Student's JP on homosexuality describes one third of undergrads as homophobic

By Elsi Heilala

A recent study examining Princeton students' attitudes towards homosexuality indicates that approximately one third of the campus can be considered to some degree homophobic.

The study, conducted by Brandon Ulrich '96 as part of his sociology junior paper last year, indicates that about "38 percent of the campus (can be described) as homophobic," he said.

Entitled "Homophobia at Princeton: Results of a Campus survey," the study is based on the responses to a survey Ulrich sent out in 1994, as well as interviews he conducted with gay, lesbian and bisexual students.

Ulrich concluded that variables such as gender, race, class year, dining contract and considering oneself religious or spiritual were unrelated to the level of homophobia.

Contact with homosexuals, knowing someone homosexual or attending a (Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Alliance) Peer Education Program were related to levels of homophobia lower than the survey average, Ulrich discovered.

Higher levels of homophobia

However, attributes such as conservatism, religiosity, participation in team sports, sororities and religious groups appeared to be correlated with higher levels of homophobia than the "campus norm," the report stated.

"Sports that involve a team effort (had higher figures) than the campus norm," he explained, though "individual type sports scored, as a whole . lower than the campus norm."

In addition, while fraternity members did not score any higher that the campus norm, "sororities as a group (scored) very high," he said.

Despite the lack of correlation between homophobia and religious affiliation, students who attended religious services frequently or who belonged to religious campus organizations were more likely to be homophobic than those who did not, Ulrich explained in his JP.

When the results of Ulrich's survey were described to him, Dean of the Chapel Joseph Williamson agreed that "homophobia cuts across religious orientation," as does tolerance.

Williamson emphasized that "all of us together have to work for understanding and respect for persons who differ from us—socially, ethnically . (and those who have) homosexual preferences."

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JP examines campus homophobia

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The study also examines the actual size of the LGB community on campus, Ulrich said, and "raises (new) questions in the process."

No one in the survey explicitly stated they were gay; furthermore, Ulrich found the "non straight" population to be higher than expected.

"There were a lot more people who self identified themselves as something other than straight, than (is) known among the gay community," Ulrich said, adding that "there are a lot more (gay, lesbian or bisexual) people out there than those who are actually out."

However the discrepancy between the numbers of the openly gay population and those who self identify as non straight is difficult to interpret, Ulrich said

Much needed study

Ulrich's JP adviser, sociology Professor Michele Lamont, described the paper as "carefully done. However, Ulrich said the study had some "great flaws" due to the fact that it was done in survey form.

"(It) doesn't measure how people act upon their feelings... Someone who comes across as accepting on paper may discriminate blatantly in (real) life," he explained.

Nevertheless, Lamont emphasized "the importance of this kind of study in terms of mapping out the distribution of attitudes in a very detailed manner (that) allows (us) to go beyond the stereotypes of Princeton students as being homogeneous."

Caitlin Shaw '97, co-president of the LGBA, said she was pleased the study was done — and she was not surprised by the results. she described the campus as "ostrich like most people don t think about (homosexuality)."

LGBA co-president Suman Chakraborty '97 also believed Ulrich's survey is helpful towards establishing numbers of and campus attitudes towards homosexuals.

"(It s) always been difficult in the past to even calculate the level of homophobia (and the study) finally puts some kind of number scheme into all this," he said.

In addition, he noted, though homophobia clearly exists on campus, it tens to be "subtle."

LGBA coordinator Jennifer Handler described Ulrich's study as "really powerful, (because) all his figures are specific to the Princeton campus, right now, to this year and last year."

She said she feels the campus atmosphere towards homosexuals is "tolerant... but not accepting," and compares it to a person's attitude towards a toothache.

"You tolerate having a toothache, but you don't embrace it," she said.

Many students interviewed for this article said they tolerate homosexual ... (archivists note: the remainder of this article will be scanned in ASAP)

Article published in The Daily Princetonian on September 20, 1995.