Achieving Real Equality: A Work in Progress for LGBT Youth in Spain

Abstract

Although lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have achieved a great level of legal equality in Spain, social equality is still to come, especially for adolescents. This article reports results from three different studies. The first, in 2005, using a multidisciplinary approach, confirmed that homophobia is present in secondary schools in Madrid. The second, in 2006, was a small survey of LGBT teenagers’ on-line postings and internet interviews; and the third, conducted in 2007, analyzed more than 4500 questionnaires completed by high school student in two Spanish towns. Both studies showed that most Spanish teenagers still consider schools not a safe place for LGBT people.

Aunque lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, y transexuales (LGBT) han alcanzado un alto nivel de igualdad jurídica en España, la igualdad social aún está por llegar, especialmente para los adolescentes. En este artículo se exponen los resultados de tres estudios diferentes. El primero, realizado en 2005 y con un enfoque multidisciplinar, confirmó que la homofobia está presente en los centros de educación secundaria de Madrid. El segundo se llevó a cabo en 2006 y consistió en una pequeña investigación cualitativa a través de internet y con entrevistas personales a adolescentes LGBT. El tercer estudio, realizado en 2007, analizó más de 4.500 cuestionarios completados por estudiantes de secundaria de dos ciudades españolas. Estos estudios muestran que la mayoría de las y los adolescentes españoles siguen considerando que las escuelas no son un lugar seguro para las personas LGBT.

Embora na Espanha as pessoas de orientação lésbica, gay, bissexual e transgênero tenham alcançado elevado nível legal de igualdade, no nível social essa demonstra menor avanço, especialmente quando tratamos de adolescentes. Este artigo relata os resultados de três diferentes estudos. O primeiro, de 2005, através de uma abordagem multidisciplinar, confirmou que, em Madrid, a homofobia está presente em escolas secundárias. O segundo, de 2006, apresenta os resultados de um pequeno survey conduzido on line junto a adolescentes LGBT. O terceiro, de 2007, analisou mais de 4500 questionários preenchidos por estudantes secundários em duas cidades espanholas. Os três estudos mostram que a maioria dos adolescentes espanhóis ainda considera que as escolas não são um lugar seguro para as pessoas LGBT.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• high school
• homophobia
• school safety
• sexual diversity
• Spain

Notes

1. National-Catholicism is the political ideology founded on the moral values of the Catholicism of the time

2. Homosexuality was considered illegal until the very end of the 1970′s. Yet, even at the beginning of the 1990′s, the city of Madrid denied permission to the local LGBT Association (COGAM) to open its community center.

3. Even though in 1973 only 3% of Spanish society accepted same-sex relations (Petit, 2003, p. 17), by 2004, two-thirds of the population favored gay marriage (Center of Sociological Investigation, 2004).

4. The words used in Spanish were “homosexualidad” y “transexualidad”, which do not have a negative meaning in Spain and are used by LGBT associations as well as scholars.

5. Researchers visited LGBT web pages and chat rooms intended for LGBT adults and those intended for LGBT youth. Sometimes researchers participated in online conversations as researchers and at other times they simply read the materials available there.

6. The research that is presented in the second part of this article was conducted by José Ignacio Pichardo Galán, as coordinator; Belén Molinuevo Puras, as coordinator in Coslada; Pedro Octavio Rodríguez Medina, as coordinator in San Bartolomé de Tirajana; Nuria Martín Martín and Marta Romero López.

7. We did a pilot test using subjects not included in the sample (a class of high school students from a secondary school in Madrid who were the same age) and asked for some expert opinions before carrying out the actual survey. We made some changes on the initial questionnaire taking into account that information. The complete report of this study can be found in Spanish at: http://www.elpais.com/elpaismedia/diario/media/200801/07/sociedad/20080107elpepisoc_1_Pes_PDF.pdf

8. For more information on methods, see: http://www.cogam.es/resourceserver/1641/d112d6ad-54ec-438b-9358-4483f9e98868/ca3/rglang/es-ES/filename/informe-adolescentes-ante-la-diversidad-sexual.pdf

9. These answers referred to repulsion or disgust when the respondent sees a public display of affection between same sex male couples. We suggest that this reaction shows emotional homophobia. Cognitive homophobia is when responses include the “politically correct” perspective, which is to say you don't mind the existence of LGBT persons as long as the respondent doesn't have to see their public displays of same sex affection. Our interpretation is that to say “it is wrong” is rejecting the fact from a moral perspective, which expresses cognitive homophobia, while to say “is disgusting” or “it is fine, but not in public” are two answers accepting the existence of LGBT persons but still evidencing internalized, emotional homophobia.