Bullying is characterized by
the repeated attempts of a group or individual to gain social advantage by the
use of relational, verbal, or physical aggression against a target, especially
when there is a perceived or actual power imbalance (Espelage & Swearer,
2003).
One consistent finding is that gay (i.e., androphilic) males report
higher rates of victimization due to bullying in adolescence than their
heterosexual (i.e., gynephilic) counterparts. Western data indicate that
gender-atypical behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, is a key predictor
of victimization due to bullying. Androphilic males generally display childhood
gender-atypicality, including reduced levels of physical aggression, which may
cause bullies to perceive them as "easy" targets.
In order to test
the associations between sexual orientation, childhood gender-atypicality, and
recalled victimization due to bullying, a sample of Samoan gynephilic men
(n = 100) were compared to a group of Samoan transgender androphilic
males (n = 103), known as fa'afafine. Although the fa'afafine
reported far more childhood gender-atypicality, the two groups did not differ
significantly on measures of physical aggression or their reported rates of
victimization due to bullying.
Additionally, greater physical aggression, not
gender-atypicality, was the only significant predictor of being bullied in both
men and fa'afafine. These results suggest that there is nothing inherent in
sexual orientation or childhood gender-atypicality that would potentiate
victimization from bullying. Instead, the cultural context in which a bully
functions influences the extent to which these are "acceptable"
reasons to target certain individuals.
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By: Semenyna SW1, Vasey PL2.
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, C866 University Hall, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada. semenynas@gmail.com.
- 2Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, C866 University Hall, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
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