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This thesis deals with being gay and Christian in the United States, the history of the beginnings of the Gay Rights Movement, and the past thirty years since the Gay Rights Movement. In order to gain a better understanding of the subject, twelve Christian denominations were investigated to analyze their positions on homosexuality, gays in the church, same-sex marriages, and their willingness to allow gays to be ordained as Priests, Ministers, or to hold offices in the church.

This study examined patterns of framing in newspaper articles that mention gay teen suicide, gay bullying, and the "It Gets Better" campaign. A content analysis of randomly selected newspaper articles from 2009-2011 was performed. After presenting the frequency of content themes, emergent patterns are discussed. The most consistent theme--an evasive frame-- occurred with regard to homophobia, heterosexism, and meaningful solutions to anti-gay bullying. The day-to-day discrimination that LGBTQ people face was rarely addressed; instead, hot-button political topics such as same-sex marriage and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" were presented as signs of social progress. This research shows the importance of media framing, particularly the news media, in stories that report on gay bullying, suicide, and homophobia.

The purposes of this study were threefold: 1.) to duplicate previous studies by demonstrating differences in victim blame attribution, minimization of rape, and degree of excusing the perpetrator between homosexual and heterosexual victims; 2.) determine if similar patterns will be shown with male victims as with female victims in the demonstration of rape myths when the victim and perpetrator are acquainted or strangers; and 3.) test the mediation effect of homophobia on perceptions of male rape victims. 119 university students participated. Participants read a scenario in which a homosexual or heterosexual was raped by a male stranger or acquaintance. Participants then answered questions judging the seriousness of the attack and the degree of responsibility held by the victim and perpetrator. Participants also answered questions measuring their homophobic and traditional gender role beliefs. Significant differences were found between the male and female participants in victim blame attribution and rape minimization. Significant differences were also found in the amount of blame attributed to the victim and perceived seriousness of the attack between stranger and acquaintance rape for heterosexual victims, and the degree of rape minimization between heterosexual and homosexual victims of acquaintance rape. Homophobia and gender role traditionality were not found to be mediating variables in predicting victim blame attribution, degree of rape minimization, or degree of excusing the perpetrator. This study expands the current literature by examining the effects of the victim-perpetrator relationship in perceptions of male rape victims, as well as adding to the vast amount of literature suggesting that sexual orientation plays a role in how one views a male rape victim.

Sexual identity in the workplace is an exploratory topic in an age when sexuality is becoming a topic of discussion. However, protection of sexual minorities (Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals) is not universal despite evidence that heterosexist climates are disadvantageous for employers. In this study, I examined if sexual minorities who perceive their place of employment to be relatively free of heterosexism would be more satisfied with their jobs, perceive more organizational fit, and report less work stress. In addition, I sought to determine if selected personality variables would mediate the relations among critical study variables. The personality variables were internalized homophobia, level of “outness,” and cynicism. Two samples of university students consisting of sexual minorities (n =43) and heterosexuals (n = 67), completed questionnaires online. Results revealed a positive correlation for both groups between organizational climate (i.e., less perceived heterosexism) and job satisfaction, although the correlation for the sexual minority group did not achieve statistical significance, likely due to the small sample size. Due to statistical conditions not being satisfied, partial correlations were performed instead of mediational analyses. Internalized homophobia was found to partially account for the relations between perceived organizational climate and job satisfaction and perceived organizational climate and work stress, respectively. This study encourages further investigation into the role of sexual identity in the workplace, particularly the role of internalized homophobia as possibly influencing sexual minorities to perceive their workplace environment more pejoratively than necessary.

Discrimination and inequality encountered by gays and lesbians in the United States is profuse. A cornerstone of the gay rights movement, equality in the workplace has been a pivotal struggle for gays and lesbians. This study examined the attitudes and opinions of registered nurses (RNs) regarding homosexuals in general and the protection of homosexuals in the workplace through a nondiscrimination policy. The author measured overall homophobic and discriminatory beliefs of the sample using the Attitudes Toward Lesbian and Gay Men (ATLG) Scale; the demographic questionnaire was infused with questions regarding a protective workplace policy. Using T-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), correlations between independent variables (gender, age, religious association, belief in the "free choice" model of homosexuality, education level, exposure to homosexuals through friends and/or family associations, race/ethnicity, and support or non-support of a workplace nondiscrimination policy protective of gay men and lesbians) with the dependent variable of homophobia were explored.

Beyond the Stereotype of Black Homophobia: Exploring the Potential of Black Allies for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Strides at the federal and state levels are being made to improve the overall climate for gay rights and relationships across the country. However, despite greater acceptance, legislative victories and visibility of gay rights and relationships, homophobia is still widespread in American society (Fone, 2000; Jenkins, Lambert, & Baker, 2009; Schroeder, 2004). No matter the environment, homophobic attitudes permeate all aspects of the US culture, leading to prejudicial attitudes and inequalities that affect everyone in society. Unfortunately, some of these prejudicial attitudes lead to instituting laws that are inherently homophobic (HRC, n.d.). Trends illustrate that more people are coming out at a younger age in society, creating a larger number of `out' students on college campuses. However, the increase in `out' students has also led to an increase of prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation more visible on college campuses (Cannick, 2007; D'Augelli & Rose, 1990; Jenkins et al., 2009). Current research indicates Black college students are more likely than other college students to hold negative attitudes toward LGB students. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe perceptions and feelings of Black college students toward LGB students. A qualitative online survey using open and close-ended questions was sent out nationally to a number of college campuses to solicit responses. Major findings include the following: 1) participants have the potential to be allies for and hold positive perceptions of LGB identified students, 2) contact with LGB individuals affects the participants' ability to have more positive perceptions, and 3) participants are receptive to engage in conversations about LGB related issues. Implications of this study suggest collaboration among multicultural offices and other campus constituents for social and academic related programming. In addition, there is a need to provide a space for potential student allies to feel supported and engage in their own self-reflection and learning on how to create community among individuals that hold multiple social identities.

This mixed-methods study investigates factors influencing refugee treatment across countries, focusing on the impact of language barriers on attitudes toward refugees. The research employs qualitative and quantitative approaches to examine the relationship between Advanced Host Country Language Proficiency (expressed as a percentage) and openness to refugees. Additionally, it considers the influence of country wealth, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as a control variable. The findings reveal no significant direct correlation between language proficiency and openness to refugees. However, a positive relationship emerges between economic development and refugee acceptance when controlling GDP. This indicates that, while language proficiency alone does not dictate openness, economic strength significantly contributes to fostering supportive attitudes towards refugees. The study underscores the importance of a multifaceted strategy integrating cultural diversity, social integration policies, and public awareness efforts to enhance societal inclusivity and support for refugees. These insights offer valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in addressing the current humanitarian crisis and facilitating the integration of refugees globally. As this research develops, specific propositions will be examined to address the existing humanitarian crisis regarding refugees seeking entry across nations.

This interdisciplinary study combines epidemiological data with anthropological theory to investigate the relationship between HIV transmission rates and systemic homophobia. Previous research has illustrated the link between high levels of structural violence and structural stigma to increased risk of diseases such as the link between African-Americans and heart disease. This study investigates the relationship between systemic homophobia and HIV transmission rates. Through operationalizing homophobia into seven distinct factors, I evaluated systemic homophobia in six countries, assigning a score 1-10 to each factor using secondary source aggregation. I compared composite scores, as well as scores in each operationalized factor to HIV transmission rates in those countries. The results of this study indicate a correlation between systemic homophobia and increased HIV transmission, particularly in respect to the factors Marriage Equality, LGBT Laws, Religiosity, LGBT Visibility, and Hate Crimes. Though various sociocultural factors play a role in HIV transmission, this study indicates that homophobia plays an integral role in HIV transmission. This project has pertinent applications in epidemiology, anthropology and public health illustrating the integral role of sociocultural and systemic factors that increase structural violence and risk for a disease.

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