Educators' Perceptions in Addressing Bullying of LGBTQ/Gender Nonconforming Youth

Abstract

This study investigated bullying behaviors and how experienced educators report their perceptions of seriousness, their likelihood to intervene, and their level of empathy when victims are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) or gender nonconforming (GN) youth. Educators were surveyed regarding their perceptions of bullying behaviors, rating bullying of LGBTQ/GN or non-LGBTQ/GN youth. Three two-way ANOVAs investigating the main effects and interaction of group membership (LGBTQ/GN and non-LGBTQ/GN) and type of bullying (verbal, physical, and relational) upon educators' perceived seriousness, likelihood to intervene, and level of empathy toward victims. A significant interaction was detected regarding group membership and physical bullying regarding all three dependent variables, with educators rating physical bullying of LGBTQ/GN youth as slightly less serious, having less empathy, and less likely to intervene in those situations compared to verbal and relational bullying. Strengths, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Keywords:

• educators
• bullying
• LGBTQ youth
• gender nonconforming youth

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was conducted as part of the first author's doctoral candidacy project. A special thanks is expressed to Dr. Allison Dempsey for her feedback as a candidacy committee member.