Introduction

The purpose of my study was to find and gauge the opinions of the student body at the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA) regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) identities. I wanted my research to 1) demonstrate how students and staff view LGBTQ+ individuals, and 2) gauge how LGBTQ+ individuals believe they are perceived by the community at CCGA. As with all people, aspects of a LGBTQ+ individual’s personality (i.e. willingness to come out, rejection of loved ones, mental health, religious identity, etc.) can be influenced by the opinions of others. While sexual orientation and gender identity are innate, all people are influenced by their environment. For example, if you were raised in a conservative household, you are more likely to hold conservative beliefs. Sexual orientation and gender identity, though, are not personality traits, but genetic. Most genetic traits cannot be modified, therefore it is unfair to judge a person by them, however, just because it is unfair, does not mean people will refrain from doing it. Unfortunately, many LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination based upon their sexuality or gender. College campuses are not immune to this type of discrimination. According to an article published by Johns Hopkins University Press and written by Michael R. Woodford, et al, “Research indicates that mental health problems and psychological distress are more prevalent among sexual and gender minority college students than among their peers. According to minority stress theory, chronic stress associated with marginalization on the basis of one's sexual or gender identification underpins these disparities. National research suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, and queer (LGBTQ) students experience heterosexism and/or cisgenderism on campus, ranging from derogatory comments to violence, and tend to have negative perceptions of the campus climate…” (Woodford 421). College campuses have a reputation for being one of the most forward thinking and accepting places in the United States, and yet they are also incubators of discrimination toward the LGBTQ+ community. I hope that my survey will shed light on LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance on the CCGA campus in order to create a safe environment for people of all identities.

Methods

To gather the opinions of students and staff at CCGA regarding the LGBTQ+ community here on campus, my group conducted a 32 question survey using Qualtrics, an online database. The questions in our survey broke down certain demographics (i.e. race/ethnicity, age, gender, political beliefs, sexual orientation, etc) enabling us to differentiate the opinions between sub-groups concerning LGBTQ+ individuals. Separating our respondents into these sub-groups helped us eliminate any possible errors that could have appeared using aggregate data from previous surveys and research. For instance, a study conducted previously might have concluded that the general community at CCGA is accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals, but missed gathering statistics around a specific sub-group that prefers to not support LGBTQ+ individuals.

Results

68.57% of respondents were between the ages of 18-24 years, 14.29% were between the ages of 25-34 years, 7.14% were between the ages of 35-44 years, 8.57% were between the ages of 45-54 years, and 1.43% were between the ages of 65-74 years. None of our respondents were above the age of 74 years old.

Most respondents, 64.29% were caucasion (white), 8.57% were Hispanic or Latino, 17.14% were black or African American, 1.43% were Native American or American Indian, 1.43% were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 7.14% were classified as other.

When asked to describe sexual orientation, 57.14% identified as being heterosexual/straight, 17.14% identified as bisexual, 11.43% identified as gay, 7.14% identified as lesbian, 5.71% identified as pansexual, and 1.43% identified as asexual.

Next, respondents were asked their opinions regarding whether or not they believed LGBTQ+ students were welcomed and accepted by students and staff.

Discussion

The data we collected from our survey shows that the CCGA community is generally accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals. However, there seems to be a preference for LGBTQ+ individuals who are attracted to individuals of the same gender versus gender-fluid/non-cisgender individuals. This is not just limited to our study; in fact, this theme is prevalent in a number of other studies conducted regarding LGBTQ+ representation on many college and university campuses.

Previous research has indicated that LGBTQ+ individuals on college and university campuses are far more likely to suffer from mental and psychological distress in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. “...lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, and queer (LGBTQ) students experience heterosexism and/or cisgenderism on campus, ranging from derogatory comments to violence, and tend to have negative perceptions of the campus climate…” (Woodford 422). This is thought to be caused by the minority stress theory, a model that helps explain the lived experiences of people in oppressed communities. In this case, the theory focuses on LGBTQ+ individuals in relation to distinct acts of discrimination and prejudices (oppression). “...chronic stress associated with marginalization on the basis of one’s sexual or gender identification underpins these [mental health & psychological] disparities…” (Woodford 421).

Another major contributor to the mental and psychological stress LGBTQ+ individuals face on college campuses is the use of subtle and unintentional discrimination. These forms of discrimination are far more prominent than other overt forms of discrimination. “Recent empirical attention has been given to micro-aggressions and other forms of subtle, often unintentional, discrimination targeting sexual minorities and trans* individuals including among sexual minority students” (Woodford 422). Individuals who choose to express their prejudice for LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to act verbally rather than physically.

By today’s standards, being queer is generally considered acceptable, but this has not always the case. Other research suggests a possible relationship between social acceptance/perception and an LGBTQ+ individuals willingness to share their sexuality status with their peers. “The history of LGBTQ groups and associations on college campuses is inextricably entwined with the nation’s often repressive and sometimes violent treatment of LGBTQ individuals. Just as they did in the broader community, gays, lesbians and transgender individuals on college campuses had to make difficult choices about whether they would be out — and potentially be subject to violence and discrimination as a result — or hide their true identity...” (Morris 12). The LGBTQ+ community has always been heavily scrutinized and looked down upon by the public, regardless of location.

Future Research

Though our survey received 93 responses, which is far more than my group anticipated, the data is limited. In future research, I hope to have a larger and more diverse sample size of students and staff completing the survey to ensure that all demographic groups are accurately represented.

Conclusion

Overall, our survey suggests that though there is a small percentage of students and staff who are disapproving of LGBTQ+ individuals, the vast majority of students and staff welcome and accept LGBTQ+ individuals. With additional time to conduct a more thorough investigation regarding LGBTQ+ individuals on the CCGA campus, I believe an even more accurate representation would emerge of the opinions held by students and staff.

Limitations

One of the primary limitations my group experienced while collecting data was not having a larger sample size of participants. This made it more difficult to gather an accurate representation of the opinions from students and staff regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, many of our respondents did not complete the survey. Though we had a total of 93 respondents, only 61 respondents completed the survey.

References

Dessel, Adrienne B., et al. “LGBT Discrimination on Campus and Heterosexual Bystanders: Understanding Intentions to Intervene.” Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, vol. 10, no. 2, June 2017, pp. 101–116. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/dhe0000015.

Morris, Catherine. “Campus LGBTQ Organizations Hit Their Stride.” Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 11-13.

Pryor, Jonathon T., Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, pp. 1-13. APAPsycArticles

Woodford, Michael, et al. “Depression and Attempted Suicide among LGBTQ College Students: Fostering Resilience to the Effects of Heterosexism and Cisgenderism on Campus.” Journal of College Student Development, vol 59, no. 4, Aug. 2018, pp. 421-438.