Transcript Half Day Training - Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria

Celebrating
Diversity Training
Session 2: Half Day
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Homophobia
The fear and hatred of those who love and sexually desire
those of the same sex. Homophobia - which has some of its
roots in sexism - includes prejudice, discrimination,
harassment, and acts of violence brought on by fear and hatred
(Miller and Mahamati, 1994).
Homophobia compromises human integrity by promoting
learned hatred and sanctioning the use of violence and
discrimination (STEP Manual, Victorian Child and Adolescent
Mental Health Promotion Officers).
Like other forms of discrimination and prejudice, homophobia
can be expressed in a way that is:
• Overt (violence, discriminatory laws), or
• Covert (assuming everyone is heterosexual
[heterosexism], ‘gay jokes’, social exclusion, etc).
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Heterosexism
The belief in the inherent superiority of one pattern of
loving and thereby its right to dominance (Audre Lorde).
Sets of assumptions that empower heterosexual
persons, especially heterosexual white males, and
exclude openly homosexual persons from social,
religious, and political power. It is a system of coercion
that demands heterosexuality in return for first class
citizenship (Virginia Mollenkott).
Prejudice or discrimination against gay people,
analogous to racism… the assumption of heterosexual
superiority (liberation as a movement of ideas).
3
Levels of Homophobia
Personal or Internalised Homophobia
Interpersonal Homophobia
Institutional Homophobia
Cultural Homophobia
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The Sexual Trichotomy
Sexual Identity
how we self-identify and/or publicly identify
Sexual Orientation
who we are attracted to
Sexual Behaviour
the sexual contacts we have
Department of Education, Employment and Training, Victoria 2001, Catching On: Teaching and Learning Activities
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The FBI Model
Fantasies (Feelings)
same-sex
opposite sex
Behaviour
same-sex
opposite sex
Identity
gay
lesbian
dyke
bisexual
Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of WA Inc: Clearing The Way, p.58.
heterosexual
other
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Definitions
It is important to note that ‘definitions’ can’t always adequately encompass how
individual people really feel and live their lives, or the breadth of diversity.
Definitions are also far removed from the joy of meeting real people. How
people identify is very contested, therefore it is really important to use language
and words young people use for themselves (Samantha McGuffie, KYS, 2004).
Heterosexual
People whose sexual and emotional feelings are primarily for the opposite sex.
Homosexual
People whose sexual and emotional feelings are primarily for the same sex. Those who
feel this way often identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Gay
People whose sexual and emotional feelings are primarily for the same sex. In Australia
this can mean men or women, although it tends to be used mainly for men.
Lesbian
Women whose sexual and emotional feelings are primarily for women.
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Definitions
Bisexual or Bi
Those whose sexual and emotional feelings are for both women and men.
Same Sex Attracted/ Same Sex Attracted Young people (SSAY)
Those who are attracted to people of their own sex. The term has been used in the
context of young people whose sense of sexual identity is not fixed, but who experience
sexual feelings toward people of their own sex.
Transgender or Trans
Those whose gender identity or behaviour falls outside the usual expectations of their
gender. This includes people who feel that their anatomical gender is at odds with their
inner sense of being ‘male’ or ‘female’. Some trans people feel bi-gendered or ‘neithergendered’, challenging the idea that there can only be two genders.
Transsexual
People who are born anatomically male or female but have a profound identification with
the opposite gender. Not all transsexual people see themselves as being transgender.
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Definitions
Intersex
A biological condition where a person is born with physical characteristics and/or sex
chromosomes that are not exclusively male or female. An earlier term for intersex was
‘hermaphrodite’.
Straight
Another word for heterosexual.
GLBT and GLBTI
Abbreviations for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender; and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender and Intersex.
Queer
An umbrella term that includes a range of non-heterosexual gender and sexual
identities.
Sexual Orientation and Sexuality
The nature of a person’s basic emotional and sexual attraction to other
people. Some people’s sexual orientation is mainly towards people of the
opposite sex – heterosexual; for others it is mainly towards people of the
same sex – homosexual; and for some it is towards either sex - bisexual.
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Definitions
Sexual Identity
How people see themselves and present themselves to others.
Sexual Behaviour
What a person does sexually. Doesn’t always match identity or orientation.
Gender
The way a person is seen as ‘male’ or ‘female’.
Gender Identity
A person’s internal feeling of being female, male, both or neither.
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Writing Themselves In
National Data on Same-Sex Attracted Young People
Study
No of Young People
% SSAY
Hillier, Warr & Haste
(1996)
1200 rural students
(Tas, vic and Qld)
Lindsay, Smith &
Rosenthal (1997)
3500 senior students (all
States and Territories)
8–9
Hillier, Matthews &
Dempsey (1997)
850 homeless youth (Vic
and Qld)
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Writing Themselves In
National Data on Same-Sex Attracted Young People
• Homosexual hatred and fear displayed in rural focus
groups and teacher interviews
• Over-representation in homeless sample
• Higher drug use (Lindsay et al 1997). SSAY are 3-4
times more likely to report having injected drugs.
• Higher levels of STI’s (Lindsay et al 1997) amongst
sexually active SSAY. Boys 10 X and girls 4 X more
likely to have STI.
• Retrospective studies with older groups & anecdotal
information reveal stories of abuse and links with
suicide.
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Characteristics of the respondents
• 750 same-sex attracted young people (no
gender difference)
• aged 14–21 years (average 18 years)
• from every State and Territory of Australia
• 25% from non-metropolitan areas
• 87% were born in Australia, 65% of parents who
had been born in Australia
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Characteristics of the respondents
• half accessed the survey through the
Internet; half through the post
• one-fifth had never spoken to anyone about
their sexuality
• 200 wrote stories about their lives
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Personal safety
SSAY exposed to extreme levels of verbal/physical abuse
• 42% had been verbally abused
• 13% had been physically abused
• 69% of the abuse happened at school; 47% in the
street
• 10% abused by friends; 3% abused by teachers
• 26% felt very safe at school, 14 % feeling unsafe
or very unsafe
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Emotional well-being
• 40% were not feeling good about their sexual orientation
• 32% - great
• 28% - pretty good
• 30% - OK
• 7% - pretty bad
• 3% - really bad
• 18% had never spoken to anyone about their feelings and of
those that had, 1/3 had experienced some type of rejection
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Sexual Attraction and Identity
• Young women were far more likely than young
men to be attracted to both sexes.
• Twice as many young men were only attracted
to their own sex.
• Young men were more likely to identify as
“gay” than “bisexual”
• Young women were more likely to identify as
“bisexual” than “lesbian”
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Sexual experience
• 64% of SSAY are sexually active
• These young people are often having sex with
both sexes.
• Protection levels are lower than those for other
sex attracted youth
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Sexual Behaviour
• Young women were more likely than young
men to be SSA yet only heterosexually active,
although substantial numbers of young men
were also heterosexually active
• Nearly 1/3 of SSA young women had had sex
only with males in the past year
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Drug Use
• 7% of young men and 14% of young women (SSAY)
have injected drugs; 15% once a week or more
• 33% had shared injecting equipment: 15% weekly
• 5% drank alcohol daily: 46% weekly
• 27% had used party drugs; 7% weekly
• 8% had smoked dope daily; 21% weekly
• 7% had used heroin
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Sources of Information
Information Source
% Used
% Trusted
Mum
75
79
Books/magazines
73
30
Health education
63
63
Female friends
62
26
Pamphlets/posters
60
43
Television
52
8
Boyfriend/girlfriend
43
19
Dad
41
59
Teachers
26
49
Doctors
20
70
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In
Sources of Information
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L, Matthews, L & Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In Again – 6 Years On
The 2nd national report on the sexuality, health and well-being of same-sex attracted young Australians
• Follow up to 1998 report, ‘Writing Themselves
In’
• Purpose of Writing Themselves In Again was to
explore the extent to which positive changes in
support for SSAY in years following 1998 have
made a difference
• 1749 respondents aged between 14 - 21
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Writing Themselves In Again
Sexual attraction, identity and behaviour
• In 2004 young women and men more likely to be attracted
exclusively to the same sex and more likely to identify as gay,
homosexual or lesbian
• In 2004, as in 1998, fewer young women likely to identify as
gay, homosexual or lesbian than young men
• Overall a shift towards more positive feeling about sexuality 76% feeling great or good in 2004 compared with 60% in 1998
• SSAY people more likely to be sexually active earlier than
heterosexual peers and more likely to be having sex in line
with feelings of attraction than 1998 study
• Confirmed 1998 findings that assumptions shouldn't be
made about sexual behaviours of SSAY
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Writing Themselves In Again
Homophobia and discrimination
• 38% had experienced unfair treatment on the basis of their sexuality
• Work and school were more common sites of this discrimination
• 44% reported verbal abuse and 16% reported physical assault - figures
largely unchanged from 1998
• The most common site for abuse, as in 1998, was school.
• School remains the most dangerous place for SSA young people to be with
74% of abuse happening there
Impact of abuse and discrimination:
• Young people who had been abused fared worse on every indicator of
health and wellbeing than those who had not
• Felt less safe at school, home, social occasions and sporting events
• More likely to self harm, report an STI and use a legal and illegal drugs
• Those who had been abused more likely to have sought support from
individual or organisations
• More young people reported feeling safer in schools than 1998
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Writing Themselves In Again
Alcohol and drug use
• 2004 - use of all drugs was down on reported
use in 1998
• Drug use still substantially higher than for
heterosexual young people, i.e. double no. SSAY
have injected drugs
• Significant relationship between experience of
homophobic abuse and drug use
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Writing Themselves In Again
Disclosure and support
• More young people had disclosed their sexuality in
2004 than in 1998 (95% vs 82%)
• Support for those who had disclosed had increased
• More young people disclosing to teachers and school
welfare counsellors
• Friends remained most popular confidantes - followed
by mothers
• Young people who are isolated and unsafe in day to
day world can connect to world that is more supportive
and accepting through the internet
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Writing Themselves In Again
Multiple layers of identity
SSAY Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
(CALD)
• Less likely to have disclosed to parents and feel safe at
home than anglo peers
Religion
• Issue of young people being forced to choose between their
sexuality and religion. In many cases the rejection of their
sexuality and the embracing of their religion resulting in young
people hating and harming themselves.
Rural areas
• Less safe at social occassion than their urban peers
• More difficulty accessing information through gay media
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Writing Themselves In Again
The way forward
• Preventable abuse is predisposing young
people to health risks incl. self harm and suicide
• Schools, most importantly, need to address
homophobia when it occurs - recognise it, name
it and react with zero tolerance
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Same-Sex Attracted Youth Suicide
Why are we still talking about it?
Suicide Prevention Australia
National conference, Sydney, April 2001
Study by Jonathan Nicholas and John Howard
• 528 young adults –up to 30yrs (m=21yrs)
• Heterosexual – 94 males, 192 females
• SSA – 123 males, 119 females
• Includes people from non-urban areas
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Same-Sex Attracted Youth Suicide
Why are we still talking about it?
Suicide Attempts
• Gay male
20.8%
• Heterosexual male
5.4%
• Bisexual/undecided male
29.4%
• Lesbian female
28%
• Heterosexual female
8.3%
• Bisexual/undecided female
34.9%
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Same-Sex Attracted Youth Suicide
Why are we still talking about it?
Lesbians first suicide attempts on average
• 1.9 years after becoming sexually interested in
women,
• 0.2 years after self-identifying as SSA, and
• 0.8 years before another person found out they
were lesbian,
• 2 years before they had their first same–gender
sexual experience
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Same-Sex Attracted Youth Suicide
Why are we still talking about it?
Gay males’ first suicide attempts on average
• 5.7 years after becoming sexually interested in
men,
• 3.5 years after self-identifying as gay, and
• 0.4 years before another person found out they
were gay,
• 0.3 years before they had their first samegender sexual experience
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Disclosure to Professionals
• 22% had disclosed to a counsellor outside
school (5/8 were supportive)
• 13% to a special teacher (3/5 supportive)
• 12% to a youth worker (2/3 supportive)
• 11% to doctors (2/3 supportive)
• 6% to a student welfare or school counsellor
(2/3 supportive)
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Coming Out to Parents
• 72% had not told their mothers
• 84% had not told their fathers
• Generally it was slightly more likely that
mothers would be more supportive then fathers
• Reactions ranged from ignoring or discounting
the information, through passive acceptance,
tears, screaming, rejection and ejection from the
family home
• No parents celebrated the revelation
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What is a whole school approach?
1. Policy development
2. Professional development and training
3. Inclusive curriculum frameworks
4. Student support and welfare
5. The broader school community
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How to support a SSA young person
• It’s really important to respond in a positive way.
• Provide the young person with accurate information, including the fact that
around 10% of young people are attracted to people of the same sex.
• Advise the young person of resources that exist such as internet sites, videos,
books, etc.
• Talk to the young person about referral to an organisation that will provide
support for same sex attracted young people
• If you don’t have any of this information yourself, offer to get it for them –
without disclosing the student’s name to anyone (unless there is suicide risk of
course).
• Carefully discuss how the young person is feeling about themselves and who
else would be safe to talk to
• Discuss the young person’s thoughts about coming out to others – never
encourage them to come out – they need to assess what the
consequences may be.
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Strategies for supporting SSAY
1. Listen, hear and understand the needs of a SSA young person
2. Assess the young person’s level of risk factors (including suicide risk)
3. Never assume you know the sexual orientation of anyone. 10% of
people are SSA.
4. Use inclusive language that’s gender neutral.
5. Positively affirm the young person’s identity
6. Ensure student confidentiality
7. Discuss the young person’s thoughts about coming out including
readiness for, and awareness of the risks associated with coming out.
8. Assess the level of support available to the young person
9. Know about resources and where to refer
10. Keep yourself informed
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Creating SSAY friendly environments
Created by Felicity Martin, Nillumbik & Banyule SSAY Support Project
Modelling inclusiveness of all students, including those of different cultures,
religions and sexual orientation, will say so much to a young person.
Assume at least 10% of people are SSA
• Respond to homophobic abuse in the same way you’d respond to racism or sexism
• Display posters and brochures in pastoral care and welfare areas
• Buy books and videos for the school library
• Make every classroom a ”SEXISM, RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA–FREE ZONE”
• Include different family structures in any discussions on family and community
• Organise a whole school review of your anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies
• Ensure that school computers allow internet access to sites discussing SSA issues
• Be openly supportive towards, and a resource for, SSA young people in your school.
• Advertise the local SSAY social & support group
• Display rainbow stickers around the school.
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Responding to homophobia at school
Developed by Felicity Martin, SSA Project Worker, Nillumbik Community
Health Centre, 2003
N: name the problem
A: refer to the ‘agreement” ie: “our ground
rules/policies say no put downs”
C: give consequences – “If you use a putdown again you will have to follow disciplinary
procedures”
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Responding to comments aimed at people
1. “I’m not sitting next to her –she’s so gay.”
“I don’t want to hear you putting people down”
“A person’s sexual orientation is none of your business.”
“Go away and do some research for me about the word ‘gay’”
“This is regarded as harassment - go and read the policy on bullying,
harassment and homophobia”
2. “He’s a poofta.” (A student explaining why they were aggressive towards
another student.)
“What has their sexuality got to do with the situation?”
“How do you know the person is gay?” (Be aware of personal attacks)
“This is regarded as harassment - go and read the policy on bullying,
harassment and homophobia”
3. “We hate Ms Sing – she’s such a big lezzo.”
“What do you mean by that?”
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Responding to comments aimed at objects
1. “I’m not sitting at that desk - it’s gay.”
“What do you mean it’s gay?” –questioning the response.
“How can you tell if it’s happy or sad by looking at it – have you been talking to
it?”
“I didn’t know a desk could have a sexual orientation”.
“Is it a boy desk that likes other boy desks or a girl desk that likes girl desks?”
“We accept both gay and heterosexual desks in this classroom”
“All desks are celibate here” (in a catholic or religious school)
“You’re using a term to discriminate against people”
2. “This movie is so gay.”
“Does it have a gay or lesbian theme?”
“What’s a better word to explain what you mean?”
“So are you saying you like it or you don’t like it?”
“What do you mean by “gay” – in an emotional sense?”
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Responding to comments aimed at objects
3. “We’re not getting in that car – Fords are gay.”
“Are all Fords gay? – Falcons, Utes? Fords come in all shapes and
sizes.”
“If you were a Ford how would you feel?”
“So you would prefer a Volvo?”
“How can you tell?”
“So you’d prefer to walk? Look what you’re missing out on.”
“I really don’t like it when you talk like that.”
“How would you feel if everything I didn’t like I called ‘het’?”
“It’s got a steering wheel so it swings both ways.”
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