Homosocialization

Not to be confused with Homosociality.

Homosocialization or LGBT socialization is the process by which LGBTQ people meet, relate and become integrated in the LGBT community, especially with people of the same sexual orientation and gender identity,^[1][2] helping to build their own identity as well.^[3][4]

Institutions

High schools

Gay–straight alliances (GSAs) started to appear in schools the 1980s. They were a way for the youth of the community to overcome seclusion and stigma in the school environment. Currently registered under the parent network GLSEN, there are over 3,000 clubs in the United States.^[5]

The social climate of a school has a direct relationship to the health of the students, both physically and mentally. A 2021 survey of students revealed that 68% of people heard negative remarks; 68% felt unsafe; 32% had missed at least one day of school in the past month, markers nearly unchanged from a similar study in 2003.^[6][7]

Universities

Higher education organizations that house LGBT/queer people can strengthen their systems for encouraging socialization through appropriate research within the student body.^[8] Not carrying out such research damages the life of students because an institution is unable to make sure it is keeping up-to-date on relevant issues. With continued research institutes can contribute to the bettering of life and success of their LGBT students.^[9]

The last three decades have seen an increase in LGBT centers on college campuses. These centers are used to help students develop their identities on and off campus, with their intention being to promote and work towards building a more accepting and informed campus environment. The centers also frequently employ professionals who work to improve the campus life experience.^[10]

Spaces

Spaces of homosocialization are those physical or virtual places frequented by LGBT people to meet other people of the LGBT community or to find partners, and where it is possible to express freely their sexual identity.^[11][12]

There are numerous businesses and associations targeting gender and sexual diversity that allow the meeting and socialization of LGBT community. In many cases, they emerge in LGBT villages, where the LGBT community is concentrated. However, many places are suffering from competition among social networks and the internet to attract LGBT people.^[13][14][15]

Historically

Before configuring places specifically for the LGBT community, the most regular practice for interaction in the gay community was sexual encounters in certain outdoor places, such as parks or public baths.^[16] Although much less frequent nowadays, cruising is still a common practice, especially among men who have sex with other men.^[17]

Bath houses

In the late 19th century and early 20th century bath houses were seen as places of safety and privacy because homosexuality was criminalized.^[18] In the early 1900s these were not official spaces and were subject to police raids, but in 1960's bathhouses started being officially established as gay spaces.^[18]

Gay/lesbian bars

See also: Gay bar

In the 1960s gay bars were recognized as spaces to connect with other LGBT+ people, finding friends and also partners.^[19]

Digital

Social media

With common access to the internet many people today turn to it to connect with others, be exposed to a broader public, and for personal expression. For youths, social media has become a place where they can learn about the arts, politics, sex education, and sexuality through a common online community.^[20]

See also

• Cass identity model
• Cruising for sex
• Fassinger's model of gay and lesbian identity development
• Handkerchief code
• Pink capitalism
• Pinkwashing
• Queer Nation
• Sexuality and space
• Stonewall Nation

References

1. Ball, Steven; Lipton, Benjamin (2005). "Group Work with Gay Men". Group Work with Populations at Risk. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-515667-6.
2. (in Spanish) Formas de inclusión y exclusión de las minorías sexuales en la ciudad. Hal. 2013
3. Isay, Richard A. (1986). "The Development of Sexual Identity in Homosexual Men". The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child. 41 (1): 467–489. doi:10.1080/00797308.1986.11823469. PMID 3823283.
4. Isay, Richard A. (1989). Being Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development. Avon. ISBN 9780374110123.
5. Mayberry, Maralee (2013-01-21). "Gay-Straight Alliances: Youth Empowerment and Working toward Reducing Stigma of LGBT Youth". Humanity & Society. doi:10.1177/0160597612454358. S2CID 147075075.
6. Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., & Menard, L. (2022). The 2021 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.
7. Shinn, Marybeth; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu (2008-04-10). Toward Positive Youth Development: Transforming Schools and Community Programs. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199716593.
8. Renn, Kristen A. (2010-03-01). "LGBT and Queer Research in Higher Education: The State and Status of the Field". Educational Researcher. doi:10.3102/0013189X10362579. hdl:10919/87042. S2CID 18676963.
9. Sanlo, Ronni (2016-07-20). "Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual College Students: Risk, Resiliency, and Retention". Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. 6: 97–110. doi:10.2190/FH61-VE7V-HHCX-0PUR. S2CID 144787351.
10. Pitcher, Erich N.; Camacho, Trace P.; Renn, Kristen A.; Woodford, Michael R. (June 2018). "Affirming policies, programs, and supportive services: Using an organizational perspective to understand LGBTQ+ college student success". Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. 11 (2): 117–132. doi:10.1037/dhe0000048. ISSN 1938-8934. S2CID 151842411.
11. Gómez P., Daniel Fernando (2010). "Participación e incidencia de la comunidad de lesbianas, gay, bisexuales y transgeneristas en Bogotá". Criterios (in Spanish). 3 (1): 229–248. doi:10.21500/20115733.1929.
12. (in Spanish) Espacios de homo-socialización y derecho de ciudad. Archived 2018-08-06 at the Wayback Machine El Nuevo Diario. 16 April 2016.
13. The 'gaytrification' effect: why gay neighbourhoods are being priced out. The Guardian. 13 January 2016.
14. Couto, Walter; Morelli, Fábio; Galindo, Dolores; Lemos De Souza, Leonardo (July 2016). "Práticas sexuais em geolocalização entre homens: corpos, prazeres, tecnologias" [Sexual practices in geolocation between men's: Bodies, pleasures, technologies]. Athenea Digital: Revista de Pensamiento e Investigación Social (in Portuguese). 16 (2): 169–193. doi:10.5565/rev/athenea.1621.
15. (in Spanish) Interseccionalidad y sexualidades disidentes Manhunt y los cazadores furtivos entre género, clase social y raza. Archived 2017-08-18 at the Wayback Machine University of Los Andes (Colombia). 2013.
16. Guasch, Óscar (1991). La sociedad rosa (in Spanish). Anagrama. ISBN 978-84-339-1352-4.
17. Boivin, Renaud René (2013). "De cantinas, vapores, cines y discotecas. Cambios, rúpturas e inercias en los modos y espacios de homosocialización de la ciudad de México". Revista Latino-Americana de Geografia e Genero (in Spanish). 4 (2): 118–133. doi:10.5212/Rlagg.v.4.i2.118133.
18. Bérubé, Allan; D'Emilio, John; Freedman, Estelle B. (2011). My desire for history: essays in gay, community, and labor history. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ. of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-3479-4.
19. Harry, Joseph (1974). "Urbanization and the Gay Life". The Journal of Sex Research. 10 (3): 238–247. doi:10.1080/00224497409550854. ISSN 0022-4499. JSTOR 3811549.
20. Mccracken, Allison (2017). "Tumblr Youth Subcultures and Media Engagement". Cinema Journal. 57 (1): 151–161. doi:10.1353/cj.2017.0061. ISSN 1527-2087. S2CID 148589952.