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Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
D: 17876490
ASSESSMENT 2
Symons, C., O’Sullivan, G., Borkoles, E., Andersen, M., Polman, R.C.J. (2014). The
There is a claim that homophobic attitudes towards Same-Sex-Attracted and Gender Diverse
(SSAGD) students in Physical Education (PE) and Sports environment have affected their
mental health, overall wellbeing, academic, sporting as well as their social abilities. Thus, this
has become an alarming academic and social concern that requires continuous vigilant
discriminated against due to their sexual orientation, these students are unfairly and poorly
treated because they are either a lesbian, a homosexual, a transgender, a bisexual or a gay
individual. The systemic heteronormative and gender binary discourse that highlights the
demean and de-value SSAGD students who do not fit the gender-sex, heterosexual
conventions. So much so, that Symons, O’Sullivan, Borkoles, Andersen and Polman’s (2014)
“The Equal Play Study” has identified homophobic language as the salient tool used to
demean SSAGD students during PE and School as well as Club sports. Central to this
research is the claim that homophobic bullying - in the form of homophobic language -
during PE and Sports participation is attributable to SSAGD students’ negative mental state
school students and its implications for mental health” conducted by Collier, Bos and
Sandfort (2013) argues that despite the association of homophobic verbal abuse with negative
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mental outcomes for young SSAGD students, this claim was unsubstantiated. Reason being,
was that there was not enough evidence to prove and support claims that homophobic verbal
victimisation was directly and solely responsible for SSAGD students’ psychological
researches agree that appropriate strategies need to be in place to educate both SSAGD
The main purpose of Symons et al.’s (2014) “The Equal Play Study” was to examine if
homophobic attitudes occurring in Australian schools’ PE and sport settings were the cause
of, and/or correlated to adolescent SSAGD Australians’ mental health and wellbeing (p. 3). In
obstructions for SSAGD students participating in PE and sport (p. 3). The research was
initiated as a result of past researches that suggested the challenging and unsafe nature of
homophobic language included. While Collier, Bos and Sandfort (2013), mirrors the
hypothetical aspects of homophobic bullying that were prevalent amongst adolescent students
in “The Equal Play Study”, the main focus of this research was “how” (p. 367) incidences of
being the targets of “homophobic name-calling” (p. 367) had any bearing on SSAGD
students’ psychological distress. An interesting aspect in Collier et al.’s (2013) study was that
instead of a reductive focus on the claim that homophobic language was the root cause of
SSAGD students’, the research expanded to “other (prevailing) forms of peer victimisation”
(p. 363). Hence, the claim that SSAGD students’ depression and anxiety levels were not
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closely linked to homophobic name calling: words such as “faggot, gay (and/or) dyke”
Subtle differences exist between Symons et al.’s (2014) “The Equal Play Study” and Collier
et al.’s (2013) research which are important to consider. First; the former was undertaken in
Australia while the latter in the Netherlands. It is important to consider the political, social
and ethnographic environment in which each research was conducted, because they underpin
the context of the respective studies. In this instance, one would expect that Australia’s
dogmatic multicultural society would be an ideal environment that accepts and passionately
promotes diversity in race, culture and indeed, gender diversity. While such is the case in
some avenues, it is problematic in most cases especially when religious values play a huge
role against gender diversity. For example, the dominant discourse associated with
homosexuality in the Muslim belief is, that it is a “western disease”, therefore not welcome
and unacceptable (Sanjakdar, 2011, p. 16). Such beliefs are vital to understanding the context
What is significant about Collier et al.’s (2013) study is the articulation of the Netherland’s
“social climate” which was tributed for the relative “acceptance of sexual and gender
this sense was not accepted in “some” (p. 372) way, meaning that for the vast majority of
young people and the Netherlands population, “homophobic epithets in differing ways” (p.
372) did not necessarily connote sexual prejudice or even any aspiration to do real harm
(Collier, et al., 2013, p. 365). In fact, the words “faggot and queer” were used
interchangeably amongst heterosexual adolescents as “joking insults”, yet did not “consider
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this a form of gay-bashing or related…to sexual orientation of the person targeted” (Burn &
Pascoe, as cited in Collier, et al., 2013). This notion however, was problematic because
homophobic language, whatever it was, had the desire to “subordinate another person”,
therefore unacceptable (McCormack & Andersen, as cited in Collier, et al., 2013). Despite
Collier et al. (2013) still contended to the idea that homophobic name-calling had any
profound effect on all “same-sex attracted and gender non-conforming youth” mental health
The second subtle difference between the “The Equal Play Study” and Collier et al.’s
researches is that the former was based on, and done within the PE and Sporting setting.
According to the “Equal Play Study”, previous researches reported that SSAGD students
indicated that they were not feeling safe in PE and sporting environment (Symons et al. 2013,
p. 7). Such concerning indications prompted this research with support, guidance and
feedback from representatives of a “reference group” (Symons et al., 2013, p. 7). This group
included the Vic Health; Victorian Equal Opportunity and Equal Rights Commission – a
government entrusted, but “an independent statutory body with responsibilities under three
Victorian laws which included the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, and the Charter for Human
Rights Act 2006”; the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
(ACHPER) – the leading professional representation for teachers and other professionals
working in the fields of health, PE, recreation and sport; Minus 18 – Australia’s largest
youth-led organisation for same-sex-attracted and gender diverse who promote social
inclusion and empowerment of SSAGD young people; and the Rainbow Network - for
specialist workers and/or anyone working in (a) group/s or (a) project/s aimed at addressing
the needs of same sex attracted, intersex, trans and gender diverse “Victorians”.
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It can be said that a limitation for this research was that it was done solely in the Victorian
state. While it may have represented the issue faced by SSAGD students, this may not
necessarily represent all other states in Australia such as New South Wales and Queensland,
just to name a few. Apart from the Vic Health department, the rest of the piloting
organisations for “The Equal Study” were/are enterprises who depend/ed on funding from
government, and/or institutions such as the College of Sport and Exercise Science, Victoria,
and the Institute for Sport, Exercise and Active Living, and/or the Beyondblue organisation.
There is a possibility that the research was biased, politically, funding, career and/or
emphasise the much needed attention required for SSAGD students because of the profound
impact homophobic and transphobic language had on them in PE and sport environment.
The strength of “The Equal Play Study” however, is that it covers a specific area (sport)
which Washington and Karen (2001) identified as a “relatively neglected and undertheorized
area of sociological research” (p. 187). Washington & Karen (2001) drew mainly upon the
elements of homophobic and transphobic attitudes. This meant that masculine and feminine
identities conformed to social expectations in which physical aggression and toughness were
directly associated with the former, while the latter was a close concomitant to weakness. In
this context, it was suggested that all boys played or ought to play aggressive games such as
name-calling for gay and homosexual boys, more so than girls, particularly in the sporting
arena (Washington & Karen, 2001, p. 199). This notion supports Collier et al.’s (2013)
hypothesis that homophobic name-calling affected boys psychologically, more so than it did
girls.
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What is interesting about the “Sport and Society” study is the claim that gender hierarchies
was reinforced through “televised sports commentary” (Messner and associates as cited in
Washington & Karen, 2001). This claim was referring to the language used in commentaries
which infantilised the feminine physique and undermined female contributions into sports.
This is a significant review because it highlights gender and sexual conventions which are
conventions enabled homophobic name-calling discussed in both articles. At the same token,
the emphasis on media language equated to negative images of gender, sexuality, body and
identity which were found to be the regulator of homophobic language amongst SSAGD
students and their heterosexual peers. In effect, it was the basis of harassment and verbal
bullying.
In contrast to “The Equal Play Study”, while Collier et al.’s (2013) was specifically on
Secondary school students, it was not particular to PE and sports. Rather, the study evaluated
the general “peer victimisation” (p. 365) that contributed to psychological distress of SSAGD
students. Peer victimisation, according to Poteat and Espelage (as cited in Collier et al., 2013)
was associated with “depression and anxiety, personal distress, sense of school belonging and
withdrawal” (p. 365). In this sense, it can be said that there are factors other than homophobic
victimisation that contribute to SSAGD students’ depressed mental state such as fear of
coming out, fear of rejection, family and religious issues, issues with identity and so forth.
Participants for/in both studies differ tremendously. “The Equal Play Study” recruited its 563
participants via Facebook and through “SSAGD youth networks that included The Rainbow
Network, the Safe Schools Coalition, Family Planning Victoria, Minus 18 and Victorian
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University Queer groups/officers” (Symons et al., 2014, p. 8). The method of survey however
was done online and extended throughout Australia. While this was a convenient and an
efficient method of carrying out the survey, it can be said that it was a problematic method
questionable.
On the other hand, participants in Collier et al.’s research were from “eight (public and
urban-based) schools who agreed to participate” (p. 367) with class sizes that varied from 250
to 1,500 students. Participation was voluntary and the survey was completed during regular
class times and done either on paper or a computer in the presence of their instructor. One
problem with this method, is that it could have been intimidating for some students, therefore,
some may not feel comfortable enough to complete the questionnaire honestly especially with
Despite the various differences aforementioned in the essay, both researches agree that the
existence of homophobic bullying through the use of demeaning language, and peer
victimisation affect SSAGD students’ mental state and overall wellbeing. Further studies
however, will likely to be conducted in order to keep the teaching profession up-to-date and
well-informed with strategies to assist SSAGD students as well as their heterosexual peers.
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References
ACHPER: The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Retrieved
from http://www.achper.org.au/aboutus/about-us
Collier, K. L., Bos, H. M., W., Sandfort, T. G., & M. (2013). Homophobic name-calling
among secondary school students and its implications for mental health.Journal of
doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/10.1007/s10964-012-9823-2
Sanjakdar, F. (2013). Educating for sexual difference? Muslim teachers' conversations about
http://www.achper.org.au/aboutus/about-us
Washington, R. E., & David, K. (2001). Sport and society. Annual Review of Sociology, 27,
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/199612230?accountid=3615
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