The institutional climate for lesbian, gay and bisexual education faculty : what is the pivotal frame of reference?

J. Sears

This article presents data gathered from a national sample (n = 104) of lesbian, gay, and bisexual education faculty members and researchers. Here the author examines three general dimensions through which these respondents judge their institutional climate - characterized as gay affirming, gay tolerant, gay neutral, gay intolerant, or gay hostile - and four unique factors that distinguish their assessment. Four questions are addressed: (1) How do sexual minority faculty in schools, colleges, and departments of education characterize their institutional climate? (2) What institutional dimension is most salient in these faculty members_ assessment of this climate? (3) What are the factors that differentiate sexual minority faculty members_ perceptions in this study? (4) Which of these factors, if any, significantly contribute to their assessment of institutional climate? Using multivariate analyses, the author identifies one pivotal frame of reference that accounts for most of the variance in respondents_ differing assessments of their institutional climate and explores differences between lesbian and gay male respondents as well as those working in public and private, independent institutions. Implications for those seeking to reduce institutional heterosexism and homophobia are discussed.[Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center. The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA]