LGBT Aging Issues Network
LAIN - An ASA Constituent Group

Encountering -- and Countering -- Homophobia:
A Professor's Experience at a Graduate School

by Kevin J. Kukoleck

Kevin J. Kukoleck

With guidance from faculty members, students at a local professional school of psychology organize a daylong annual conference to draw the attention of their peers to diversity issues. The school endorses the initiative so strongly that it requires all doctoral students to attend three conferences during their five-year program; master's students are required to attend at least one. Each year, the conference highlights a specific group from the spectrum of diversity. In a recent year, gay and lesbian people were the focus of the workshops, and I presented on the topic "Assessment of Older Gay Men and Lesbians."

I first discussed general issues related to psychological assessment of older adults. Next, I outlined the biopsychosocial model and factors related to assessment using this model. I also discussed the concept of cultural competence, the need for professionals in psychology to avoid cultural encapsulation and the idea that a person in a minority culture could have a healthy fear of the dominant culture. I then outlined demographic variables related to older adults in general and gay and lesbian elders in specific. I discussed coming out and described the Stonewall Riots. I presented biological, psychological and social risks unique to lesbians and gay men -- and I mentioned some positives related to older gay men and lesbians, too. I concluded with specific suggestions for working with older clients who are gay or lesbian.

Conference attendees indicate in advance which presentations they prefer, but assignments ultimately are made based on space considerations; each lecture is offered in morning and afternoon sessions. Almost everyone attending my lectures was attentive and respectful, but during the morning session, several students in the back of the room obviously were not paying attention, and one appeared to be sleeping. It was in the afternoon session, however, that I encountered the most blatant hostility, especially from one woman who appeared to be in her early twenties.

The student in question positioned herself in the second row right on the middle aisle and directly in my line of vision. I took this as a clear form of intimidation. She talked throughout most of my presentation, rolled her eyes and scoffed at much of what I had to say, including the material about assessing a general population of older adults. At one point during my presentation, I stared right at her while discussing the topic of how important it is for psychological professionals to be aware of their biases. She stared back with an angry look on her face.

Resistance to Learning

After my presentation, I made the faculty monitor aware of the student's behavior. He shared with me that she had received her undergraduate degree from a fundamentalist religious university. He stated that she has been very resistant to learning about LGBT issues, but had never been so openly hostile before. He promised me that the school would address her behavior. I attempted to find out if this had occurred, but because of privacy policies, the school was unable to divulge any information.

The incident brought to mind a passage from former president Jimmy Carter’s book Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis (New York City: Simon and Schuster, 2005): “The present era is a challenging and disturbing time for those whose lives are shaped by religious faith based on kindness towards each other…. Increasingly, true believers are inclined to begin a process of deciding, ‘Since I am aligned with God, I am superior and my beliefs should prevail, and anyone who disagrees with me is inherently wrong,’ and the next step is ‘inherently inferior.’ The ultimate step is ‘subhuman,’ and then their lives are not significant."

As Carter's observation suggests, working to counter such hostility is particularly important to all of us who believe that the lives of lesbian and gay elders are indeed significant and are worthy of respect. My experience at the diversity conference was unpleasant, but it confirmed for me all the more my commitment to bringing the message of LGBT cultural competence to those who are studying to enter the helping professions.

Kevin J. Kukoleck is an assistant professor at Argosy University, Schaumburg, Ill.