Presented by Sarah Medina

1. (Sexual) Minority Report: A Survey of Student Attitudes Regarding the Social and Cultural Environment for Sexual Minorities Presented by Sarah Medina

2. Overview • Introduction • Review of Literature • Theory • Methods • Findings • Discussion • Conclusion

3. Research Question • What is the social and cultural environment that Saint Mary’s College, IN fosters for sexual minorities?

4. Review of Literature • Other Campus Studies • Hill et. al (2002) • Rankin (2001) • Attitudes Towards Homosexuality • DeBoer (1978) • Yang (1997) • Loftus (2001) • Changes in Attitudes • Stephan and McMullin (1982) • Weeks (2003)

5. Theory • Social Construction of Sexuality • Weeks (1982 & 2001) • Creation of Heterosexism and Homophobia

6. Methods • Survey of students at Saint Mary’s College, IN. • 24 questions regarding the resources on campus, course work, harassment, and knowledge of topics dealing with racial, ethnic, class, gender, and sexual diversity • N= 68 • Demographics of survey

7. Religion Frequencies Religion Frequency Percent Roman Catholic 56 82.4% Christian 2 2.9% Islam 1 1.5% Episcopalian 1 1.5% Lutheran 1 1.5% Methodist 2 2.9% Atheist 2 2.9% None Specified 3 4.4% Valid N = 68 Findings Class-Year Frequencies Class Year Frequency Percent First-Year 7 10.3% Sophomore 16 23.5% Junior 21 30.9% Senior 24 35.3% Valid N = 68  Residence Frequencies Residence Frequency PercentOn-Campus 60 88.2% Off-Campus 6 8.8% Missing 2 2.9% Valid N = 66 

8. Findings Minority Comfort Level: Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Sexual Orientation Minorities

9. Findings Sexual Minorities Comfort Scale (SMCS) Comfort Score Frequency Percent 0-- Least Comfortable 1 1.5% 1 3 4.4% 2 1 1.5% 3 6 8.8% 4 7 10.3% 5 7 10.3% 6 4 5.9% 7 16 23.5% 8—Most Comfortable 21 30.9% Valid N= 66 Min-Max: 0-8 Mean: 5.91

10. Findings Diversity Classes Number Frequency Percent 0 23 33.8% 1 20 29.4% 2 8 11.8% 3 7 10.3% 4 4 5.9% 5 3 4.4% 7 1 1.5% 11 1 1.5% Valid N = 68

11. Findings Perceptions of Sexual Minority Issues in the Classroom Scale (PSMICS) Class Perceptions Score Frequency Percent 3—negative perceptions 1 1.5% 4 0 0% 5 3 4.4% 6 6 8.8% 7 6 8.8% 8 11 16.2% 9 3 4.4% 10 8 11.8% 11 7 10.3% 12 10 14.7% 13 4 5.9% 14 3 5.9% 15-positive perceptions 5 7.4% Valid N= 67 Min-Max: 3-15 Mean= 9.81

12. Findings Clubs and Resources on Campus Name Frequency Percent SAGA 36 52.9% SDB 4 5.8% Feminist United 3 4.4% Women’s Resource Center 4 5.8% CoLT 3 4.4% Know of, but not the name 7 10.3% None 19 27.9%

13. Findings Perceptions of Resources on Campus for Sexual Minorities (PRCSMS) Resource Perceptions Score Frequency Percent 6-none/little knowledge 5 7.4% 7 1 1.5% 8 7 10.3% 9 7 10.3% 10 11 16.2% 11 11 16.2% 12 7 10.3% 13 10 14.7% 14 5 7.4% 15-much knowledge 4 5.9% Valid N= 68 Min-Max: 6-15 Mean: 10.75

14. Discussion • People more comfortable with racial, ethnic, and class minorities than sexual minorities. • Role of education in comfortablility with sexual minorities. • Visibility of sexual minorities and resources.

15. Conclusion • There is a need for people to begin to understand issues of sexual minorities. • Education • Personal contact • Can begin to break down hierarchical structure • End discrimination and oppression • Slow process, but everyone can do something small to help

16. Questions Thank you