Beyond Simple Differences: Moderators of Gender Differences in Heteronormativity

Professional and Personal Attitudes toward Discussing Sexuality and Degree of Religiosity among Social Workers

This study investigated the correlations between social workers' levels of religiosity and their professional attitudes toward discussing sexual health. The focus was particularly on the potential mediating role of their attitudes to heteronormative beliefs. A random sample of 150 social workers from Israel (Jewish [63.3 percent], Palestinian-Arab [36 percent], and those who self-identified as "other" [0.7 percent]) completed a self-administered questionnaire. The findings revealed significant correlations among professional attitudes toward discussing sexual health, attitudes toward heteronormativity, and degree of religiosity. Social workers with higher levels of religiosity exhibited higher levels of heteronormative beliefs, which, in turn, influenced their professional attitudes toward discussing sexual health. Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of challenging heteronormative perspectives for all social welfare service users. Social work must establish culturally sensitive training to challenge the hegemony of heteronormative perspectives while connecting to religious and conservative values and perceptions.

American Muslims' Attitudes Toward Homosexuality: Exploring the Effects of Gender, Religiosity, and Income Inequality

Literature on Muslims and Islam has not empirically assessed the impact of American Muslims' gender, religiosity, income inequality, and the interaction between the latter two factors, on their attitudes toward homosexuality. Using logistic regression models fitted to data from the 2017 Pew Survey of US Muslims (n = 712), this article assesses these factors' effects on their view that society should either accept or discourage homosexuality. Findings reveal that men, compared with women, and more religious individuals tend to express homonegativity; while those from higher-income households are likely to agree that society should accept same-sex relationships. Also, the religiosity-prejudice association is moderated by income inequality. These findings have important religious and social implications. Firstly, the prevailing approach of essentializing Islamic perspectives on homosexuality as being favorable or prejudicial overlooks that they are socially contingent. Secondly, policies contributing to Muslim minorities' economic well-being can encourage them to embrace liberal religious and social values.

Tackling Oppressive Beliefs and Sexual Violence on College Campuses: Evaluation of an Innovative Theater-Based Intervention

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence (SV) prevalence remains high among U.S. college campuses; prevention strategies may benefit from addressing socially oppressive beliefs, including racism, sexism, and heterosexism that all directly link to attitudes and beliefs related to SV.

AIMS

The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential efficacy of a novel student-driven, theater-based intervention in shifting beliefs regarding racism, heterosexism, and SV.

METHOD

Data were utilized from paired pre- and posttest surveys (n = 272) from undergraduate students, at a university in the Southeastern United States, who attended a student-driven theater production covering topics of SV, heterosexism, and racism. The survey included questions on rape myth acceptance, heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, perceived racism on campus, and relevant respondent demographic information.

RESULTS

After viewing the theater production, participants demonstrated significant decreases pretest-posttest in rape myth acceptance, (ΔM = 0.04, SD = 0.25), t(261) = 2.57, p = .01, heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, (ΔM = 0.09, SD = 0.36), t(267) = 3.32, p = .0001, and an increased pretest-posttest in perceived racism on campus, (ΔM = -0.15, SD = 0.47), t(266) = -5.15, p < .0001. For rape myth acceptance and heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, no apparent differences were present by race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or year in school. Only White and mixed-race students' levels of perceived prevalence racism increased when examined by race.

IMPLICATIONS

Findings from this study suggest that theater interventions may not only be an effective tool for addressing SV on campus, but also targeting other forms of discrimination, including sexism, homophobia, and racism among students.

Behavior without beliefs: Profiles of heteronormativity and well-being among heterosexual and non-heterosexual university students in Chile

Heteronormativity comprises essentialist, binary beliefs about sex and gender, and normative behaviors derived from those beliefs. There is scarce literature on how heteronormative attitudes and well-being variables are concurrent among individuals who are heterosexual or gay, lesbian, bisexual, and of other queer sexual identities (LGBQ). The objective of this study was to distinguish profiles of university students based on essentialism and normative behavior, two dimensions of heteronormativity, and to characterize these groups by sexual orientation and gender, perceived social support, physical and mental health, and life satisfaction. A sample of 552 university students in Temuco, Chile, responded to an online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions, the Scale of Heteronormative Attitudes and Beliefs, the Life Satisfaction Scale, the Health-Related Quality of Life Index, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. We used Latent profile analysis to distinguish profiles based on significant score differences in Essentialism and Normative behavior. We identified four heteronormativity profiles: High heteronormativity (34.85%), with a significant proportion of heterosexuals and men; Low heteronormativity (25.59%), comprising a significant proportion of students who were non-binary, and LGBQ; Heteronormativity focused on normative behavior (20.42%), with a significant proportion students who were men or non-binary, and who were lesbian, gay or bisexual or preferred not to disclose their sexual orientation; and Heteronormativity focused on essentialism (19.14%), with a significant proportion of heterosexuals and women, and individuals who preferred not to disclose their sexual orientation. The four profiles differed in the proportions of students by faculty and area of residence (urban/rural), and by life satisfaction, self-perceived mental health, and perceived social support. These results show that patterns of association between heteronormativity and subjective well-being are heterogeneous among heterosexual and non-heterosexual individuals. Some of these patterns may respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted daily life and social dynamics. These findings expand our understanding of advantageous and disadvantageous conditions associated with maintaining heteronormativity attitudes, particularly among non-heterosexual individuals.

Heteronormativity, Disgust Sensitivity, and Hostile Attitudes toward Gay Men: Potential Mechanisms to Maintain Social Hierarchies

Within a social hierarchy based on sexual orientation, heteronormative ideology serves as a social force that maintains dominant group members' status (e.g., heterosexual men). Disgust may be an emotional reaction to gay men's violation of heteronormativity (i.e., same-sex sexual behavior) and motivate hostile attitudes toward gay men to promote interpersonal and intergroup boundaries. Based on this theoretical framework, we hypothesized that sexual disgust-compared to pathogen or moral disgust-would be most strongly associated with antigay hostility and would statistically mediate its relationship with heteronormativity. Heterosexual men in the United States (n = 409) completed an online questionnaire assessing heteronormative ideology, disgust sensitivity, and hostile attitudes toward gay men. Results support the hypotheses and suggest that gay men's sexual behavior is the most likely elicitor of disgust and antigay hostility, as opposed to a perceived pathogen threat or moral transgression. The findings indicate that heteronormative attitudes and sexual disgust are likely contributors to antigay hostility. Thus, intervention efforts should seek to improve tolerance of same-sex sexual behavior among heterosexual men, which may mitigate emotional reactions and hostile attitudes toward gay men.