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Gepubliceerd in:

01-04-2007 | Original Paper

Adolescents’ Acceptance of Same-Sex Peers Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression

Auteur: Staccy S. Horn

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence | Uitgave 3/2007

Abstract

This study investigated tenth- and twelfth-grade adolescents’ (N ≤ 264) judgments about the acceptability of same-sex peers who varied in terms of their sexual orientation (straight, gay or lesbian) and their conformity to gender conventions or norms in regard appearance and mannerisms or activity. Overall, the results of this study suggest that adolescents’ conceptions of the acceptability of their peers are related not just to sexual orientation but also conformity to gender conventions. Both straight and gay or lesbian individuals who were non-conventional in their appearance and mannerisms were rated as less acceptable than individuals who conformed to gender conventions or those who participated in non-conventional activities. Most surprisingly, for boys, the straight individual who was non-conforming in appearance was rated less acceptable than either the gay individual who conformed to gender norms or was gender non-conforming in choice of activity.

vorige artikel The Dynamic Interdependence of Developmental Domains Across Emerging Adulthood

volgende artikel Adolescents’ Acceptance of Same-Sex Peers Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression

Because we were not allowed to obtain any demographic information on the students who did not return permission forms we were unable to compare this group to the participants in the study. Additionally, we don’t know if the students not returning their forms simply forgot about it or selected themselves out of the study for some other reason. In classes in which teachers required that students return the form as part of their course participation the response rate was close to 100%. In classes where this was not the case the response rate was typically lower than 30%. While this may suggest that a majority of students simply neglected to return their form, it is possible that some students selected themselves out for other reasons, thus, our sample may be biased toward individual students and families who are more accepting of same-sex sexualities.

This study is part of a larger study investigating adolescents’ beliefs about homosexuality, their attitudes toward gay and lesbian peers, and their evaluations of the treatment of others based on gender expression and sexual orientation. For additional reports from this study (see Horn and Nucci 2003; Horn, 2004). For a copy of the complete questionnaire, contact the author.

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Titel: Adolescents’ Acceptance of Same-Sex Peers Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression
Auteur: Staccy S. Horn
Publicatiedatum: 01-04-2007
Uitgeverij: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence / Uitgave 3/2007
Print ISSN: 0047-2891
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-6601
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9111-0

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