Shaping attitudes about homosexuality: the role of religion and cultural context

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Research on Social Attitudes Towards LGBT Community (2002-2022)

A bibliometric analysis was conducted to map out trends in publications on attitudes toward the LGBT community based on the 470 documents retrieved from the SCOPUS database for 2002-2022. The results revealed that the United States is the leading country contributing to the publications on attitudes toward the LGBT community and has a strong impact in the field (64.68%). The authorship analysis revealed that Flores, Woodford, and Worthen from the United States are the leading researchers in this field. Analysis of publication sources showed that the Journal of Homosexuality is the top publisher of findings on the LGBT community whereas the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and Sexuality and Culture have gained more traction among researchers in recent years. The analysis of the co-occurrence of author's keywords indicated that transgender is the gender group that is the most researched compared to other sexual identities. Negative attitudes such as homophobia, discrimination and being heterosexist toward one's sexuality or same-sex marriage are the current research foci. Religion and culture are seen as important predictors of attitudes about homosexuality and same-sex marriage policy. The study addresses the gaps in the literature by recommending future researchers to investigate attitudes toward other gender identities as a result of the revolution in sexual identities.

Analysis of the relationship between religion, abortion, and assisted reproductive technology: Insights into cross-national public opinion

With advancement in reproductive technologies, public opinion regarding these procedures varies considerably across the world. While prominent public debates have focused on abortion, we know less about the factors shaping feelings regarding Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Both procedures challenge the idea that human life starts with conception - with the fertilization of an embryo. Using European Values Survey data and multilevel modeling, we compare how religion and other personal and country-level factors shape disapproval toward abortion and ART. Conservative Protestants and people who are more engaged with their religion and live in a more religious country are more likely to disapprove of abortion and ART. More supportive polices and attitudes regarding ART, but not abortion, are correlated. Additionally, economic development moderates the relationship between personal religiosity and abortion, but not ART. This finding provides important insight into why abortion has remained such a controversial issue, even in richer nations.

The rural side of the rainbow: Mental health and the intersections of geography, sexuality, and partnership

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons tend to be geographically concentrated in larger metropolitan areas and research persistently observes LGB persons as a disadvantaged population for mental health outcomes when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Conflicting evidence suggests that mental health risk exposures are greater for LGB people in rural spaces while other research posits that urban residency is more detrimental for LGB mental health. One positively contributing factor to the mental well-being of LGB persons is their partnership status. To date, no study estimates how partnership may ameliorate unfavourable mental health outcomes for LGB populations in urban and rural areas. Using 10 years of pooled data from the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), this study examines mental health and the intersection of sexuality, geographic residency, and partnership. Logistic regression models estimate the intersections of sexuality, geography, and partnership status on mental health, stratified by respondents' gender. Findings show partnered gay men in rural areas experiencing better mental health than their partnered heterosexual counterparts in the largest urban cities. Although not significant, the same pattern is observed for partnered lesbian women who do not experience a significant mental health disadvantage at any geographic level. Regardless of partnership and geographic space, bisexual men, and especially bisexual women, exhibit worse mental health outcomes compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

Unpacking the Drivers of LGBT+ Legislation

This paper stems from the hypothesis that there are various key factors rooted in economic, political, and social grounds which actively influence and determine the adoption and evolution of LGBT+ rights in the legal framework of any country. The goal of this research is to analyze these factors and understand how they channel the LGBT+ legislation in our present world. Assuming there is an asymmetry in this application and by extension in LGBT+ individuals' human rights, which are often ignored if not deprived in many parts of the world, this study seeks to understand the reasons behind that asymmetry. Based on a sample of 127 countries, a correlation analysis and a Panel data model were developed to analyze the real impact of these factors.

Changing attitudes toward homosexuality in South Korea, 1996-2018

Women are often considered more liberal than men on controversial social issues, but gender gaps in sociopolitical attitudes across different age groups have not been fully explored. This study challenges the taken-for-granted gender differences in public attitudes toward homosexuality by examining both between-gender gaps and within-gender changes across the life course. Using data from five waves of the World Values Survey in South Korea, we explore gender and age differences in Korean adults' attitudes toward homosexuality from 1996 to 2018. Consistent with previous research, people become more conservative as they get older, and in general, women are more accepting of homosexuality than men, accounting for sociodemographic covariates. However, this gender difference is conditioned by people's life stages. Only among young adults (aged 18-29) were female respondents more accepting of homosexuality than their male counterparts. For people aged 30 and older, there are no significant gender differences in attitudes, and for both women and men, homosexuality is mostly unacceptable during their mid (aged 50-59) and late adulthood (aged 60+). Further mediation investigation has shown gendered mechanisms behind age differences in homosexuality acceptability. For both women and men, traditional family/gender attitudes provide significant explanations about age differences in homosexuality, while for women, not for men, family status, especially the number of children, makes older women more conservative in homosexuality issues. We suggest that heteropatriarchal social structures may lead to a resistance to attitudinal changes in non-traditional family forms, such as homosexuality.

The Influence of Social Demographics Toward Homosexuality From Seven Countries in Southeast Asia

Despite sexual orientation not being classified as a mental disorder, homosexual behavior remains the object of discrimination by society. Many people in the world consider it deviant behavior. Even though homosexuality is legal in several Southeast Asian countries, community discrimination toward homosexuals has grown. This study investigates how socio-demographic conditions can explain the rejection of homosexual behavior in seven countries in Southeast Asia. In this study, we use cross-sectional World Value Survey wave 7 data. Using a multivariate logit regression model, we found that most people in Southeast Asia reject homosexual behavior. Also, they believe homosexuals will not become a good parent. Most of the society refuses to socialize and live side by side with a homosexual in their home environment as neighbors. Furthermore, we also found that people are more likely to accept homosexual behavior when they get older. People with a higher level of religiosity, male and married people, have a negative correlation with homosexual behavior, which means they tend to reject the existence of homosexuality. Meanwhile, those who live in urban areas, have daily internet access, and are happier tend to accept homosexual behavior.

A Comparison of Mate Preferences in Asexual and Allosexual Adults

Asexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction. Sexual attraction is likely associated with preferences for certain characteristics in romantic partners, such as physical attractiveness. Preferred partner characteristics can be influenced by an individual's sexual orientation, gender, and age. Allosexual (N = 239; male = 48, female = 181, other = 4; Age M = 20.48 years) and asexual participants (N = 149; male = 36, female = 88, other = 23; Age M = 25.54 years) recruited from a pool of psychology students and through online asexual communities were presented with a survey in which a total of 388 participants rated 13 characteristics according to how desirable they were in a potential long-term romantic partner. Characteristics that are related to physical attractiveness were predicted to be rated lower by asexual participants than by allosexual participants. Asexual participants rated the desire to have children as being less desirable in a romantic partner than allosexual participants did. However, preferences for other traits, such as exciting personality, creative and artistic, and religious, were dependent on interactions of gender and attraction to men or women. Because asexual individuals report generally lower levels of sexual attraction, it will be important for future research to consider romantic attraction as a more nuanced measure than sexual orientation alone when considering sex differences in asexual and allosexual populations.

Is football coming out? Anti-gay attitudes, social desirability, and pluralistic ignorance in amateur and professional football

Past work consistently points to improved attitudes towards gay athletes and growing support for homosexuality, yet reports of a homophobic climate in amateur and professional football persist. Here, we explore two potential explanations for the prevalence of homophobia in football despite low levels of anti-gay attitudes: social desirability and pluralistic ignorance. We conduct an online survey among a football-affine and socio-demographically diverse sample in the UK. We find that anti-gay attitudes are rare. Importantly, estimates from a list experiment do not differ from the prevalence measured by direct questions, providing no evidence of social desirability. By contrast, second-order beliefs about anti-gay attitudes substantially and consistently exceed attitudes, pointing towards pluralistic ignorance as the most likely explanation. We conclude by emphasizing the need for transparent communication to reduce pluralistic ignorance and correct misperceptions among players, officials and supporters.

Attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals among Thai medical students

BACKGROUND

The global population of individuals with gender diversity or LGBTQ+ people is on the rise. However, negative attitudes towards LGBTQ+ individuals persist, even among healthcare professionals, creating barriers to healthcare access. These attitudes are influenced by cultural variations worldwide and necessitate investigation across diverse cultures and settings.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and describe associated factors with being LGBTQ+ among Thai medical students.

METHODS

During the 2021 academic year, a survey was conducted at a medical school in Bangkok, Thailand, collecting demographic data and attitudes measured by a standardised Thai questionnaire. Descriptive statistics as well as bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to describe characteristics and association.

RESULTS

A total of 806 medical students participated, with a neutral attitude being the most prevalent (72.2%), followed by a positive attitude (27.2%), and a minority reporting a negative attitude (0.6%). Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed significant associations between positive attitudes and female sexual identity (aOR 2.02, 95%CI 1.45-2.81, p-value < 0.001), having LGBTQ+ family members (aOR 3.57, 95%CI 1.23-10.34, p-value = 0.019), having LGBTQ+ friend (aOR 1.46, 95%CI 1.02-2.11, p-value = 0.040), and coming from areas outside of Bangkok (aOR 1.41, 95%CI 1.01-1.97, p-value = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

Positive attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community are essential for physicians, emphasising the need to study factors that contribute to positive attitudes in order to foster an LGBTQ+-friendly environment for both patients and medical students.

'He Should Party a Little Less': Evolving Orthodox Religiosities in Psychotherapeutic Interventions Among Jewish Gay Men

Drawing on interviews with Jewish Orthodox psychotherapists in Israel and on sources that represent the social, political, and cultural milieu within which these therapists work, we analyze the practices they use when working with religious gay men. Given debates and prohibitions on homosexuality in Jewish law, the therapists deploy three practices: reproducing religious norms, allowing homosexuality to be privately acknowledged while advocating its concealment from the public eye, or adopting religious distinctions that enable two men to live together while abstaining from sexual intercourse. These interventions express therapists' pragmatic cultural work, sorting out opposing therapeutic discourses, like the liberal-professional and the religious, and engaging with contestations beyond the clinic's boundaries. Some interventions may suggest an acknowledgment that religious standards are often met only on the surface and require continual subterfuge. They may imply, however, a recognition of cracks in the religious ideal and fine-tuning of religious and professional commitments.

Filial piety and public attitudes towards same-sex sexual behaviour in China-evidence from the Chinese general social survey

Using data from the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey, this study is one of the first to directly compare the effect of reciprocal versus authoritarian filial piety on the Chinese public attitudes towards same-sex sexual behaviour using a nationally representative sample. Consistent with previous research, the findings from this study reveal that endorsing reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety exert qualitatively different influences on public attitudes towards same-sex sexual behaviour. While reciprocal filial piety was not linked to disapproval of same-sex sexual behaviour in the current study, authoritarian filial piety was found to significantly predict a disproving attitude. This effect remained statistically significant even after controlling for other demographic and social-psychological variables commonly identified to predict homophobia. Findings from this study further our knowledge of the critical yet nuanced role of filial piety in shaping public attitudes towards same-sex sexual behaviour in China. In terms of implications for policy and practice, organised efforts should aim to steer public interpretations of filial piety away from its authoritarian dimension through education, advocacy and activism.

"It is for God to judge"1: Understanding Why and When Islamic Religiosity Inhibits Homotolerance

In Western Europe, Muslims' cultural attitudes take center stage in debates in media and politics. In these debates, the claim that Muslims' religious interpretations cause them to be intolerant of homosexual people is often repeated. While previous public opinion studies have time and again shown that Muslims are indeed on average more homonegative than other people, the present study theoretically explores and empirically tests whether those differences are because of Islamic religiosity. This assumption is often made but has yet to be empirically addressed. Using unique data on young Muslim adults in the Netherlands and more direct measurements of religious interpretations on homosexuality, we find that Islamic religiosity as such hardly fuels intolerance of homosexual people. In fact, our results show that even believing that Islam forbids homosexuality does not necessarily fuel Muslims' intolerance of homosexual people. Rather, what is pivotal, is whether such beliefs are coupled with a willingness to judge, rather than leaving judgment to Allah. We conclude that only among young adult Dutch Muslims who believe it is up to them to judge homosexuality, do homonegative interpretations of Islam feed into intolerance of homosexual people.

Cross-national analyses require additional controls to account for the non-independence of nations

Cross-national analyses test hypotheses about the drivers of variation in national outcomes. However, since nations are connected in various ways, such as via spatial proximity and shared cultural ancestry, cross-national analyses often violate assumptions of non-independence, inflating false positive rates. Here, we show that, despite being recognised as an important statistical pitfall for over 200 years, cross-national research in economics and psychology still does not sufficiently account for non-independence. In a review of the 100 highest-cited cross-national studies of economic development and values, we find that controls for non-independence are rare. When studies do control for non-independence, our simulations suggest that most commonly used methods are insufficient for reducing false positives in non-independent data. In reanalyses of twelve previous cross-national correlations, half of the estimates are compatible with no association after controlling for non-independence using global proximity matrices. We urge social scientists to sufficiently control for non-independence in cross-national research.

BDSM in North America, Europe, and Oceania: A Large-Scale International Survey Gauging BDSM Interests and Activities

BDSM bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism is a widespread and highly prevalent yet stigmatized practice of intimacy and sexuality. In recent years, international interest in BDSM research has grown, mainly resulting in prevalence studies in various countries. To date, however, no research has investigated international and intercontinental differences in the nature of BDSM interests and fantasies, BDSM roles and practicing contexts among BDSM practitioners. In order to explore international discrepancies in BDSM identity, fantasies, and activities among self-identified BDSM practitioners, a group of FetLife (a social network website for BDSM and kink interested individuals) members (N = 1,112) originating from North America (n = 458), Europe (n = 566), Oceania (n = 46), and Other (n = 42) completed the survey. Europeans reported an earlier age of onset of fantasizing about BDSM than did North Americans. More North Americans indicated practicing BDSM in a public context than did Europeans and Oceanians. These differences could in part be explained by different cultural backgrounds, higher levels of religiosity, and current stigmas toward non-traditional sexual interests. Future research should focus on clarifying whether cultural mechanisms underlie these dissimilarities.

Don't Be My Neighbor: Exploring Social and Value Predictors of Sexual Prejudice Expressed by Those Who Fully Accept Sexual Minorities

It is without a doubt that acceptance of sexual minorities is growing across the globe. Two major narratives are commonly assumed to be true about this increased acceptance. First, this acceptance is increased by proximity to the stigmatized. Second, this acceptance is enduring. These might not be entirely true as multiple attitudinal datasets frequently show a diversity among the accepting population, especially for those who express full acceptance of the stigmatized while refusing neighboring proximity to them. This inconsistency in acceptance is the main focus of this study. Using rejection of neighboring proximity to sexual minorities as a case for stigma and data from the Integrated Values Surveys (n = 52,796; 48.15% male), this study explores the similarities and differences between those who fully accept sexual minorities and those who express heightened sexual prejudice when rejecting neighboring proximity to sexual minorities. Logistic regression models show those in the accepting population who reject neighboring proximity to sexual minorities are more likely to be men, lower educated, highly religious, hold a traditional gender-related belief, and are attracted to right-wing political ideologies. While those with extreme sexual prejudice share sex, age, and traditional gender-related beliefs in rejecting neighboring proximity to sexual minorities, no effects for educational attainment and political ideology were discovered. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

When Health Intersects with Gender and Sexual Diversity: Medical Students' Attitudes Towards LGBTQ Patients

A central tenet of the health professions is that of equitable access to health care. However, disparities in equitable healthcare provision continues to be a challenge in many societies due to prejudices against the LGBTQ community. This study was aimed at exploring the attitudes of medical students toward LGBTQ patients in Malaysia. A qualitative approach was adopted to seek depth of understanding of clinical year medical students' perceptions and attitudes toward LGBTQ patients. Data were collected in 2018 through individual interviews and focus group discussions with a total of 29 participants, using a semi-structured question guideline. Purposive sampling comprised representation from the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia. Thematic analysis using NVivo highlighted three main themes i.e., neutrality, in compliance with the Professional Code of Conduct; implicit biases and tolerance of an Odd Identity; explicit biases with prejudices and stereotyping. The lack of knowledge and understanding of the nature and issues of sexuality is problematic as found in this study. They are primarily biases and prejudices projected onto marginalized LGBTQ patients who must contend with multiple jeopardies in conservative societies such as in Malaysia. With some state policies framed around Islam the concern is with the belief among Malay/Islamic students for LGBTQ individuals to go through conversion 'therapies' to become cisgender and heterosexual.

Measuring LGBT Discrimination in a Buddhist Country

Previous literature has found that, among other religions, Buddhism tends to be relatively less discriminatory against members of the LGBT community. However, this assessment is based solely on cross-country comparisons rather than analyses of discrimination at the individual level. The present study therefore uses an individual-level dataset that comprises a national representative sample of 27,855 observations to examine discrimination against LGBT people in Thailand, as a case study of such discrimination in a Buddhist country. It also examines the influence of Buddhist thoughts concerning prosocial behavior and positive emotions, which might be expected to reduce LGBT discrimination. Using an order-probit model, we find that while those who practice Buddhism tend to discriminate against members of this community less than do adherents of other religions, older generations tend to discriminate against LGBT people more than do their younger counterparts. Buddhist teachings regarding prosocial behavior such as reciprocating benefactors and donating money and goods as well as fostering positive emotions such as sincerely forgiving others and feeling gratified after helping others tend to reduce discrimination against LGBT individuals.

A novel curriculum for the Same-Sex Marriage Act and Patient Right to Autonomy Act (SMPRA) module based on two new laws in Taiwan: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

The establishment of laws has had a tremendous impact on holistic medical care. The Patient Right to Autonomy (PRA) Act and the Same-Sex Marriage Act have been passed in Taiwan, and both have sparked intense societal debate. The Same-Sex Marriage Act and PRA Act (SMPRA) teaching module was created for the Gender, Medicine, and Law (GML) course of the medical curriculum. This video trigger-assisted problem-based learning (VTA-PBL) software has integrated content on the aforementioned legislative proclamations. It upends conventional beliefs and fosters reflective practices on sexual rights and the right to representation among medical students. This study examined how the SMPRA module affected the knowledge and attitudes of medical students taking up the GML course.

METHODS

A simple pre-/post-test design evaluated the outcomes of the PBL module to examine the changes in knowledge and attitudes of medical students toward same-sex marriage rights. In 2019 and 2020, 126 and 49 5th-year medical students took up the GML course, respectively. The GML components included a video scenario representing advanced decision-making and a healthcare agency with a same-sex couple, a PBL discussion, and student feedback presentations. The mechanisms of feedback collection and measuring student knowledge and attitudes toward sexual rights differed between one cohort in 2019 and the other in 2020. Pre- and post-lecture tests were used in the first school year, whereas a post-lecture open-ended questionnaire survey was used in the second school year.

RESULTS

In total, 90 and 39 eligible questionnaires were received in the first and second school years, respectively, which corresponded to response rates of 71% and 80%. Students showed a better understanding of and positive enhancement of proficiency in legal and ethical content and relevant clinical practice. Qualitative analysis revealed that students viewed healthcare providers as checkpoints for conflicts of interest; medical ethics as the cornerstone of clinical practice; cultural background as a significant influence on decision-making; and empathetic communication as the cornerstone of relationships between patients, family members, and doctors.

CONCLUSION

The GML course of the SMPRA module fosters reflective practices on ethical and legal sexual rights issues.

Attitudes Toward Lesbians, Gay Men, and Their Rights in a Sample of Ecuadorian Cisgender Men and Women

Since 1997, Ecuador has undergone a series of changes to ensure family rights to sexual minorities. However, there is still limited research regarding attitudes toward them. This study focused on the attitudes toward lesbians (L), gay men (G), and their rights. A sample of 318 cisgender Ecuadorians who responded to an online survey was recruited. Analyses indicated that men, heterosexuals, who practice their religion, attend more frequently to religious services, and identify as conservative showed higher levels of prejudice against LG as well as less support toward their rights. Further, participants who did not have LG acquaintances, friends, family members, and those who did not know any LG parented family showed less support toward these populations. Multiple regression analyses indicated that believing that a person's sexual orientation is learned significantly predicted the attitudes measured in our study. Implications of these findings to help reduce prejudice against LG individuals are discussed.

What triggers depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men? A sequential mediation model of sexual minority-related stigma and self-criticism

A growing number of studies has shown that gay and bisexual men are more likely to experience adverse mental health status than their heterosexual counterparts. Stigma-related stress and self-criticism are believed likely to exacerbate depressive symptoms among gay and bisexual men. This research used cross-sectional findings to illustrate the mediating role of internalized self-stigma and self-criticism in the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms. A total of 317 Chinese gay and bisexual men (267 gays and 50 bisexuals with a mean age of 25.29) were invited to participate in this study from October to November 2021. Sociodemographic characteristics, perceived public stigma, internalized self-stigma, self-criticism and depressive symptoms were measured through self-reported online questionnaires. The results indicated that the association between perceived public stigma and depressive symptoms was sequentially mediated by internalized self-stigma and self-criticism. The findings indicated that public stigma, as a distal stressor, was perceived and internalized as self-stigma by gay and bisexual men. This self-stigma may pose a risk for depressive symptoms via self-criticism (a maladaptive consequence of their attempts to reduce cognitive dissonance). These results highlight the necessity of reducing sexual minority-related stigma and self-criticism to reduce depressive symptoms. Our findings appeal to society to further decrease prejudice and stigma, increase tolerance, and focus on the negative mental health status of gay and bisexual men.

Whose Rights are Civil Rights? Evaluating Group Threat as an Explanation for Racial Differences in Attitudes Toward Same-Gender Sexuality

The alleged prevalence of anti-gay bias among Black communities in the United States has received ample popular and academic attention in recent decades. But just how consistent is the purported relationship between race and homophobia? In this paper, we use the American National Election Studies and the General Social Survey to show that public claims about "Black homophobia" have been dangerously overstated. Moreover, where racial differences in attitudes toward same-gender sexuality do occur, we find that the two most prevalent scholarly explanations for such gaps-religious institutions and gender ideologies-do not predict anti-gay bias for Black survey respondents. We thus derive an alternative explanation from scholarship on group threat: that perceived competition for political resources is what motivates racial differences in antagonism toward same-gender sexuality. Our results support that alternative and, in so doing, evince the importance of a relational approach to homophobia in academic and activist spheres alike.

The social values of newly arrived immigrants in Sweden

Concerns have been raised that immigrants coming to Europe bring fundamentally different social values, affecting the more liberal receiving societies negatively. However, the topic of immigrants' social values is understudied, and much research studies only one issue at a time, lacking a systematic approach to compare immigrants and native-born across issues. We study the social values of immigrants in Sweden using a large sample of newly arrived immigrants and their opinions on 35 different moral issues. Our results indicate a large heterogeneity across different issues, with, on average, a general tendency towards liberal social values among immigrants. We find that individual characteristics are more important than characteristics of the country of origin in explaining variation of social values between immigrants. Religiosity has the largest effect, with more religious individuals having more conservative stances. Using external data sources, we compare immigrants with native-born regarding both average positions on different issues, and the correlation between issue positions. Compared with the native-born, immigrants have, on average, somewhat more conservative values, but the underlying values structure is the same.

Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence: An Examination of Individual, Community, and National Factors

Despite being a human rights violation, child marriage still takes place across the globe. Prior scholarship has shown early marriage to be associated with an increased risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing on data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys-conducted in developing and transitional nations where rates of child marriage tend to be higher-the current study provides a cross-national examination of individual-, community-, and national-level predictors of child marriage and their association with physical and emotional IPV. The sample of ever married women includes 281,674 respondents across 46 developing and transitional nations. Findings reveal the prevalence of child marriage was largely consistent with worldwide estimates. Over half of the sample (59.97%) were over the age of 18 when they married and about 1 in 10 women were married at age 14 or younger. A later age at marriage, measured continuously, was associated with lower odds of physical and emotional IPV. When considering the 18 and over cutoff traditionally used to operationalize child marriage, the odds of physical and emotional IPV were lower for women who married over the age of 18 than women who were 14 and younger when they married. However, there was a confounding effect when considering age at marriage as 18 and over when community-level predictors were not included in the model estimating physical abuse. This underscores the need to consider the nested nature of respondents' experiences. Further, national legislation that protects against child marriage was not associated with risk of physical or emotional IPV. However, population size increased the odds of physical IPV and lowered the odds of emotional IPV. Such findings can be interpreted in light of opportunity theory and provide direction for prevention and intervention programming.

Association between Homophobia and Sociodemographic Characteristics in Health Workers in Southern Chile

Homophobic attitude in health workers is a social determinant in the health of the homosexual population because it affects healthcare and its access and equity. The objective was to determine the relationship between the level of homophobia and sociodemographic characteristics of primary health workers in southern Chile. This was an analytical cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 491 public servants from health centers in southern Chile. The attitudes toward lesbians and gay men (ATLG) scale was applied, and a binary logistic regression model was performed to evaluate the association. The study participants were predominantly women (76.0%), under 40 years of age (63.5%), heterosexuals (93.5%), and unpartnered (68.2%) but with children (61.7%), and they also had an educational attainment ≥ 12 years (66.6%). About 87.6% of the participants held healthcare positions, and the majority were religious believers (74.3%) and had a centrist political affiliation (51.0%). Results indicated that 34% of the participants exhibited homophobic attitudes; there were statistically significant differences with respect to age, number of children, educational attainment, religion, and political affiliation (p < 0.01). These were higher in individuals ≥40 years of age, with ≥3 children, with educational attainment ≥ 12 years, holding a healthcare position, who were religious believers, and who had right-wing political affiliation.

Media representation matters: The effects of exposure to counter-stereotypical gay male characters on heterosexual men’s expressions of discrimination

Presence of gay men in mainstream media may have a positive impact on viewers’ attitude change. However, gay male characters are often stereotypically portrayed as feminine, and no research has yet explored audiences’ reactions to counter-stereotypical gay characters. Heterosexual Italian men ( N = 158) were exposed to a clip portraying (i) a stereotypical feminine gay male character, (ii) a counter-stereotypical masculine gay male character, or (iii) a nature documentary. Compared to the other conditions, exposure to the counter-stereotypical gay character increased discrimination toward gay men, in the form of anti-gay jokes, the higher the level of participants’ prejudice against gay men. Results further demonstrated that this effect was explained by reduced perceived stereotypicality of the character. Findings are in line with the social identity theory prediction that when gay men (outgroup) are perceived as too similar, and potentially threaten the group identity, heterosexual men would attempt to restore ingroup distinctiveness.

Fear and cultural background drive sexual prejudice in France – a sentiment analysis approach

Sexual prejudice and its negative consequences remain major issues in Western societies, and numerous studies have tried to pinpoint its sociocultural underpinnings. However, most research has operationalized sexual prejudice via self-report measures or via implicit association tests (IATs), although it surfaces in language use and can be traced in spontaneous speech.

Here, we report results from an experimental study investigating sexual prejudice in a corpus of spontaneous speech samples. Specifically, we tested in a context-sensitive sentiment analysis approach which attitudes (negative vs. positive) and emotions (joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust) were voiced by the participants in response to picture prompts displaying homosexual couples. We also considered the sociocultural basis of prejudicial attitudes, in particular the effects of the participants’ cultural background (France vs. Maghreb), age and gender. We find strong effects of cultural background and gender both on the frequency of negative vs. positive attitudes expressed, and on discrete emotion categories, namely that male Maghrebian participants were more negative and conveyed more fear. The results are discussed in the context of current diversity approaches in France and their implications for potential prejudice regulation strategies. We further discuss in how far our context-sensitive sentiment analysis approach advances research on sexual prejudice.

Are Benevolent Attitudes More Closely Related to Attitudes toward Homosexuals than Hostile Ones? Cases of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia

Previous studies have shown that ambivalent gender attitudes are associated with attitudes toward homosexuals. However, most of these studies have primarily considered ambivalent attitudes toward women and attitudes toward gay men, and have been carried out in countries with progressive laws regarding homosexuality. In this study, we examined the connection between ambivalent attitudes toward men and women and attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women in countries with conservative sexual legislation. In the first study, participants were residents of Russia (N = 163) and Kazakhstan (N = 194), while the second study used residents of Russia (N = 496) and Belarus (N = 123). Results indicated that benevolent attitudes predicted attitudes toward gays and lesbians better than the hostile ones. At the same time, attitudes toward men and women similarly predicted attitudes toward gays and lesbians. These patterns were manifested among different components of attitudes toward homosexuals. The results are discussed within the social context of the countries.

What We Know and What Remains to Be Explored about LGBTQ Parent Families in Israel: A Sociocultural Perspective

This paper reviews research on gay and lesbian parent families in Israel through cultural lenses while recognizing the diversity of these families. The major aims of the review are: (1) to provide an overview of the situation of LGBTQ parent families in Israel, as well as of the sociocultural background of the Israeli context and its effects on sexual minorities and LGBTQ parent families; and (2) to identify the limitations and lacunas in the existing research and shed light on what remains to be explored. We searched numerous databases for relevant studies, adopting a narrative approach to summarize the main findings while taking into account the literature on the socio-cultural context in Israel and its impact on sexual minorities and LGBTQ parent families. The search yielded empirical results only for gay and lesbian parent families, with studies emphasizing the challenges they face and the factors related to their well-being and that of LGB individuals aspiring to become parents. In addition, it revealed that research on children’s psychosocial adjustment as a function of parental sexual orientation is quite scarce in Israel. Moreover, it indicated the absence of investigations of bisexual, transgender, or queer parents. We conclude that the sociocultural context of Israel, including its pronatalist and familistic orientation, may play an important role in shaping the experiences of LGBTQ parent families, and should be taken into consideration when studying LGBTQ parents.

Does Religion Prevent LGBTQ Acceptance? A Case Study with Queer and Trans Muslims in Toronto, Canada

This paper looks at the terms and conditions of acceptance for queer and trans Muslims in dominant Muslim groups. The social tension between LGBTQ Identity and religion is explored through ethnographic research with "hybrid" LGBTQ Muslim organizations and "non-hybrid" Muslim ones in Toronto, Canada. The study draws on forty-seven in-depth interviews conducted with leaders of both hybrid groups and non-hybrid ones, in order to explore (1) what the acceptance of LGBTQ Muslims constitutes, (2) whether acceptance is acquired/conferred, and (3) whether religion prevents acceptance. I measure degrees of acceptance by comparing non-hybrid interviewee responses to characteristics that constitute ideal types of "acceptance" and "non-acceptance." Responses are weighed against interviews with hybrid group leaders as well as participant-observation data. Results show a range of four acceptance levels for non-hybrid Muslim groups. The data also show that religious belief alone does not explain or account for acceptance.

Stability and change in attitudes towards homosexuality among immigrant-origin adolescents in Norway

This article explores attitudes about the acceptability of homosexuality among immigrant-origin adolescents in Norway. Using a sample of students enrolled in upper secondary school, and comparing the data from the World Value Survey, I discuss the extent to which attitudes towards homosexuality among immigrant-origin youth are predominantly static or subject to change as a result of exposure to Norwegian society. Despite substantial differences between native- and immigrant-origin youth, and between different groups according to regional origin and religious affiliation, I find clear indications of changes in attitudes across all groups in the direction of higher level of tolerance. Immigrant-origin youth in Norway consider themselves more tolerant than their parents; have more positive attitudes towards homosexuality than adolescents residing in their countries of origin have; and family length of residence correlates positively with acceptance of homosexuality. Exposure in the form of school contexts where native-origin adolescents make up a larger proportion of the student body is also positively correlated with more positive attitudes towards homosexuality among immigrant-origin youth, but only at the highest level of native density.

Intragroup Differences of the Non-religious: Attitudes Towards Same-Sex Marriage and Same-Sex Adoption in the United States

The Non-religious have been growing in numbers in the United States over the past decade. Yet even with their now large numbers we know little about the differences between various versions of non-religious affiliation. Using 2014 survey data from the Public Religion Research Institute this paper examines the attitudes toward same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption of the non-religious. Two non-religious groups are examined Non-theists (atheists and agnostics) and the Religiously Disengaged (non-religious but not atheist or agnostic). Our hypotheses ask if Non-theists are more likely to support same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption than the Religiously Disengaged. The hypotheses are tested across regression models that account for lingering religiosity, religious upbringing, and knowing a homosexual person. The data indicate that there are significant differences between Non-theists and the Religiously Disengaged across all models, with Non-theists being more likely to support same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption than the Religiously Disengaged.

Evangelical Protestant Women's Views on Homosexuality and LGBT Rights in Korea: The Role of Confucianism and Nationalism in Heteronormative Ideology

Much scholarly attention has been devoted to understanding the demographic, religious, and socio-economic factors that may lead to homonegativity. However, little is known about how and why people oppose homosexuality and LGBT rights. To fill this gap, this work examines how heterosexual religious mothers perceive homosexuality and LGBT rights focusing on the role of indigenous culture. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 30 evangelical Protestant women in South Korea, my findings indicate that evangelical women's perceptions of LGBT rights and their justification display evangelical notion of procreation, motherly moral concerns about the rapid change in heteronormative ideals, and ambivalence about an individualistic, expressive culture. I argue that heteronormative ideology forms a key construct that determines the responses of evangelical women. In addition, such an idea is not only guided by evangelical teaching but also reinforced by a complex amalgamation of Confucian tradition and nationalism, thus restricting sexual drive and emotions for the sake of families and the nation. Heterosexual family norms operate in a way that it is synchronized with a combination of Confucian-family-oriented collectivism and nationalism. This study contributes to complicating a simple, one-dimensional understanding of public attitudes on homosexuality by offering a nuanced look into the configuration of heterosexual ideologies, which are unique in the Korean context.

Changing Public Tolerance for Same-Sex Sexual Behaviors in China, 2010-2017: A Decomposition Analysis

Although the majority of the Chinese general public remains unaccepting of same-sex sexual behaviors, results from multiple waves of the Chinese General Social Survey have shown a substantial change in the public tolerance for same-sex sexual behaviors between 2010 and 2017. Using logistic regression models and decomposition analysis, the current study revealed that while changes in the changes in the demographic predictors (e.g., cohort succession and improved education) contributed to some of the attitudinal change, changes in the predictor coefficients explained most of the attitudinal change. Specifically, the Internet historically played a critical role in shaping pro-LGBTQ consciousness in China, but its effect has diminished over time. Socioeconomic factors such as education and household registration status (i.e., urban versus rural origin) have gained statistical significance and effect size in their prediction of public tolerance. Policy and advocacy implications of the findings are also discussed.

Attitudes of Indonesian health science undergraduates toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND

Sexuality is a fundamental part of the lives of human beings. However, a significant inequality exists regarding the right of an individual with intellectual disabilities.

AIMS

This study aimed to explore the attitudes of undergraduate health science students toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) in Indonesia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed using the Indonesian version of Attitudes toward Sexuality Questionnaires in Intellectual Disability (ASQ-ID). This study involved 617 students in medical, psychology, and public health undergraduate programs.

RESULTS

Among all participants (n = 617, male = 137, female = 480), the attitude towards self-control was found a significant difference among all three health science undergraduates (p = .01). The psychology students had the most favorable attitudes toward self-control compared to other students. The difference was found between medical and public health students and between public health and psychology students with p = .009 and p = .011, respectively. Religion was significantly affected for the non-reproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038). The religion was found to have significant effect on the attitude towards nonreproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038).

CONCLUSIONS

Results show that Indonesian undergraduate students majoring in the health sciences have varying attitudes toward sexuality in individuals with ID. Medical and psychology students have more favorable attitudes toward self-control, whereas public health students have less favorable attitudes. Their religion influencing the attitudes toward nonreproductive sexual behavior.

Intragroup Differences of the Non-Religious: Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage and Same-Sex Adoption in the United States

The Non-religious have been growing in numbers in the United States over the past decade. Yet even with their now large numbers we know little about the differences between various versions of non-religious affiliation. Using 2014 survey data from the Public Religion Research Institute this paper examines the attitudes toward same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption of the non-religious. Two non-religious groups are examined Non-theists (atheists and agnostics) and the Religiously Disengaged (non-religious but not atheist or agnostic). Our hypotheses ask if Non-theists are more likely to support same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption than the Religiously Disengaged. The hypotheses are tested across regression models that account for lingering religiosity, religious upbringing, and knowing a homosexual person. The data indicate that there are significant differences between Non-theists and the Religiously Disengaged across all models, with Non-theists being more likely to support same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption than the Religiously Disengaged.

Factors Affecting the Public Acceptance of Extramarital Sex in China

There is a lack of quantitative studies on the acceptance of extramarital sex in China. Based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey 2013 (CGSS2013), this paper used a zero-inflated Poisson regression model to analyze the factors influencing the public’s attitudes toward extramarital sex. When other variables were controlled, groups of younger ages, higher educational levels, and stronger tendencies toward “liberalization” and non-Islamic beliefs were more tolerant toward extramarital sex, whereas gender and Christian beliefs had no significant influence. In this regard, family and marriage counseling, and society’s moral tolerance and social control of religion are discussed, and further research on cross-cultural verification is needed.

Religion and Prejudice Across Cultures: A Test of the Threat-Constraint Model

The present set of studies investigated the role of being religious in the prediction of various forms of prejudice. Following the threat-constraint model, we predicted that contexts characterized by high threat attenuate—or constrain—the relationship between individual differences in being religious on the one hand and antigay prejudice and sexism on the other. A worldwide investigation of these regional constraints was conducted in the Americas Barometer (125,984 individuals nested in 20 countries; Study 1), the World Values Survey (69,798 individuals nested in 45 countries; Study 2), and the European Social Survey (44,386 individuals nested in 274 Nomenclature des Unités Territoriales Statistiques regions; Study 3). Results identify a key moderating role of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, revealing strong associations between religion and prejudice in regions low in power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and collectivism, whereas the religion–prejudice association is constrained (i.e., weaker and often absent) in regions high on those cultural dimensions.

Rejecting homosexuality but tolerating homosexuals: The complex relations between religiosity and opposition to homosexuality in 9 Arab countries

Public debates portray Arab Muslims as universally opposed to homosexuality due to Islam. Those Orientalist claims are mirrored by large-scale studies that argue Muslims oppose homosexuality more than non-Muslims. We argue that assuming religion and opposition to homosexuality are unidimensional concepts obscures how they relate to each other and why; we study both "religiosity" and "opposition to homosexuality" multidimensionally. WVS data on 9000 Arab Muslims show, first, that although most respondents reject both homosexuality and homosexuals, one in five reject homosexuality but do not object to having homosexual neighbors. A substantial minority of Arab Muslims thus "hate the sin but love the sinner". Multilevel analyses show that stronger religious attachment increases opposition to homosexuality and homosexual people. However, all other dimensions of religiosity we study (textualism, mosque attendance, and altruism) also reduce some oppositions. Consequently, the argument that Arab Muslims' religiosity only leads to opposition to homosexuality is too simplistic.

The Association between Adherence to Sexist Beliefs and Traditional Family Norms, Religion, and Attitudes toward Sexual Minorities

Much remains unknown about the collective influence of adherence to sexist beliefs and traditional family norms on attitudes toward sexual minorities. Understanding factors that shape attitudes are important as attitudes can influence the development of laws and policies. This is particularly salient as rights gaps remain in spite of recent legal victories for sexual minorities in the U.S. Using a weighted nationally representative sample (N = 3,647) from the 2016 American National Election Studies, the current study examined the association between adherence to sexist beliefs and traditional family norms, religion, and attitudes toward sexual minorities. Individuals with a stronger adherence to sexist beliefs and traditional family norms have less favorable attitudes toward sexual minorities. This finding illustrates the nexus of sex, gender, and sexuality, and shows their collective association with attitudes toward sexual minorities. Findings can inform advocacy efforts and initiatives that address misconceptions regarding sexual minorities and what characteristics constitute masculinity and femininity.

An explorative approach to the cross-section of international migration and sexual preference: same-sex couples in Germany

We study the intersection of international migration and sexual preference from a socio-demographic perspective by looking at same-sex couples among migrants in Germany. Despite increasing ethnic diversity and greater social and legal liberality toward non-normative living arrangements, there are hardly any available quantitative data on this vulnerable group, which crosses two social boundaries. Drawing on the scientific-use file of the German Microcensus (2013), we estimate the prevalence of same-sex couples among female and male migrants, and describe their socio-demographic characteristics. We use different approaches to imputing data to account for the possibility that the reported information on same-sex relationships may be missing or wrong, and consider different definitions of “migrant status”. Our results show that the share of couples who were same-sex was smaller among the immigrant (0.2 to 1.4%) than among the native population (0.6 to 2.0%). Moreover, migrants in a same-sex couple were more similar in terms of other socio-demographic variables (age, education) to natives in a same-sex union than to migrants in an opposite-sex union. This study contributes to the LGBT social science literature by providing the first quantitative description of this minority-in-a minority group in Germany.

Internalized Homophobia, Coping, and Quality of Life Among Nigerian Gay and Bisexual Men

Despite high levels of homophobia in Nigeria, no studies have investigated the quality of life (QOL) of Nigerian gay and bisexual (GB) men. The associations between QOL and minority stress may differ from those reported in developed countries and may indicate alternative interventions. This study investigated internalized homophobia (IH) and coping strategies among gay and bisexual men in Nigeria and the relationships with overall QOL. Eighty-nine GB men were recruited with a snowball sampling technique. QOL (outcome), IH (predictor) and coping strategies (covariates) were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Relationships were investigated using linear regression analyses. Participants used adaptive more frequently than maladaptive coping strategies. The relationship between IH and QOL was nonlinear (β = -0.27, 95% CI = -0.48, -0.06), and the positive component was attenuated by adaptive coping strategies. Adaptive strategies can be reinforced as a therapeutic intervention to improve wellbeing among gay and bisexual men in Nigeria.

Sexual orientation disparities in food insecurity and food assistance use in U.S. adult women: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2014

Background

Nearly 40 million American adults report past year food insecurity. This is concerning, as food insecurity is associated with chronic disease morbidity and premature mortality. Women disproportionately experience food insecurity, and sexual minority women (i.e., lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women reporting same-sex behavior; SMW) may be at greater risk for experiencing food insecurity disparities. The purpose of this study was to investigate patterns and prevalence of food insecurity and food assistance use in sexual minority and exclusively heterosexual women using population-level health surveillance data.

Methods

Using pooled 2004–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (N = 7379), we estimated weighted point prevalence of past 12-month food insecurity, severe food insecurity, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) use, and emergency food assistance use. We then used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios comparing SMW to exclusively heterosexual women on all outcomes. Women were classified by sexual identity and lifetime same-sex behavior as lesbian (n = 88), bisexual (n = 251), heterosexual and reporting same-sex behavior (heterosexual WSW; n = 366), or exclusively heterosexual women (referent; n = 6674).

Results

Between 20.6–27.3% of lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual WSW reported past 12-month food insecurity (versus 13.1% of exclusively heterosexual women). All SMW reported greater prevalence of past 12-month food insecurity and severe food insecurity than exclusively heterosexual women: prevalence ratios (PR) ranged from 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.70) to 1.84 (95% CI, 1.13–3.01). No differences were found in SNAP participation by sexual orientation, but more lesbians and heterosexual WSW reported using emergency food assistance in the past 12-months (PR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.29–2.79 and PR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.03–2.00 respectively).

Conclusions

All SMW reported higher prevalence of food insecurity than exclusively heterosexual women. Lesbians and heterosexual WSW were also more likely to rely on emergency food assistance. This is problematic as SNAP use may reduce food insecurity over time, but emergency food resources (e.g., food pantries) do not. More evidence is needed to understand the multilevel factors driving food insecurity in this population to develop policy and community-based efforts to increase SNAP participation and decrease food insecurity.

Tales From the Chalkface: Using Narratives to Explore Agency, Resilience, and Identity of Gay Teachers

Existing literature is dominated by accounts which position gay teachers as victims. We were concerned that this only presented a partial insight into the experiences of gay teachers. This study researched the personal and professional experiences of four gay teachers in England. It builds on existing research by presenting positive narratives rather than positioning gay teachers as victims. We use the term "chalkface" to illustrate that all were practicing teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore their experiences as gay teachers throughout their careers. The study used the life history method to create narratives of each participant. Semi-structured interviews were used. The study found that the repeal of Section 28 in England in 2003 did not have an immediate effect on the identities, resilience, and agency of the participants. The 2010 Equality Act in England and changes to the school inspection framework had a greater influence in supporting their agency, resilience, and willingness to merge personal and professional identities. All but one participant managed to use their identities as gay teachers to advance inclusion and social justice through the curriculum. Although the narratives that we have presented do illuminate some negative experiences, the accounts are largely positive, in contrast with existing literature which positions gay teachers as victims.