Toward Gay Men and Lesbians

Previous studies suggest that negative attitudes held by many physicians toward gay men and lesbians may adversely affect this population's health care. This study examined the attitudes of physicians toward homosexuality through a questionnaire mailed to 1949 physicians in New Mexico. The questionnaire included a validated attitudinal scale. Each respondent was categorized as homophilic, neutral, or homophobic based on their responses. We had a 53.6% response rate. Over 8% of male respondents had homophobic scores versus 1.6% of female respondents. Of those practicing in cities with populations between 25,000 and 50,000, 20.6% had homophobic scores versus 4.5% of those practicing in larger cities and 6.4% of those in more rural areas. Multivariate analysis showed that gender, specialty, community size, and personal experiences help determine whether a physician is likely to hold negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Our study found less homophobia among physicians than reported previously; however, we found that negative attitudes toward homosexuality persist in medicine. This study is the first to measure homophobia among physicians working in smaller cities; this may affect the quality of care available to lesbians and gay men who reside in these areas.     

Gender Nonconformity and Psychological Distress in Lesbians and Gay Men

Some lesbians and gay men tend to be more gender nonconforming, on average and for certain traits, than their heterosexual counterparts. Gender nonconformity in childhood has also been linked to adult homosexuality. Studies of both lesbians and gay men also find elevated rates of psychological distress. We hypothesized that these facts may be related. Individuals who violate social norms for gender-appropriate behavior may suffer from stigmatization by both heterosexual and homosexual people, leading to higher levels of psychological distress. We examined whether several measures of gender nonconformity were related to psychological distress in a community-based sample of gay men and lesbians. These included self-reports of childhood and adulthood gender nonconformity, as well as observer ratings of current behavior. Several measures of gender nonconformity were related to each other for both lesbians and gay men. In addition, gender nonconformity was related to psychological distress, but only for gay men. Finally, both lesbian and gay male participants reported more positive attitudes towards gender conformity than nonconformity, although the pattern was somewhat different for each group. We discuss the implications of these results for future studies of gender nonconformity and for the promotion of psychological health in lesbians and gay men.     

Comparing Gay and Bisexual Men on Sexual Behavior, Condom Use, and Psychosocial Variables Related to HIV/AIDS

Interviews were conducted with 750 men, recruited from a variety of sources in Chicago, who reported sex with men in the past 3 years. Behavioral criteria were used to establish groups of gay and bisexual men. We predicted that gay men, compared to bisexual men, would report more male sexual partners, more experience with receptive sex, and more tolerant attitudes toward homosexuality. The only reliable difference between the gay and bisexual men with respect to number of partners was that gay men were more likely to have had a steady male partner or lover. Gay men were more likely than bisexual men to have engaged in receptive sex, including unprotected receptive anal sex. Bisexual men were more self-homophobic and saw other people as less accepting of same-sex activity. There were no differences between gay and bisexual men in other psychosocial variables. Interventions designed to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS need to consider differences in gay and bisexual men's sexual behavior and attitudes toward homosexual behavior.     

福建省厦门市某高校大学生对同性恋认同态度调查

目的了解福建省厦门市某高校大学生对同性恋的认同态度,为开展相关研究和干预提供依据。方法采用方便抽样方法,在厦门市某综合性大学抽取大学生537人进行问卷调查。应用χ2检验进行统计分析。结果目前大学生的性别和是否接触过同性恋是他们对同性恋态度的影响因素。男生认为同性恋情感取向正常和可以理解的占40.2%,女生占60.3%;大学生对男同性恋的接纳程度不同,男生接受女同性恋占29.7%,接受男同性恋占3.8%;女生接受男同性恋占9.2%,对女同性恋接受的占22.1%。接触过同性恋的大学生有70.3%的人对同性恋持理解态度,没接触过同性恋的人中持理解态度的只占45.8%;接触过的学生中有14.5%,没有接触过的有3.4%认为同性恋应该受到法律保护,以上差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。大学生有无宗教信仰对同性恋态度的差异无统计学意义。结论所调查的大学生对同性恋的态度总体比较包容。     

Sensation seeking in homosexual and heterosexual males

The study was designed to test the relationship between the personality trait of sensation seeking and homosexuality. Previous studies had shown a relationship between the trait and variety of heterosexual activity but had not shown a relationship to homosexual behavior. This study compared 19 male homosexuals associated with a gay club in a university, 16 control students belonging to a social club at the same university, 13 members of a gay church group, and 19 members of a nongay church group on conservative vs. liberal attitudes toward religion and politics, attitudes toward homosexuality, heterosexual and homosexual experience scales, and the sensation seeking scales. The control (nongay) church group had more conservative attitudes, less heterosexual experience, and lower sensation scores than the other groups. But the control university group did not differ from the gay university group on any of the sensation seeking scales and differed from the gay church group on only one of the subscales. However, the gay university group was also higher than the gay church group on this subscale, so the difference was probably a function of the younger ages of the university groups than the gay church group. It is concluded that male homosexuals, as a general group, do not differ from heterosexuals on the sensation seeking trait, although the trait might be related to variety of homosexual behavior and partners, just as it is to variety of heterosexual experience.     

Preventing mental health problems among lesbian and gay college students

Young adults who self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual experience major stresses in managing their sexual orientation. They are at risk for serious mental health problems, including suicide and depression. The mental health concerns of lesbian and gay male college students are reviewed. These problems result from the difficulties involved in developing a lesbian or gay personal identity, and are exacerbated by widespread negative attitudes, harassment, and violence directed toward lesbians and gay men on college campuses. Several systemic preventive interventions are recommended to decrease mental health problems in this population.     

Gingrich vows to hold hearing to block use of gay themes in AIDS programs

House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced that a Congressional hearing will be held to determine whether Federally funded AIDS prevention programs promote homosexuality. Gingrich told members of a town meeting that he had evidence that Federally funded AIDS programs and public education programs were encouraging homosexual practices, including "effective methods of sadomasochistic interaction." Gingrich, who says he is very "pro-family", does not favor repression against gay men or lesbians. His younger sister is a lesbian. However, he rejects the idea of the Federally funded schools teaching first-graders about homosexuality.     

Sexual Practices and Psychosocial Correlates of Current Condom Use Among Chinese Gay Men in Hong Kong

This study examined sexual practices, condom use, and psychosocial correlates of condom use in a convenience sample of 187 Chinese gay men in Hong Kong. Among those who were sexually active and answered the item on condom use (n = 164), 22% never used condoms, 39% were inconsistent condom users, and 39% used condoms every time they engaged in sexual activities in the past 6 months. Compared to inconsistent and noncondom users, consistent condom users had more positive feelings toward condom use, perceived greater vulnerability to STD/AIDS infections, showed greater self-acceptance and disclosure of their homosexual sexual orientation, were more involved with local gay communities, endorsed more favorable attitudes toward coming out, and had a lower level of perceived discrimination because of their homosexual sexual orientation. The two groups did not differ significantly on perceived partner reaction to condom use. Results of a logistic regression analysis showed that positive feelings toward condom use were the most salient correlate of consistent condom use.     

Familial Aspects of Male Homosexuality

Research has generally supported the existence of familial–genetic factors for male sexual orientation, but has not shed much light on the specific nature of those influences. Gay men with gay brothers provide the opportunity to examine several hypotheses. Sixty-six men, representing 37 gay male sibling pairs, completed questionnaires assessing behavior on various measures including childhood and adult gender nonconformity, timing of awareness of homosexual feelings, self-acceptance, and the quality of family relationships. Consistent with prior findings using twins, gay brothers were similar in their degree of childhood gender nonconformity, suggesting that this variable may distinguish etiologically (e.g., genetically) heterogeneous subtypes. The large majority of gay men with brothers knew about their own homosexual feelings before they learned about their brothers' homosexual feelings, suggesting that discovery of brothers' homosexuality is not an important cause of male homosexuality.     

护士学生对同性恋态度及其与共情关系

目的了解护士学生对同性恋的态度及与共情的关系,为护士学生教育和同性恋护理提供相应理论依据。方法采用同性恋态度量表(ATHQ)和中文版人际反应指针量表(IRI-C)对重庆市410名护士学生进行自填式问卷调查。结果护士学生ATHQ各因子得分与中国台湾护士比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);城市与农村护士学生ATHQI、RI-C比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.001);农村学生谴责/宽容、同情性关心及个人痛苦得分高于城市学生,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.001);IRI-C想象力因子与ATHQ存在负相关关系。结论护士学生对同性恋持消极态度,尤其是来自农村护士学生;来自农村护士学生共情水平高于来自城市护士学生;想象力与对同性恋的态度存在联系。     

Coming Out Experiences and Psychological Distress of Chinese Homosexual Men in Hong Kong

This study adopted a cognitive-behavioral conceptual framework based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in understanding coming out experiences and psychological distress of 187 Chinese gay men. Results showed that participants' coming out experiences were characterized by same-sex sexual fantasy at teenage years, followed by awareness of homosexual tendency, same-sex sexual contact, and then self-identification and disclosure of homosexual orientation in young adulthood. Regarding targets of disclosure, participants tended to disclose their sexual orientation to their gay friends first, followed by heterosexual friends, siblings, parents, and coworkers. This study also supported the extension of the TRA conceptual framework to Chinese societies. Results showed that a low level of psychological distress in Chinese gay men was linked to their coming out experiences, which were in turn related to TRA components of involvement and identification with gay communities and positive attitudes toward coming out. Limitations and implications were also discussed.     

Rural School Nurses'Attitudes about AIDS and Homosexuality

ABSTRACT: The AIDS epidemic has spread to rural areas of the United States. Conservative rural communities are facing the challenge of having children with HIV entering school. School nurses, as the only health care providers in the schools, are in a strong position to facilitate the education of children with HIV and to provide AIDS education to students, faculty, and parents. School nurses' knowledge and attitudes about AIDS and people with AIDS influence their effectiveness in prevention activities and care of HIV-infected children. This study examined the relationship between specific demographic, practice, and cultural variables and rural school nurses' attitudes about AIDS and homosexuality. Sixty-nine school nurses responded to a mailed questionnaire as part of a larger study of rural nurses. Results indicate attitudes about homosexuality were related to nurses' homosexual knowledge and religious beliefs while attitudes about AIDS were related to nurses' willingness to care for people with AIDS and feeling prepared to do so.(J Sch Health. 1997;67(8):341–347)     

Environmental Influences on Safer Sex in Young Gay Men: A Situational Presentation Approach to Measuring Influences on Sexual Health

Environmental influences on sexual behavior are difficult to examine given their temporal distance from the sexual act and the cost of long-term longitudinal studies. We examined environmental influences on risky sexual behavior in young gay men using the Situational Presentation (Sitpres) methodology, where situations in which relevant environmental variables are presented as computer vignettes with the variables randomly allocated, and participants rate the likelihood of their engaging in unsafe sexual behavior. A total of 100 gay men aged between 18 and 26 years of age completed 20 situational presentations with the outcome being the likelihood of engaging in unprotected anal intercourse. On regression analysis, 3 environmental variables significantly predicted safer sex: perceived gay/bisexual men's norms toward condom use; availability of HIV prevention messages; and what one's religion says about gay sex. Not significant were family, media, legal, and work/school attitudes to homosexuality. Demographic variables that were predictors included education, age, sexual orientation, and degree of being "out" about sexual orientation. These data suggest that environmental factors can be approximated using the Sitpres methodology, and that more proximal environmental variables have a stronger impact than distal ones.     

Strategies for Reducing Homophobia During Medical Training

This paper describes the need for teaching about homosexuality in medical schools in order to improve the health care of homosexual patients and to improve the learning environment for gay and lesbian physicians-in-training. Homophobic attitudes and heterosexual biases in medical training and clinical interventions are reviewed. Next, teaching approaches that have been used to address homosexuality and homophobia in medicine are discussed. Finally, strategies and opportunities to integrate teaching about homosexuality with the needs of homosexual patients throughout the medical school experience are presented. Opportunities for teaching about homosexuality and the clinical needs of homosexual patients are present throughout the medical school curriculum. Impediments to utilizing these opportunities need to be overcome so that homosexual patients receive optimal health care by physicians trained to understand their clinical needs.     

Can Some Gay Men and Lesbians Change Their Sexual Orientation? 200 Participants Reporting a Change from Homosexual to Heterosexual Orientation

Position statements of the major mental health organizations in the United States state that there is no scientific evidence that a homosexual sexual orientation can be changed by psychotherapy, often referred to as reparative therapy. This study tested the hypothesis that some individuals whose sexual orientation is predominantly homosexual can, with some form of reparative therapy, become predominantly heterosexual. The participants were 200 self-selected individuals (143 males, 57 females) who reported at least some minimal change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation that lasted at least 5 years. They were interviewed by telephone, using a structured interview that assessed same sex attraction, fantasy, yearning, and overt homosexual behavior. On all measures, the year prior to the therapy was compared to the year before the interview. The majority of participants gave reports of change from a predominantly or exclusively homosexual orientation before therapy to a predominantly or exclusively heterosexual orientation in the past year. Reports of complete change were uncommon. Female participants reported significantly more change than did male participants. Either some gay men and lesbians, following reparative therapy, actually change their predominantly homosexual orientation to a predominantly heterosexual orientation or some gay men and women construct elaborate self-deceptive narratives (or even lie) in which they claim to have changed their sexual orientation, or both. For many reasons, it is concluded that the participants' self-reports were, by-and-large, credible and that few elaborated self-deceptive narratives or lied. Thus, there is evidence that change in sexual orientation following some form of reparative therapy does occur in some gay men and lesbians.     

Category-Specificity in Sexual Interest in Gay Men and Lesbians

The present study assessed the category-specificity of sexual interest of gay men and lesbians toward an understanding of the possible interaction of sex and sexual orientation that may exist in this phenomenon. Utilizing viewing time as a measure of sexual interest, we had participants (N = 99) rate the sexual appeal of sexually provocative pictures while the amount of time spent viewing each picture was inconspicuously measured. As hypothesized, same-sex oriented individuals demonstrated a category-specific pattern of sexual interest. That is, gay men and lesbians (1) viewed preferred sex pictures (i.e., of same sex) significantly longer than nonpreferred sex pictures (i.e., of opposite sex) and (2) rated preferred sex pictures as significantly more sexually appealing than nonpreferred sex pictures. Additionally, the difference in viewing times between preferred and nonpreferred sexual stimuli was not significantly different for gay men and lesbians, suggesting that lesbians are as category-specific as gay men. The implications of these findings are discussed.