"You Have to Be Strong to Be Gay": Bullying and Educational Attainment in LGB New Zealanders

• Published in: Journal of gay & lesbian social services Vol. 19; no. 3-4; pp. 67 - 85
• Main Author: Henrickson, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Binghamton Taylor & Francis Group 01-09-2007; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Assault; bisexual; Bisexuality; Bullying; coming out; Education; gay; Gays & lesbians; lesbian; LGBTQ studies; New Zealand; School violence; New Zealand
• ISSN: 1053-8720; 2993-3021; 1540-4056; 2993-303X
• DOI: 10.1080/10538720802161565

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) persons in New Zealand are highly vulnerable to bullying, although bullying appears to have evolved from physical to primarily verbal abuse. Data from the Lavender Islands national study of 2,269 LGBs in New Zealand suggest that coming out early as LGB appears associated with lower levels of educational attainment, which in turn is associated with bullying and verbal assault. LGBs with higher educational attainment are more satisfied with an LGB identity than those with lower educational attainment. The data suggest that the consequences of bullying and assault may be longer term and more far-reaching than even the psychological challenges found in the literature. Consequences may include lower lifelong levels of satisfaction with an LGB identity, and an early coming out "penalty" in education. Quantitative data are supported by the unprompted narratives of respondents who expressed difficulties within the high school environment. The study also found relatively high levels of teacher discrimination and verbal assault reported by high educational attainers. In general, LGB educational attainers may perhaps be more appropriately called "educational survivors."