The Effects of Discrimination
The Effects of Discrimination
Young teens that belongs to a minority sexual orientation, (gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender) may experience discrimination by their peers at school, in the workplace, or even at home (Benibgui, 2011; Mays, 2008; Saewyc, 2001). This discrimination can have major effects on teens that are detrimental, and sometimes these effects can tragically become fatal. The findings used to draw these conclusions gave different key elements. They helped determine different places teens experience discrimination, and different negative effects the discrimination has on the teens. By taking all the findings and integrating them together, the negative effects of stigma towards gay students become apparent. Students that belong to minority sexual orientations can be harassed by different people throughout their lives (Benibgui, 2011; Mays, 2008; Saewyc, 2001). According to a study that linked enacted stigma and negative effects of students in British Columbia, students who experience harassment by peers in a school setting are more likely to report skipping school (Homma, Poon, Saewyc, & Skay, 2001). Unfortunately, the negative effects of discrimination do not stop at just skipping school, and school is not the only place students can get harassed. Young teens can also get discriminated against in a work environment as well. According to a study that measures mental health stability amongst discriminated gay teens, more homosexual and bisexual people reported being fired unfairly from a job because of sexual orientation discrimination (Mays, 2008). This finding supports the idea that authority figures such as bosses can discriminate, not only peers around the same age group. Also contributing to the idea of authority figures discriminating, an article involving research done at Concordia University adds to the numerous discriminating environments by adding that LGBT youth who felt discriminated against at home showed more symptoms of
Young teens that belongs to a minority sexual orientation, (gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender) may experience discrimination by their peers at school, in the workplace, or even at home (Benibgui, 2011; Mays, 2008; Saewyc, 2001). This discrimination can have major effects on teens that are detrimental, and sometimes these effects can tragically become fatal. The findings used to draw these conclusions gave different key elements. They helped determine different places teens experience discrimination, and different negative effects the discrimination has on the teens. By taking all the findings and integrating them together, the negative effects of stigma towards gay students become apparent. Students that belong to minority sexual orientations can be harassed by different people throughout their lives (Benibgui, 2011; Mays, 2008; Saewyc, 2001). According to a study that linked enacted stigma and negative effects of students in British Columbia, students who experience harassment by peers in a school setting are more likely to report skipping school (Homma, Poon, Saewyc, & Skay, 2001). Unfortunately, the negative effects of discrimination do not stop at just skipping school, and school is not the only place students can get harassed. Young teens can also get discriminated against in a work environment as well. According to a study that measures mental health stability amongst discriminated gay teens, more homosexual and bisexual people reported being fired unfairly from a job because of sexual orientation discrimination (Mays, 2008). This finding supports the idea that authority figures such as bosses can discriminate, not only peers around the same age group. Also contributing to the idea of authority figures discriminating, an article involving research done at Concordia University adds to the numerous discriminating environments by adding that LGBT youth who felt discriminated against at home showed more symptoms of
References: Saewyc, E. M., Poon, C. S., Homma, Y., & Skay, C. L. (2001). The links between enacted stigma and teen pregnancy trends among gay, lesbian, and bisexual students in British Columbia. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 17(3), 124, 132. Mays, V. M., & Cochran, S. D. (2001). Mental health correlates of perceived discrimination among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 91(11), 1872- 1873. Benibgui, M. (2011, February 2). Physiological impacts of homophobia [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/11020211