School victimization of sexual-minority youths—those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, for example—is well documented. This type of victimization has been linked to a variety of negative psychosocial and academic outcomes. But a number of questions about the effects of victimization on sexual-minority youths remain.
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) will host a symposium during its Biennial Meeting that brings together researchers to consider this issue from a number of perspectives. Among the questions that will be addressed:
- Is victimization based on sexual orientation bias more or less harmful for sexual-minority adolescents than general victimization?
- Are sexual-minority adolescents at greater risk for being victimized at school than heterosexual adolescents?
- What predicts acceptance by peers for sexual-minority youths?
- How does peer acceptance affect school outcomes such as academic achievement for sexual-minority youths?