Diversity and inclusivity at university: a survey of the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) students in the UK

Abstract

1Diversity and inclusivity at university: A survey of the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) students in the UK. AbstractThe extent to which UK universities are 'gay friendly' has received some attention in the press. Whilst there are a number of published studies exploring campus climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) students and/or staff, these are primarily localised studies undertaken in State Universities and Baccalaureate Colleges in the US. The present study is a nationwide UK study of campus climate, based on survey data collected from a sample of 291LGBT students from 42 universities across the UK. The findings show that despite the increased implementation of an equality agenda (e.g. equal access; widening participation) in UK Higher Education, homophobia on campus is still a significant problem and therefore universities are not perceived nor experienced by LGBT students as 'safe spaces' in which to be open about sexual orientation/gender identity. The implications of the findings for university policy and practice in relation to LGBT (and indeed all) students is also explored. KeywordsDiversity and equal opportunities; Inclusivity; Higher Education; Homophobia; Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans students.Diversity and Inclusivity at University 2 Diversity and inclusivity at university: A survey of the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) students in the UK.

''Walking on eggshells to not offend people": Experiences of same-sex student couples at a South African university

“…Globally, attitudes towards LGBT individuals and same-sex relationships have become increasingly more accepting, although active opposition against equal rights for these individuals still exist (Camilleri and Ryan 2006;Ellis 2009;Avery, Chase, Johansson, Litvak, Montero and Wydra 2007). Research, however, indicates that acceptance of same-sex relationships varies across social contexts, e.g., countries and faculties.…”

“…These forms of discrimination mostly occurred in public spaces, and were perpetrated by other students (Ellis 2009, 730). Even though the evidence suggests that actual discrimination against LGBT individuals was widespread, most of the participants thought that anti-LGBT attitudes were prevalent to a little/very little extent (Ellis 2009). …”

“…Killelea McEntarfer 2011, 313;Ellis 2009;Blackwell, Ricks and Dziegielewski 2005) suggest that it is common for LGBT people to receive hostile responses from management structures at university or workplace, organisational settings, as well as religious societies. Similarly, Butler et al (2008) found that South African secondary and tertiary students experienced harassment, rejection and isolation not only from fellow students but also from school administrators and teachers.…”

From chilly climate to warm reception : experiences and good practices for supporting LGBTQ students in STEM

“…These findings are echoed repeatedly throughout the literature, with studies telling the same story of LGBT students facing higher levels of harassment, fear for personal safety, and reporting the concealment of their sexual and gender identities to avoid intimidation (Brown et al, 2004;Ellis, 2009;Gortmaker & Brown, 2006;McKinney, 2005;Rankin, 2005;Waldo, 1998). While all of these studies share the limitations of small sample sizes, and some do not cover transgender students, the students' experiences reported by all of them are remarkably similar.…”

“…This is echoed by the findings Ellis (2009), andBrown et al (2004), who also found that perceptions of campus climate varied between faculty, staff, graduates and undergraduates, and also that lesbians found the campus climate more hostile than gay men. Gortmaker & Brown (2006) found significant differences in lesbian and gay students' perception of campus climate based on how "out" the individuals were, with out students reporting a more negative campus climate than those who were closeted.…”