Abstract
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) youth experience more heterosexist bullying victimization than their straight peers, which contributes to mental health disparities. However, LGBQ youth may simultaneously experience other types of bias-based bullying (e.g., racist, cis-sexist, and able-ist bullying). Informed by intersectionality theory, this study describes intersections of LGBQ students’ experiences of multiple forms of bias-based bullying and explores demographic correlates of individual types and typologies of bias-based bullying. This study uses 2016 state-wide survey data from 9th and 11th grade students in Minnesota schools. The analytic sample was limited to students who reported a LGBQ sexual orientation and responded to bullying items (N = 8313). Typology indicators were six items assessing bias-based bullying in the previous 30 days (race, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, weight). Covariates (age, sexual orientation, assigned sex, gender identity, race, perceived gender presentation, individualized education program (IEP), weight status) also predicted class membership. A latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted, and the three-class model was best fitting, with classes characterized by high levels of all types of bias-based bullying (6.3%), gender expression and sexual orientation bullying (35.2%), and low levels of bias-based bullying (58.4%). LGBQ youth who also identified as transgender or gender diverse, had an IEP, reported perceived nonconforming gender presentation, and youth of color were more likely to belong to the multiple bias-based bullying typology. Future work should leverage an intersectional lens to design multilevel interventions and strategies to prevent bias-based bullying that attend to broader issues of stigma within school systems.
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Notes
Variations in acronyms reflect differences in study samples.
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Acknowledgments
Minnesota Student Survey data were provided by public school students in Minnesota via local public school districts and are managed by the Minnesota Student Survey Interagency Team.
Funding
Dr. Shramko was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Service Award (NRSA) in Primary Medical Care, Grant No. T32HP22239 (PI: Borowsky). Drs. Gower, McMorris, and Eisenberg were partially supported by the HRSA, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) (Grant No. T71MC0006 (PI: Sieving)).
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Shramko, M., Gower, A.L., McMorris, B.J. et al. Intersections Between Multiple Forms of Bias-Based Bullying Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Youth. Int Journal of Bullying Prevention 5, 285–295 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-019-00045-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-019-00045-3