Vo - Current Issue Theoretical Application Handout

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Sociology

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Apr 3, 2024

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LGBTQ+ Students Bullying, Harassment, and Victimization Prevention in Schools Summary of the Client System LGBTQ+ students experience bullying, harassment, and victimization at higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Experiences with homophobic bullying are seen to be correlated with negative academics, mental health, and physical health, such as absences from school, physical injury, psychological distress, substance use, and thoughts of suicide. LGBTQ+ identified students were seen to be 3.3% more likely to think about attempting suicide, 3.0% more likely to attempt suicide, and 1.4% more likely to skip school compared to their heterosexual peers. (Robinson, 2012). With the significant lack of educator training focused on LGBTQ+ students, these students may feel as though they do not have an adult authority figure to confide these issues with (Wallstead, 2021). Research has shown that structural interventions and changes need to be implemented to help reduce the amount that LGBTQ+ students get abused, bullied, harassed, discriminated, and victimized and to ensure that their school can be a supportive, protective, and secure learning environment for these students

Social Identity Theory Social identity theory is a “stage” theory that describes the processes in how people come to identify with some social groups and how people develop a sense of difference from other social groups. This theory aims to specify and predict the circumstances when individuals think of themselves as individuals or as group members. Social Identity theory also takes into consideration the consequences of personal and social identities for individual perceptions and group behavior (Fantus, 2021). There are five stages that apply to the social identity theory, which are naivete, acceptance, resistance, redefinition, and internalization. Naivete is when the individual has no social consciousness of their social identity. Acceptable is when the individual is aware of the distinct ideologies and belief systems of their own and other social groups. Resistance is when the individual is aware of the harmful effects of acting on social differences. Redefinition is when the individual creates a new social identity that preserves pride in their origins while perceiving differences with others as positive. Internalization is when the individual has comfort with their revised identity and can incorporate it into all aspects of their life (Levy, 2009). Social identity theory can be applied to LGBTQ+ students as they may still be going through the different stage models of the social identity theory as they learn their identities and come to accept them. Social identity theory can also help other students learn more about their LGBTQ+ peers and help them accept them in their social groups as a part of social identity theory is social comparison and social standings of groups. Situation, Needs, and Concerns of LGBTQ+ Students The LGBTQ+ students in schools have many presenting needs and concerns. These students experience bullying, harassment, and victimization due to their sexual identity. LGTBQ+ students that experience a hostile school climate could affect their academic success and mental health. LGTBQ+ students who experience victimization and discrimination at school have been shown to have worse education outcomes through lower grade point averages and poorer psychological mental state (Goodboy, 2018). Exposure to bullying could cause consequences toward LGTBQ+ student’s’ developmental processes and cause health issues through high levels of stress. Research shows that LGTBQ+ students experience additional stress related to their sexual orientation or gender identity on top of their daily life and school stressors (Gower, 2018). LGBTQ+ students have a higher chance of being subject to harassment and victimization from their peers through physical bullying (hitting, kicking, threats of violence), relational bullying (social exclusion, spreading rumors), verbal bullying (name calling), or cyber bullying (over social media, texts) (Heubner, 2018). There is a lack of discussion about LGBTQ+ students in health classrooms due to discriminatory curriculum and old school views. There is also ignorance from other students about the LGBTQ+ community from not being exposed to this community which causes LGBTQ+ students to get bullied at school and online through cyberbullying (Wallstead, 2021). Ethical Issues and Considerations There are many ethical issues and considerations that social workers should take into consideration when working with LGBTQ+ students who are experiencing bullying, harassment, and victimization in their school environments. One large thing for social workers is to understand and advance the literature, research, and practice relating to LGTBQ+ students. Schools should also be a supportive environment for all students no matter of their race, gender, sexual identity, or any other personal identities and remain a safe space to learn. These students experience extreme loneliness, alienation, hopelessness, substance abuse, self-injury, suicide risk, and sexual risk taking from experiencing discrimination and victimization in their school environment (Wallstead, 2021). Everyone, not just social workers, should take these factors

into consideration and work towards creating a better and healthier school environment for these students and all students.

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