How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community. Jean M. Baker, New York, Harrington Park Press; 2002. 224 pp. $49.95 (hardcover), $24.95 (paperback).
How Homophobia Hurts Children provides an immediate challenge to the silence surrounding issues of heterosexism and homophobia in children's lives. The mere title of the book opens the door to discussion of a topic normally steeped in silence--sexual orientation is not only an adult issue but one that affects children. In a society that sexualizes love and attraction and also tends to fear viewing children as developing sexual beings, this book provides an important education for the reader. The overall theme of the book is that in our current atmosphere of homophobia, the estimated 10% of children who will grow up to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered are growing up in a hostile, damaging environment. "Long before they have any real understanding of what the word means, gay children have already been instilled with the belief that to be gay is something terribly unnatural and shameful" (p. xiii). Baker describes this environment and makes a strong case for creating atmospheres at school, in the community, and at home that are at minimum tolerant and ideally accepting for all children because we don't know which children are gay.
Baker uses interviews with youth participants in gay/straight alliances, interviews with gay adults, her own experiences as a mother of two gay sons, and selected literature to provide comprehensive cover-age of the issues facing gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth. The strength and absolute must read portion of the book is those chapters that directly and concretely outline ways in which parents and teachers can support LGBT children and adolescents. She presents a well-rounded picture of the difficulties that LGBT adolescents face, and makes sure to attend to the positives of being gay in the chapter titled "Transcending the Stigma."
The book begins with a general introduction that describes our homophobic culture in the United States, its impact on all children, and the role of parents, churches, and schools. The next few chapters cover myths, coming out, and identity development. This is followed by two chapters for parents, including the parental coming out process and suggestions for parents on how to create an atmosphere of acceptance. Five chapters provide excellent in-depth coverage of school issues including survey-supported evidence of harassment, intimidation, and violence against LGBT adolescents. Uncensored personal quotes are included from individual high school students. Their stories elicit an emotional understanding of the extent to which students are terrorized that leaves no room for denial or minimization of the problem. This is followed by an important chapter on the positives of being gay and the ability of sexual minority youth to develop healthy positive identities. The adolescents and adults she interviewed identified a number of positive aspects in their own development as a result of being gay or lesbian in an unaccepting world including greater compassion and acceptance of others, awareness of other oppressed groups, a greater self-awareness, and an internal sense of self-worth. The remaining chapters deal with a variety of topics including legal and societal barriers and transgender youth. Important but seemingly misplaced chapters for mental health professionals and the story of the accomplishments of an enlightened mayor are also included. The finale of the book is a chapter on "tipping point" theory that leaves the reader with a feeling that small individual actions can have a positive impact at a societal level.
The book is written for parents, teachers, and others who work with or influence the lives of children. It is an excellent resource to learn about the issues facing gay and lesbian youth, how to support them, and how to change homophobic environments. In general, there is a relative lack of attention to bisexuality. However, transgender identity and transexuality are well covered. The book is very readable for a nontechnical population. A minor critique is in the general lack of definitions and the unexplained interchange of the terms homosexual and gay and the use of the term gay at times to represent gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. A general definition of homophobia is missing. Given the negative connotations now attached to the term "homosexual" as a personal descriptor, a consistent use of alternative terms and a discussion on the issue of using affirmative terminology could have been useful for the reader.
The book is not geared toward the experienced mental health professional. Although it contains relevant selected research literature, it is used to support acknowledgement of issues and changes in our social environments rather than as an empirical, comprehensive literature review. There is a single three-page chapter for mental health professionals that contains basic information typically included in graduate programs as part of diversity and ethics training. The book could be useful for undergraduate and graduate students in education, human development, psychology, and social services in conjunction with more professionally oriented materials. In particular, this book is limited in its review of the literature about the origins of sexual orientation, and it includes some material that could be misinterpreted. For example, there has been a trend in some recent literature to link child-hood gender nonconformity and later sexual orientation. However, this is based primarily on the results of a few studies that do not adequately form a research base to support the causal or even predictive nature of the link. Baker does address research validity concerns appropriately but briefly. Professionals trained in research who are familiar with this literature and well versed in theories of social construction of gender and sexual orientation can critically evaluate the evidence. However, the primary audience for this book is teachers, parents, and beginning professionals who are not likely to have a grounding in the research.
The author appears to use the research to make a case that children with nonconforming gender-role behaviors may be more likely to grow up to identify as GLBT so we need to make sure that these children are treated well. It would have also been productive to strengthen the existing assertions at this point in the book that reparative therapies, or attempts to change a child's gender-role behaviors, have not been effective in changing sexual orientation. Clearly, the author's intent is to support children who are non-conforming. However, the issues of sexual orientation and gender-role expression are intertwined in the book to a degree that could inadvertently reinforce stereotypes and/or lead lay people to make a predictive or causal link not adequately supported by the knowledge base.
The author cannot be faulted in her attempt to define all possible ways we can support children who will grow up to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered. The status of our literature contains little in the way of concrete information that can be used to determine which children may be gay. However, a strong case can be made for supporting children in gender congruent or incongruent behaviors without linking gender-role expression and sexual orientation so strongly. The book's strength in this area is in recommendations that we do not make a heterosexual assumption for children. Further, if we provide the kind of supportive environments so eloquently outlined in the book, it will not be necessary for us to attempt to determine which children will grow up to be gay.
How Homophobia Hurts Children comprehensively describes how an atmosphere of hate and fear of homosexuality is an issue relevant to children from birth and not just an issue in adolescence and adulthood. It is a good sourcebook for basic education about issues relevant to LGBT children and adolescents and the adults who influence their lives. Most of the chapters can stand independently for those who have knowledge in this area but are looking for specific information. It is recommended reading for anyone who needs concrete suggestions and methods for creating affirming environments for all youth.
Amy M. Rees
Lewis & Clark College
COPYRIGHT 2003 Plenum Publishing Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
