“LGBTQ students experience depression at higher rates than general population, negatively influencing success in college & higher rates of attempted or actual suicide.” (Pediatrics 2011)

“Nationally, LGBTQ students experience depression at higher rates than the general population, which negatively influences success in college (1) or worse, higher rates of attempted or actual suicide. Students who come out to their guardians may also lose financial support, jeopardizing persistence toward a degree. (2) Because we are a Catholic university, we recognize the inherent human dignity of all of our students and, as a result, are obligated to support their success. This is as true of our LGTBQ students as any other cohort. We know, however, that LGBTQ students often face unique challenges, including struggling to negotiate their sexual orientation and/or gender identity with their faith development. (3)”

— Rio et al. (2016) University of San Diego 2015-2016 LGBTQ Student Success Survey, available at https://www.sandiego.edu/inclusion/documents/2015-16%20LGBT%20Student%20Success%20Study%20FINAL.pdf.

Citing:

1. Hatzenbuehler, M. L. (2011). The social environment and suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Pediatrics, 127(5), 896-903; Schmidt, C. K., Miles, J. R., & Welsh, A. C. (2010). Perceived discrimination and social support: The influences on career development and college adjustment of LGBT college students. Journal of Career Development, 0894845310372615. Paul, J. P., et al (2002). Suicide attempts among gay and bisexual men: lifetime prevalence and antecedents. American Journal of Public Health, 92(8), 1338-1345.

2. Higa, D. et al (2014). Negative and positive factors associated with the well-being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Youth & Society 46(5), 663-687.

3. Gattis, M. N., Woodford, M. R., & Han, Y. (2014). Discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexual minority youth: Is gay-affirming religious affiliation a protective factor? Arch Sex Behav 43, 1589- 1599.

"A growing number of colleges and universities have been asking students to identify their gender identity and sexual orientation on admissions forms." (INSIGHT into Diversity 2016)

“In the last decade, a growing number of colleges and universities have been asking students to identify their gender identity and sexual orientation on admissions forms, either by adding a question to their own application or by adding a supplemental question to the Common Application. These institutions include Dartmouth College, Duke University, Elmhurst College, Elon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern Illinois University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Rochester, and all two-year colleges in California and Washington. In addition, the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), the most comprehensive source of information on college students, has also begun to ask questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.”

— Shane Windmeyer, INSIGHT Into Diversity 2016

"Young people and adults who adhere to rigid gender stereotyping and notions of masculinity are more likely to experience and commit sexual harassment and dating violence.” (Promundo 2018)

“When men believe that they are not – or are not perceived to be – “masculine” or “man enough,” they may use intimate partner violence as a way to overcompensate or conform with gendered expectations (Moore and Stuart 2005; Reidy et al. 2014). This dynamic is sometimes called “masculine discrepancy stress” or “gender role stress,” and it may be linked to multiple forms of violence.

A study in India (Krishnan et al. 2010) found that women were more likely to experience intimate partner violence if their husbands’ job stability decreased. A threat to a man’s status as a breadwinner might represent a threat to his masculine identity and thus could prompt violence as a way to regain social status and maintain power structures in the home, particularly if his wife was more securely employed.”

— Heilman & Barker (2018:28)

“Multiple studies confirm that rigid norms regarding gender, gender roles, family, and marriage – together with men’s childhood experiences of violence – contribute to men’s use of violence against female partners (Heise 2011; Moore and Stuart 2005; Levtov et al. 2014).

When men adhere more strongly to rigid, inequitable definitions of masculinity, they are more likely to also report perpetrating many forms of intimate partner violence (Barker et al. 2011; Levtov et al. 2014; Fleming et al. 2015).

In some settings, specific norms establish violence as an acceptable gender expression and problem-solving strategy for men, as well as social acceptance of intimate partner violence as a normal part of intimate relationships (Heise 2011).

In many contexts, a man’s use of violence against his wife as a way to control her behavior and reinforce
power structures implicitly or explicitly confers greater social status.”

— Heilman & Barker (2018:28)

The study describes comprehensive programs and multiple examples of ways to engage people of all genders in discussions about how traditional gender norms and gender non-conformity are connected with perpetration and experiences of bullying. Initiatives aimed at providing participants with a safe place to practice nonviolent, healthier ways to navigate peer groups and social dynamics incorporate gender-transformative methods to reshape the ways young people negotiate status and gender how they treat others.

Citation

Heilman, B. with Barker, G. (2018). Masculine Norms and Violence: Making the Connections. Washington, DC: Promundo-US. Available at https://promundoglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Masculine-Norms-and-Violence-Making-the-Connection-20180424.pdf.

“Receiving [information to counter gender stereotyping] at an early age is critical; there has been a steady decline in the average age at which puberty begins..." (NYT & PNAS 2015)

“Receiving [information designed to counter gender stereotyping] at an early age is critical. There has been a steady decline in the average age at which puberty begins. Among those assigned female at birth, some breast development by age seven and eight is no longer an anomaly. The age of the onset of puberty has also fallen for those assigned male at birth, from an average of age 11 to 10.5.”

— Tabuchi (NY Times 2015) & Joel et alia. (Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences 2015)

Tabuchi, H. (2015) “Sweeping Away Gender-Specific Toys and Labels” The New York Times. Retrieved on January 23, 2019 from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/28/ business/sweeping-away-gender-specific-toys-and-labels.html

Joel, D et al. (2015) “Sex beyond the genitalia: The human brain mosaic.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dec 2015, 112 (50) 15468-15473

“Numerous studies found that beliefs in narrowly defined constructs of masculinity are associated with decreased well-being in intimate relationships.” (American Academy of Pediatrics 2018)

“Numerous studies have found that beliefs in narrowly defined constructs of masculinity are associated with decreased well-being in intimate relationships.”

— Rafferty, J. (American Academy of Pediatrics 2018)

Rafferty, J. (2018) Gender Identity Development in Children. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved on January 14, 2019 from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/Gender-Identity-and-Gender-Confusion-In-Children.aspx, updated 5/11/22.

“LGBQ college students are 7% less likely than heterosexuals to persist in STEM after 4 years versus switching to a non-STEM field.” (Science Advances 2018)

“LGBQ college students are 7% less likely than heterosexuals to persist in STEM after 4 years versus switching to a non-STEM field.”

— Brian Hughes (Science Advances 2018)

Hughes, B. (2018) Coming out in STEM: Factors affecting retention of sexual minority STEM students. Science Advances: Vol. 4, no. 3, eaao6373. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao6373.