Sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression-based violence in Catalan universities: qualitative findings from university students and staff

Abstract

Background Hate crimes have raised in Spain and the gender and sexuality-based conflicts persist worldwide which leads to this problem having an effect on health and wellbeing. Following a focus of transforming Higher Education Institutions, this research analysed the problem that affects undergraduate students in six Spanish universities. The research goal is to improve the life quality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex university students, breaking the silence that exists around the violence that this group suffer in Catalonia, Spain. Methods Following the Communicative Methodology, this study has identified violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in the target universities and provided guidelines to improve anti-discrimination protocols. A qualitative method has reached experiences of university students, heads of equality commissions, professors and administrative staff regarding this conflict. Focussing on the qualitative research tools, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with university students and staff around issues related to the violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, queer and intersex students: 1) perception of violence and discrimination, 2) institutional measures, 3) actions against violence. An analysis of exclusionary and transformative dimensions was used to identify emergent themes. Results We have identified two dimensions for the analysis given their impact in contributing or overcoming violence: exclusionary and transformative. A wide range of forms of violence on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression perpetrated at universities have been identified as exclusionary facts and described by participants in the study. Equality commissions have not received reports of violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and university staff shows certain unfamiliarity regarding the measures and politics to prevent and intervene in cases of violence against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community. Among the results identified as transformative are the ways through which actions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex groups against violence and the professors’ commitment to intervene have a relevant impact on student’s wellbeing. An improvement and implementation of anti-discrimination protocols with mandatory applicability has also been documented. Conclusions Findings highlight the need of collecting more evidence that contributes to the improvement of protocols, measures and politics to protect all the members of the university community. A better understanding of violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in HEI’s may guide national and international governments to improve the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex persons.

Violence Against LGBTIQ+ People at Universities: The Need to Uncover a Silent Reality

“…In 2020, the rate of hate crimes related to sexual orientation or gender identity increased by 19.8%, representing the highest proportion in the last 5 years (Ministerio de Interior, 2020). However, although there is evidence of homophobia and transphobia in youth environments, there is little evidence or research at educational institutions and even less in regard to universities (Gallardo-Nieto et al, 2021; García-Orriols & Torrebadella-Flix, 2019; Granero Andújar & García Gómez, 2019).…”

Coming Out of the “Ivory Tower”: Preventing Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity at the University

“…These innovative investigations enabled a broad understanding of sexuality, resulting, above all, in the action of the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1990, to remove homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses (Nishiwaki Da Silva, 2020). In this sense, recent studies stand out that elucidate the growing dialogue between LGBTQIAPN+ themes and current society, as well as in the context of health (Smalley et al, 2017;Gallardo-Nieto et al, 2021), religiosity (Hunt, 2016), technologies (Siebler, 2016), the sociology of work (Williams;Dellinger, 2010) and even the perspectives and challenges of carrying out research focusing on the LGBTQIAPN+ population (Serrano Amaya;Ríos González, 2019). According to Serrano Amaya and Rios González (2019), LGBTQIAPN+ issues have become a subject of greater visibility for international research, and this was mainly due to the demands of various movements for social transformation.…”

Saindo Da “Torre De Marfim”: A Prevenção De Violência Baseada Na Orientação Sexual E Identidade De Gênero Na Universidade

“…Essas investigações inovadoras possibilitaram uma compreensão ampla sobre a sexualidade, resultando, sobretudo, na ação da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS), em 1990, de retirar a homossexualidade do quadro de doenças mentais (NISHIWAKI DA SILVA, 2020). Nesse sentido, destacam-se estudos recentes que elucidam o crescente diálogo entre as temáticas LGBTQIAPN+ e a sociedade atual, como também no âmbito da saúde (SMALLEY et al, 2017;GALLARDO-NIETO et al, 2021), da religiosidade (HUNT, 2016), das tecnologias (SIEBLER, 2016), da sociologia do trabalho (WILLIAMS; DELLINGER, 2010) e mesmo das perspectivas e dos desafios de se fazer uma pesquisa com foco na população LGBTQIAPN+ (SERRANO AMAYA; RÍOS GONZÁLEZ, 2019). Conforme Serrano Amaya e Rios González (2019), as pautas LGBTQIAPN+ tornaram-se assunto de maior visibilidade às pesquisas internacionais, e isso se deu, principalmente, em virtude das reivindicações de vários movimentos pela transformação social.…”