Sexual and Gender Diversity: Heterosexism, Impact on LGBTIQ Report

This report provides an overview of sexual and gender diversity, defining heterosexism as a form of prejudice that discriminates against non-heterosexual behaviors, ideas, and identities. It explains heterosexism through omission and commission, offering examples like hostility towards gay relationships and the absence of anti-gay discrimination protections. The report then explores the impact of heterosexism on the LGBTIQ community, highlighting how it affects their sexual and reproductive health, particularly among youth, due to limited access to sexual education and healthcare information. It emphasizes the difficulties the LGBTIQ community faces in revealing their sexual orientations and accessing essential health services because of fear of stigma, ultimately impacting their ability to receive necessary health information and protection.

Sexual and Gender Diversity 1
SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY
by [NAME]
Course
Professor’s Name
Institution
Location of Institution
Date

Sexual and Gender Diversity 2
Heterosexism
Heterosexism may be defined as a form of prejudice that discriminates against any behaviors,
ideas, relationships, or identities that may be considered to be non-heterosexual (Szymanski and
Moffitt, 2012, p. 362). In simple terms, heterosexism is an ideological system that discriminates
against homosexuals and the entire LGBTIQ community. This system of practices operates in the
same way as racism, sexism, and classism (Catalano and Griffin, 2016, p. 207). The belief of
people who perpetuate this form of discrimination is that heterosexuality is the norm and anyone
who practices what is believed to be a non-heterosexual behavior is banished. The society and
other institutions assume that heterosexuality is the norm and everyone else should follow the
same (Szymanski and Moffitt, 2012, p. 364). Someone can exhibit heterosexism through
omission or commission. Heterosexism by omission is when one fails to challenge a heterosexist
statement made by another individual. Heterosexism by commission is when one assumes that
someone’s partner is of the opposite gender (Spengen, 2014). Below are some examples of
heterosexism (Moore, 2017, p. 2):
 The hostility shown towards gay or lesbian relationships.
 The absence of legal protection at places of work against antigay discrimination.
 The existence of state and federal laws prohibiting same sex marriage.
Impact on LGBTIQ Community
LGBTIQ stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer. Social or
institutional systems may sometimes discriminate against these people as the system considers
heterosexuality as the universally accepted sexual orientation. Heterosexism in the form of

Sexual and Gender Diversity 3
hostility towards non-heterosexual relationships is believed to have a significant impact on the
sexual and reproductive health of the LGBTIQ community especially the youth. Most LGBTIQ
youths are uninformed regarding sexual education because most of the times they are alienated
from the classes. As a result, they are at risk of engaging in several sexually unhealthy behaviors
that may cause serious health implications (Mustanski et al., 2015, p. 222). In most settings,
discussions on safe sex only involve sex between opposite genders and thus the LGBTIQ are
inadequately informed about safe sex and sexual health. The LGBTIQ community have been
neglected in talks of advancing reproductive and sexual health. Heterosexism has thus made it
difficult for the LGBTIQ community to reveal their sexual orientations or gender identities to
healthcare practitioners due to fear of stigma. As a result, they have been unable to receive the
right health information they need for their safety (Global LGBT Human Rights, 2019).
Additionally, most of them have failed to access reproductive health facilities and information
that they might need to protect themselves and their partners against health-associated risks such
as reproductive health screening and counseling on contraceptives (Global LGBT Human Rights,
2019).

Sexual and Gender Diversity 4
References
Catalano, D.C.J. and Griffin, P., 2016. Sexism, heterosexism, and trans* oppression: An
integrated perspective. In Teaching for diversity and social justice (pp. 201-230). Routledge.
Global LGBT Human Rights. (2019). Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All!.
[online] Available at: https://outrightinternational.org/content/sexual-and-reproductive-health-
and-rights-all [Accessed 13 Sep. 2019].
Moore, L.M., 2017. Heterosexism and Homophobia. The Wiley
‐Blackwell Encyclopedia of
Social Theory, pp.1-3.
Mustanski, B., Greene, G.J., Ryan, D. and Whitton, S.W., 2015. Feasibility, acceptability, and
initial efficacy of an online sexual health promotion program for LGBT youth: the Queer Sex Ed
intervention. The Journal of Sex Research, 52(2), pp.220-230.
Spengen, A., 2014. The Social Construction of Sexuality in Primary School Classrooms.
Sociology Major Research Papers. 3.
Szymanski, D.M. and Moffitt, L.B., 2012. Sexism and heterosexism. In APA handbook of
counseling psychology, Vol. 2: Practice, interventions, and applications. (pp. 361-390).
American Psychological Association.