There's new research from Concordia University that suggests that homophobic bullying has a physiological impact on the victim.
This isn't news to anyone who has been bullied.
It isn't going to change the minds of any of the religious based bigots who agitate for their right to bully glbt folk.
But it's really wonderful that we are getting some scientific documentation on something that anyone still connected to their heart understands without even thinking about it. This is because the people we want to sway have been listening to the fundamentalist "religious" leaders on this topic. And this research undermines their credibility.
The study examined the link between living in a homophobic environment and ‘internalized homophobia,’ e.g., feeling negatively about oneself because of one’s sexual identity as LGB. Individuals who experienced more LGB-related stress – arguments about sexual identity, bullying or discrimination – had higher internalized homophobia and showed increased production of the stress hormone cortisol compared to peers in more positive environments.
What’s more, LGB youth who showed more internalized homophobia and abnormal cortisol activity also experienced increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
“This study is among the first to clearly link the experience of homophobia with abnormal cortisol activity,” says Benibgui.
Benibgui says abnormal cortisol activity in LGB youth, combined with the vicious cycle of stress, could be further influenced by a complex set of biological, psychological and social factors. “This study shows a clear relation between abnormal cortisol levels and environmental stressors related to homophobia,” he says.
We are heading for a showdown between those of us who think religious conviction is no basis for governance and those who loudly insist that their rights include denying the rights of fellow citizens based on the fact that the citizens are not following their holy book. Studies like this are going to carve the bank out from under the bigots. While cries of religious discrimination are still marginally credible, as documentation starts rolling in that taunting does more than "build character" the bigots are going to start looking hard hearted and bitter. Hopefully at that point, the left wing Christians will step in and show the country what Christian love really looks like.
Pass the word.