A new study coauthored by Dr. Ilan H. Meyer of the Williams Institute finds that ongoing stigma and social inequality increase stress and reduce well-being for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. These health impacts can be prevalent even among individuals who have never experienced major traumatic events such as hate violence, abuse, or discrimination. Individuals experience microaggressions, day-to-day moments where they feel the need to “worry” or “hide” — any slight occasion when they are unsure about their safety or acceptance because they are LGB. The authors conclude that these microaggressions largely define how people experience their identities in society:

The findings show that in addition to life events—such as antigay violence, abuse, and discrimination in hiring or promotion—participants describe homophobia, racism, and sexism as enduring and pervasive social forces that chronically and systematically exclude them from social institutions. In thinking about life without homophobia, racism, and sexism, participants revealed that, indeed, minorities experience society as anything but harmoniously fitting. Researchers need to pay greater attention than they have to date to describing these stressors and understanding their effects. Among these stressors are minor events and conditions that are mostly intangible. Prominent among these were experiences such as not being able to walk down the street freely because of the fear of expressing affection to one’s intimate partner.

The study demonstrates the need to not only fight for legal equality but to work toward creating understanding about sexual orientation (and gender identity, though this study did not specifically address it) throughout society. Anti-gay rhetoric and attitudes undermine the health of LGB people, and thus, so do the individuals and organizations who propagate that rhetoric.

The National Post has offered a thorough apology for running an offensive anti-transgender, anti-gay ad bought by the Institute for Canadian Values and will offer proceeds from the ad to an LGBT rights organization:

Where the ad exceeded the bounds of civil discourse was in its tone and manipulative use of a picture of a young girl; in the suggestion that such teaching “corrupts” children, with everything that such a charge implies; and in its singling out of groups of people with whose sexuality the group disagrees.

The fact that we will not be publishing this ad again represents a recognition on our part that publishing it in the first place was a mistake. The National Post would like to apologize unreservedly to anyone who was offended by it. We will be taking steps to ensure that in future our procedures for vetting the content of advertising will be strictly adhered to.

The National Organization for Marriage mentioned the apology on its blog today, quipping, “Since when does a national magazine have to apologize and make amends for publishing a pro-family ad?”

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has finally responded to the 130,000 petition signatures she received from her constituent, Tammy Aaberg, about the persistent anti-gay bullying taking place in her congressional district. Completely ignoring Anoka-Hennepin School District’s problematic “neutrality policy” prohibiting conversation about sexual orientation or any specific concern about anti-gay bullying, Bachmann said she is “listening” and agrees that “bullying is wrong“:

Unquestionably, bullying is wrong. I agree that no student should feel belittled or threatened by peers at school. All human lives have undeniable value, and I urge parents, teachers, and students alike to champion this fact in our community and to address instances of bullying promptly and firmly when they occur.

The vague platitudes in this response reflect her glib remark last month that bullying is simply “not a federal issue.” This letter is disappointing and does nothing to address Bachmann’s own role in promoting an anti-gay atmosphere in her district. Not to retread her entire anti-gay record, but here are some of Bachmann’s contributions to creating a hostile environment for people perceived as gay:

• On bullying: “Will it get to the point where we are completely stifling free speech and expression? Will it mean that, what form of behavior will there be, will we be expecting boys to be girls?”
• Can a same-sex couple with children be considered a “family”? “When it comes to marriage, and family, my opinion is that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
• Is homosexuality a public health hazard? “I don’t have an answer on that.”
• “And just through prayer I knew that I was to introduce the marriage amendment in Minnesota.”
• On harmful ex-gay therapy: “Well, see, I think, when I heard that, I really thought it was kind of a mid-life crisis line — “Pray away the grey” — that’s what I thought it was.”
• “We need to have profound compassion for the people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life, and sexual identity disorders. This is a very real issue. It’s not funny, it’s sad. [...] This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It’s anything but gay. [...] Because if you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage. Personal bondage, personal despair, and personal enslavement. And that’s why this is so dangerous.”

Despite her condemnation of bullying, it is unclear if Bachmann is prepared to recant her history of stigmatizing language and start serving as a role model for affirming LGBT youth.

Mitchell Gold — a furniture maker and the founder of the nonprofit Faith in America — discussed the anti-gay bullying young people face from parents and religious institutions during an appearance on MSNBC this afternoon. Describing the right-wing’s anti-gay advocacy as “bullying” of young people, Gold said that “We, as a country, have to have a serious discussion about religious views that cause enormous harm to other people” and suggested that religious organizations and lawmakers who condemn gay youth are complicit in “child molestation”:

GOLD: I would say this, that clergy people who stand at their pulpit and they speak about gay people as sinners and an abomination, that is bullying a young kid. That is really — and I know this may sound exaggerated — but that is nothing less than child molestation of a child’s mind. [...] It is devastating to a 14-year-old-kid to hear their rabbi or their imam or their priest or clergy person say that they are a sinner or an abomination…and I’m here to tell them, they are full and whole and wonderful and they will learn as life goes on that there are many, many people who feel that way.

Watch it:

Indeed, numerous studies have shown that anti-gay stigma can cause severe emotional stress and depression, undermine students’ academic performances and lead to poorer health outcomes. For instance, a recent paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association found that “students who were bullied in the 10th grade experienced a .049 points decrease in 12th grade GPA.” LGBT youth that reported high levels of anti-LGBT victimization as teens were also 5.6 times more likely to report suicide attempts, be clinically depressed, or report a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease by young adulthood, a study from the Family Acceptance Project found.

Gold also condemned North Carolina lawmakers for passing a ballot measure asking voters to ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution. “It was one of the most frightful things I have ever seen about how legislators at the end of the day care more about protecting their job in the legislature than protecting young kids and people who are minority in the state,” he said.

The ladies of The View today challenged newly crowned Republican presidential front-runner Herman Cain on his beliefs about homosexuality. He confirmed that he would bring back Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and “Yes,” he believes being gay is a choice. Joy Behar pressed him on this, asking why anyone would choose to be reviled by the society, and Cain expressed that he had not seen enough research to conclude that homosexuality is not a choice:

BEHAR: To think that gay is a choice, I don’t know how to respond to that. I mean, don’t think anybody in this world wants to be gay considering all the vilification that is brought upon someone who is gay. Why would you choose that?

CAIN: Well, you show me the science that it’s not and I’ll be persuaded. Right now it’s my opinion against the opinions of others who feel differently. That’s just a difference of opinions.

Watch it:

If Cain has not seen “the science,” he clearly has never bothered to look. Based on decades of research, all major medical professional organizations agree that sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be changed, from gay to straight or otherwise. The American Psychological Association, the world’s largest association of psychological professionals, describes sexual orientation as “a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors.” There is considerable evidence to suggest that biology, “including genetic or inborn hormonal factors,” plays a significant role in a person’s sexuality.

Perhaps someone could make sure Mr. Cain sees this post so he can properly reevaluate his inaccurate “opinion.”

Justin Adkins at an Occupy Wall Street Protest

Justin Adkins found out the hard way that the New York Police Department does not have a protocol for how to treat transgender people when they are arrested. Adkins, who serves as assistant director of the Multicultural Center at Williams College in Massachusetts, was participating in an Occupy Wall Street protest this weekend on the Brooklyn Bridge. When he was arrested, he informed one of the protest’s legal observers that he was transgender, and that is when the disrespect began. In a detailed statement, Justin describes his alleged mistreatment, including being handcuffed to a handrail next to a toilet for eight hours, being denied food when others received it, and being humiliated by police officers:

Throughout the night it became clear that they wanted my fellow protestors to think that I did something criminally wrong. That I had done something different from them. That I was not just a peaceful protestor exercising my rights on that bridge. That I deserved to be handcuffed to a railing in the side of the precinct with violent criminals. Everyone seemed to wonder why I had been separated. When other officers chatted amongst themselves about why I was separated, one officer suspected aloud that I was a “ringleader.” The woman officer stood a few times outside the glass wall with the door open as male officers asked about me. It appeared that she told them that I was transgender as they gawked, giggled, and stared at me. This was embarrassing and humiliating. Only I have the right to out myself as a transgender person. She was using my identity to get a laugh with men who she thought would find me curious and freakish. It felt at these times that I was behind the glass of a freakshow where people could come look at the funny transgender guy. I decided that when they looked at me giggling I would just catch them off guard and wave. It at least made the time go by.

If there were any question that the NYPD has been treating protesters inappropriately, this is certainly an important case study to consider. Please read Justin’s full statement to appreciate how the experience of being transgender can compromise the respect a person receives.

Watch video of the 70 arrests that took place on the Brooklyn Bridge (Justin’s arrest can be seen at around the 10:30 mark):

Mitt Romney couldn’t bring himself to condemn the booing of a gay soldier serving in Iraq during an interview with the the editor and publisher of the Union Leader yesterday. The former Massachusetts governor admitted that he heard the audience jeering the soldier — who was asking the candidates about the recent repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell — at last month’s GOP debate, but said, “I have not made it my practice to say, I disagree with this person, I agree with that person”:

ROMNEY: I don’t recall whether this soldier, whether people were booing his question or just booing…

UNION LEADER: They booed as soon as he identified as a gay person.

ROMNEY: You have to look at that. I don’t know when they booed and I don’t know why they booed. But I will tell you, that the boos and applause hasn’t always coincided with my own views, but I haven’t stepped in to try and say, ‘this one is right, this one is wrong.’ Instead, I focus on the things I think I will say.

UNION LEADER: I ask because Herman Cain over the weekend was asked about it and he said in effect that he should have criticized whoever was booing in the audience.

ROMNEY: That’s…I understand his thoughts.

Watch it:

President Obama spoke out against the GOP’s refusal to condemn the booing from the debate stage during his Saturday address to the Human Rights Council. “We dont’ believe in the kind of smallness that says it’s okay for a stage full of political leaders, one of whom, could end up being the president of the United States being silent when an American soldier is booed,” he said. “You want to be commander in chief, you can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States even when it’s not politically convenient.”

Rick Santorum, Jon Huntsman, and Herman Cain are the only candidates to publicly distance themselves from the jeering after last month’s debate.