Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Homophobic Bullying in Catholic High Schools: Five US Studies in Heterosexism, Authority, Masculinity, and Religion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Gender, Religion and Education in a Chaotic Postmodern World

Abstract

In research conducted over the course of nearly a decade in the United States, Maher describes how the sources of homophobic bullying in Catholic secondary schools include gender conformity, a culture of masculinity, and rigid religious beliefs. Homophobic bullying is described through interviews with gay and lesbian Catholic school alumni. Catholic secondary school staff and administrators describe their efforts to change their schools’ environments. Surveys demonstrate the connections between religiosity, masculinity, and intolerance. Maher also shows how the religious nature of these schools can contribute both to bullying and to combating bullying, when shaped properly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bayly, M. (1998, Spring). Bringing home the message. Rainbow Spirit, 1(1). Retrieved September 24, 2002, from http://www.mtn.org/∼cpcsm/rsv1-1/bringing.htm

  • Bocheneck, M., & Brown, A. W. (2001). Hatred in the hallways: Violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students in U.S. schools. New York: Human Rights Watch.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boisvert, D. L., & Goss, R. E. (2005). Introduction. In D. L. Boisvert & R. E. Goss (Eds.), Gay Catholic priests and clerical sexual misconduct: Breaking the silence (pp. 1–5). Binghamton: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, G. D. (1995). Homosexuality: Catholic teaching and pastoral practice. Mahwah: Paulist Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Convey, J. J. (1992). Catholic schools make a difference: Twenty-five years of research. Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cozzens, D. B. (2000). The changing face of priesthood. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gay, L., & Straight Education Network. (2001). The national school climate survey 2001: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students and their experiences in schools. New York: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gevelinger, M. E., & Zimmerman, L. (1997). How Catholic schools are creating a safe climate for gay and lesbian students. Educational Leadership, 55(2), 66–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustavsson, N. S., & MacEachron, A. E. (1998). Violence and lesbian and gay youth. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 8(3), 41–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harkins, W. (1993). Introducing the Catholic elementary school principal: What principals say about themselves, their values, their schools. Washington, DC: The National Catholic Education Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, J. I. (2001). Religious variables relevant to internalized homophobia and sexual identity development (Doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University, 2001). Dissertation Abstracts International, 62(05), 2516B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan, M. D. (2000). The silence of Sodom: Homosexuality in modern Catholicism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kushner, R., & Helbling, M. (1995). The people who work there: The report of the Catholic elementary school teacher survey. Washington, DC: The National Catholic Education Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litton E. F. (1999, April). Stories of courage and hope: Gay and lesbian Catholic elementary school teachers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Love, P. G. (1998). Cultural barriers facing lesbian, gay, and bisexual students at a Catholic college. Journal of Higher Education, 69(3), 298–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2001). Being gay and lesbian in a Catholic high school: Beyond the uniform. Binghamton: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2002). Openly addressing the reality: Homosexuality and Catholic seminary policies. Journal of Religion and Education, 29(2), 49–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2004). Catholic high school students’ attitudes toward homosexuality: A snapshot of incoming college freshmen. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 7(4), 462–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2005). Single-sex schools. In J. T. Sears (Ed.), Youth, education, and sexualities: An international encyclopedia (Vol. 2, pp. 792–795). Westport: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2007). Gay and lesbian students in Catholic high schools: A qualitative study of alumni narratives. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 10(4), 449–472.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J. (2009). Building trust with gay and lesbian students in universities: Perspectives of a Catholic lay chaplain. In M. De Sousa, L. J. Francis, J. O’Higgins-Norman, & D. Scott (Eds.), The international handbook of education for spirituality, care and wellbeing (pp. 1141–1156). Berlin: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J., & Sever, L. M. (2007). What educators in Catholic schools might expect when addressing gay and lesbian issues: A study of needs and barriers. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education, 4(3), 79–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maher, M. J., Sever, L. M., & Pichler, S. (2008). How Catholic college students think about homosexuality: The connection between authority and sexuality. Journal of Homosexuality, 55(3), 325–349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara, P. H. (1992). Conscience first, tradition second: A study of young American Catholics. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plummer, D. (1999). One of the boys: Masculinity, homophobia, and modern manhood. Binghamton: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pontifical Council for the Family. (1996). The truth and meaning of human sexuality: Guidelines for education within the family. Rome: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rey, A. M. (1997). Beyond high school: Heterosexuals’ self-reported anti-gay/lesbian behaviors and attitudes. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 7(4), 65–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education. (1983). Educational guidance in human love: Outlines for sex education. Rome: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T. W. (1999, January). American Catholics (National Opinion Research Center Report). Chicago: University of Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thavis, J. (2002, March 6). Vatican spokesman’s comments highlight debate over gay priests. Catholic News Service. Retrieved September 24, 2002, from http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cnc/20020306.htm

  • Thomas, J. L. (2000). AIDS in the priesthood (series). The Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 30, 2003, from http://www.kcstar.com/projects/priests/

  • Thurlow, C. (2001). Naming the ‘outsider within’: Homophobic pejoratives and the verbal abuse of lesbian, gay and bisexual high school pupils. Journal of Adolescence, 24(1), 25–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toman, J. A. (1997). Dual identity: Being Catholic and being gay (Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University, 1997). Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(05), 1942A.

    Google Scholar 

  • USCC. (1991). Human sexuality: A Catholic perspective for education and lifelong learning. United States Catholic conference. Washington, DC: Author

    Google Scholar 

  • USCC, NCCB Committee on Marriage and Family. (1997). Always our children: Pastoral message to parents of homosexual children and suggestions for pastoral ministers. Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Michael J. Maher

Authors
  1. Michael J. Maher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael J. Maher .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ramat-Gan, Israel

    Zehavit Gross

  2. School of Education, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Street, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom

    Lynn Davies

  3. David Yellin Academic College of Educ., Maagal Beit Hamidrash St 7, Jerusalem, 91035, Israel

    Al-Khansaa Diab

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Maher, M.J. (2013). Homophobic Bullying in Catholic High Schools: Five US Studies in Heterosexism, Authority, Masculinity, and Religion. In: Gross, Z., Davies, L., Diab, AK. (eds) Gender, Religion and Education in a Chaotic Postmodern World. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5270-2_18

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation