Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 30, 2006). Includes bibliographical references (p. 223-230).

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

This study explored lesbian identity development and the relationship between Oregon State University campus climate as reported by 35 lesbian students. Identity development was measured by using Cass's (1984b) Stage Allocation Measure (SAM) which is a self-select tool for determining stage of lesbian identity development. The SAM was then used to create a three stage identity development model. Herek's (1986) Sexual Orientation Survey (SOS) was used to examine the campus climate as experienced by lesbian students. Findings showed that 63% of the participants felt it was important to disclose their sexual orientation to members of OSU's campus. Yet, 69% of the respondents did not feel comfortable doing so. Also, 51% of the respondents reported fearing for their safety, and because of this, 47% of all respondents modified their behavior. The results of this study indicate there are additional factors that contribute to these findings. For example, 89% of the participants reported hearing disparaging remarks; 94% felt the possibility of harassment, violence or physical attacks was likely; and 91% believed discrimination and unequal treatment towards lesbian, gay or bisexual persons at OSU was very likely. These findings were reported by equal numbers of individuals in each stage of their identity development. The results of this study indicate that lesbian students at OSU suffer from similar negative experiences as students who attended Emory University (1987), Pennsylvania State University (1987), Rutgers University (1987) and Yale University (1986) where the SOS was also used to measure campus climate. Recommendations for changes at Oregon State were creation of a "safe zone" and programs for retention of lesbian students, increasing visibility of the President's Commission on Hate Related Activities, and making the OSU community a safe place for women administrators and faculty role models to come out. Additional research was also recommended to examine the OSU campus climate as experienced by gay male students and lesbian and gay faculty members. / Graduation date: 1998

College is a formative stage of identity development for many young adults. This study presents an in-depth analysis of how some young adults who identify as gay or lesbian experience higher education in a faith-based setting. The theoretical framework for the research was founded in the literature of two separate fields: the general experience of college students and homosexual identity formation. Utilizing models created by Chickering (1969), Cass (1984), and D’Augelli (1994), among others, the intent of this study was to discover how an explicitly faith-based college environment impacts the collegiate experiences of students who identify as gay and lesbian. This study was grounded in qualitative, phenomenological methodology. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with students who identified as gay or lesbian while enrolled in private, faith-based institutions of higher education. Interviews were completed during the spring semester of 2010. Data analysis was conducted based on steps identified by Moustakas (1994) and Strauss and Corbin (1990), and predominant themes were discovered. The researcher concluded that a faith-based institutional setting impacts the collegiate experience of gay and lesbian students in considerable ways. Students encountered significant struggles, including identity denial, pressure to conceal sexuality, and frustration regarding school policies. Based on these themes, specific conclusions were drawn regarding students’ enrollment decisions, sexual identity formation during the collegiate experience, reconciliation of faith and sexual identity, encouraging supportive networks for gay and lesbian students, and policy development regarding sexual behaviors on campus. Suggestions were presented for administrators, counselors, faculty, staff, and students at faith-based universities. / Department of Educational Leadership

Much research has been conducted about domestic violence using heterosexual women samples. This study investigated how heterosexual and lesbian women make attributions about domestic violence, as well as their myth endorsement behaviors. It also looked at the effect of participants’ egalitarianism on their victim blaming behaviors and the effect of their own victimization on their perpetrator blaming behaviors. Analyses were also conducted to examine the relationship between attribution behaviors and myth endorsement behaviors. ANOVA results indicated that heterosexual and lesbian women tend to exhibit similar patterns in the attributions of blame behaviors, though heterosexual women engaged in greater victim blame and situational blame than did lesbian women. ANCOVA results suggested a relationship between egalitarianism and victim blaming behaviors, but not between victimization history and perpetrator blaming behaviors. Pearson correlation analyses showed that relationships did exist between some attributions and myths, though not between all of them. Finally, ANOVA results indicated that heterosexual and lesbian women engage in similar myth endorsement behaviors, with heterosexual women endorsing myths more than lesbian Heterosexual and Lesbian Women’s ix women. Strengths, limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice are also discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-143).

This study examined the attitudes and perceptions of resident assistants towardgay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) students. Attitudes and perceptions of floor environments, hall environments, and the campus community were looked at. The original intent of this study was to find a relationship between resident assistants' attitudes and perceptions toward GLBT individuals and its relationship to the environment created on the RA's floor. The sample of GLBT students was too small to make reference to it in this study.A significant difference was found between hall staffs' attitudes. The study suggests that their hall environment can influence RAs' attitudes and perceptions. Consistent with past research, male resident assistants (RAs) had more negative views toward gay men and lesbians than female RAs. Inconsistent responses were found to individual questions, which suggests a lack of education on GLBT issues. The majority of RAs believed there should not be more GLBT material integrated in the classroom, however they felt they didn't have adequate training on GLBT issues. RAs felt that GLBT students experience less harassment and discrimination in the residence halls then on campus and in society. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how LGB college students created meaning out of their coming out process to their parents. I recruited LGB college students who perceived support from their parents during their coming out process and asked the following research question: What are the lived experiences of LGB college students who have experienced support from their parents during the coming out process? Seven White (n = 4), African American (n = 2), and Hispanic (n = 1) college students, three men and four women aged 18-24 years, shared narratives that included time periods before, during, and after their coming out disclosures to their parents. Using an adapted phenomenological analysis, I identified nine major themes: awareness of feeling different, positive relationship with parents prior to coming out, college impacting the coming out process, feeling unsure of how parents would respond to disclosure, parents assuring continued loved and acceptance, parents affirming LGB identity, increased relational depth with parents, increased sense of authenticity, and an appreciation for family's response and support. The findings provide insight into how counselors might work most beneficially with LGB college students and their parents around the coming out process. Opportunities for future research and limitations of the study are discussed.

South African institutions of higher learning remain unfriendly and hostile environments for queer students who reportedly continue to experience homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in these spaces. This qualitative enquiry explored the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersexed (LGBTI) students in accessing healthcare in a contact higher education institution. The findings suggest that LGBTI issues are silenced within the university spaces and this blocks the availability of a targeted and strategic approach to deal with the healthcare issues of queer students. Furthermore, it was found that the healthcare services are heterocentric in nature, mainly targeting heterosexual students and deliberately excluding LGBTI students from accessing these services. In addition, the heteronormative attitudes held by healthcare professionals create added barriers for LGBTI students to access healthcare services. Religiously motivated stigma and discrimination prevented healthcare professionals from providing culturally appropriate healthcare services to LGBTI students, thereby excluding them from accessing these services. This research concludes that university management should take decisive action in supporting a human rights framework in order to protect the rights of LGBTI students. Sensitization training as well as the training curriculum of healthcare professionals should include aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity. / Health Studies / M.A.(Social Behaviour Studies in HIV-AIDS)

This study focuses on the challenges faced by U.S. college students who identify as gay or lesbian and choose to study abroad in Latin American countries. The focus is on the challenges to the formation and negotiation of a gay or lesbian identity in a new cultural construct. The study incorporates information from identity development and identity negotiation perspectives in an effort to explain the problems that these students face. There is also an emphasis placed on how these students receive support while on site, and how these supports help students continue a successful negotiation of a gay or lesbian identity while in a new cultural environment. Recommendations for providing effective support to gay and lesbian students are included.