LGBTQA Research Briefing

Historical Facts

·         The first studies on homosexuality was focused on identifying its “cause” to find a “cure”

·         There are two major debates on sexual orientation:

o   Born that way; innate (essentialist argument)

o   Changes in response to life experiences (constructionist argument)

·         Bisexuality was originally considered as a transitional period between being heterosexual and identifying as a homosexual male or female

·         The revolutions in the 1970’s opened the doors for gay men and women

·         There was (and still is) less research on transgendered people

·         1971-1 LGBTQA center existed University of Michigan Ann Arbor), 1992-15 LGBTQA centers on college campuses existed, 2006 over 100

Current Issues and Challenges:

·         Not all institutions have the resources, staff, or awareness to work with the LGBTQA population

·         Newly outed students attending open and affirming institutions and then returning to less than welcoming home situations

·         Free speech- i.e. Brother Jeremiah “Being gay is not God’s way. Your body you sell, you go to hell…”—anger and anxiety

·         STD prevention, awareness, and outside resources

·         Transgender

o   Restrooms

·         Faculty and staff not understanding

·         Labels, and multiple identities (black-male-gay)

·         Hate crimes, harassment, homophobia and discrimination

o   LGBTQA students are likely to drop out because of stress

·         Living situations

Things to Consider

·         Sensitivity training

o   Coming out

o   STD’s

o   Understanding transitional periods

§  Cass’s Model of Homosexual Identity Formation- Six Stages

§  D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development

o   Religious and racial backgrounds and stereotypes

o   Faculty/staff mentors

·         Off campus resources

·         Courses and programs that are offered on campus

Definitions

·         Gender - A social construct based on a group of emotional and psychological characteristics that classify an individual as feminine, masculine, androgynous, or other.

·         Sex - A term used historically and within the medical field to identify genetic/biological/ hormonal/physical characteristics, including genitalia, which are used to classify an individual as female, male, or intersex.

·         Transphobia - The irrational fear of those who are perceived to break or blur stereotypical gender roles. Expressed as negative feelings, attitudes, actions, and institutional discrimination.

·         Gender Expression - How a person represents or expresses one's gender identity to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice or body characteristics.

·         Gender Identity - An individual's internal sense of being male, female, or something else. Since gender identity is internal, one's gender identity is not necessarily visible to others.

·         Transgender - An umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth, including but not limited to transsexuals, cross dressers, androgynous people, genderqueers, and gender non-conforming people. Transgender is a broad term and is good for non-transgender people to use. "Trans" is shorthand for "transgender". 

o   FTM - A person who transitions from "female-to-male," AKA  "transgender man."

o   MTF - A person who transitions from "male-to-female". AKA  "transgender woman."

·         Transsexual - A term for people whose gender identity is different from their assigned sex at birth. Often transsexual people alter or wish to alter their bodies through hormones or surgery in order to make it match their gender identity

·         Cross-Dressing - A term for people who dress in clothing traditionally or stereotypically worn by the other sex, but who generally have no intent to live full-time as the other gender

·         Drag Queen- Generally used to accurately refer to men who dress as women (often celebrity women) for the purpose of entertaining others at bars, clubs, or other events. It is also used as slang, sometimes in a derogatory manner, to refer to all transgender women.

·         Drag King - Used to refer to women who dress as men for the purpose of entertaining others at bars, clubs, or other events.

·         Genderqueer - A term used by some individuals who identify as neither as entirely male nor entirely female.

·         Two-Spirit - A contemporary term that references historical multiple-gender traditions in many First Nations cultures. Many Native/First Nations people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming identity as Two-Spirit; in many Nations, being Two-Spirit carries both great respect and additional commitments and responsibilities to one's community.

·         Intersex - A term used for people who are born with external genitalia chromosomes, or internal reproductive systems that are not traditionally associated with either a "standard" male or female. For more information regarding intersex issues, contact the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA).

From the National Center for Transgender Equality “Trans Terminology” worksheet