Observations of LGBT-specific bullying at a state university

Abstract

Purpose: This study conducts an analysis of the characteristics of undergraduate students who observed anti-LGBT behaviors on their campus. The study uses a data set collected from an LGBT Campus Climate Survey distributed on the campus of a state university. The study was developed to advance the understanding of the role of a bystander in LGBT-specific bullying.

Materials and Methods: The study uses a 16-item LGBT Peer Experiences Questionnaire (LGBT-PEQ), to assess the relationship of bystander age, gender, and their attitudes (as measured by an 11-item LGBT Attitudes Scale) with their observation of negative behaviors directed toward LGBT people (N = 417) in the past month.

Results: Results indicate a statistically significant portion of variance in LGBT-PEQ scores is accounted for by bystanders' LGBT Attitudes scores while controlling for age or gender.

Conclusion: The results indicate tailoring Anti-LGBT behavior bystander education and interventions to reach specific age and gender categories more likely to observe these behaviors. It supports empowering bystanders to intervene in specific “unsafe” zones on university campuses.

Keywords:

• LGBT
• campus climate
• bullying

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Ethics Statement

None.

Funding

There is no funding to declare for this study.