College Student Experiences with an LGBTQ Ally Training Program: A Mixed Methods Study at a University in the Southern United States

Abstract

In recent years, many universities across the United States have instituted "ally" programs that have been designed to promote awareness and support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) persons. While such ally programs have emerged at many colleges and are certainly publicly visible, little empirical research has investigated the impact that ally programs have on college students. The current study explores college student experiences with an LGBTQ ally training program located at a large university in the southern United States. Using a mixed methods approach, I analyze both qualitative responses ( N = 66) and quantitative survey data ( N = 804) to examine ally training program experiences. Results indicate that both awareness of the program and participation in the ally training program are related to supportive attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals.

The Interactive Impacts of High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) on College Student Attitudes Toward LGBT Individuals: An Investigation of High School Characteristics

“…Explorations of racial differences in attitudes provide mixed results. Some studies indicate that there are no significant differences between African Americans and Whites in their attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women (e.g., Herek & Capitanio, 1995;Irwin & Thompson, 1977;Marsiglio, 1993;Worthen, 2011Worthen, , 2012aWorthen, , 2012b, although others do find significant racial differences in attitudes (Hudson & Ricketts, 1980;Lewis, 2003;Vincent, Peterson, & Parrott 2009;Waldner, Sikka, & Baig, 1999). More research suggests that significant findings related to Black-White differences in attitudes toward gay men/lesbian women and bisexuals can be explained by differences in religiosity (Negy & Eisenman, 2005), and others suggest the opposite (Lewis, 2003).…”

“…More research suggests that significant findings related to Black-White differences in attitudes toward gay men/lesbian women and bisexuals can be explained by differences in religiosity (Negy & Eisenman, 2005), and others suggest the opposite (Lewis, 2003). Furthermore, many have found that younger age is related to more positive attitudes toward LGBT individuals (Eliason, 1997;Kurdek, 1988;Marsiglio, 1993), although in studies using college student samples, older age has been found to be related to supportive attitudes toward transgender individuals (Worthen, 2011(Worthen, , 2012a(Worthen, , 2012b.…”

“…As a result, the existence of GSAs at smaller schools may actually operate to reify an "us" [read: dominant heterosexuals] and "them" [read: minority LGBT people] context that impairs the ability of GSAs in small schools to succeed at promoting supportive attitudes toward LGBT individuals in the school environment. Indeed, Worthen (2011Worthen ( , 2012aWorthen ( , 2012b found a positive relationship between larger high school population size and supportive attitudes toward LGBT individuals among college students.…”

“…For example, most studies indicate that males have significantly more negative attitudes toward LGBT individuals when Downloaded by [Georgian Court University] at 19:53 03 April 2015 compared to females (D'Augelli & Rose, 1990;Eliason, 1997;Herek, 1988;Hill & Willoughby, 2005;Hinrichs & Rosenberg, 2002;Kite, 1984;Kurdek, 1988;Larsen et al, 1980;Negy & Eisenman, 2005;Worthen, 2011Worthen, , 2012aWorthen, , 2012b. Explorations of racial differences in attitudes provide mixed results.…”

“…For example, freshman students (compared to upperclassmen) have been found to be less liberal (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991) and less tolerant of gay men and lesbian women (Lottes & Kurlioff, 1994;Worthen, 2011Worthen, , 2012aWorthen, , 2012b and bisexuality (Worthen, 2011(Worthen, , 2012a(Worthen, , 2012b; thus it is important to consider how freshman may differ from upperclassmen in attitudes toward LGBT individuals. Research also indicates that having lower GPA is associated with anti-gay and anti-lesbian behaviors and attitudes (Rey & Gibson, 1997).…”