Being bullied for being gay or lesbian can cause a hormonal disruption that is known to increase suicide rates, memory loss, cardiovascular problems and bone-density depletion, a study from Montreal's Concordia University shows.
MONTREAL — Being bullied for being gay or lesbian can cause a hormonal disruption that is known to increase suicide rates, memory loss, cardiovascular problems and bone-density depletion, a study from Montreal's Concordia University shows.
"This shows that homophobia is bad for your health," said the study's author, graduate student Michael Benibgui.
The newly released study is the first to show a biological link between homophobic bullying and long-lasting physical and psychological conditions, he said.
The study involved 63 Montreal residents between the ages of 18 and 25 who answered questionnaires and provided saliva samples in 2003 and 2004, said Benibgui, who was doing his doctoral thesis at the time. Part of the study was made public in 2005, but Benibgui didn't get around to releasing the rest until now.
The results showed that victims of homophobia had disruptions in their output of cortisol, a hormone released in the brain as a response to stress. Normally, cortisol levels are highest in the morning and lowest in the evening, but those facing homophobic bullying consistently produced higher levels throughout the day, Benibgui said.
While the study did not directly gauge participants' physical side effects, it is well-known that cortisol disruptions can lead to physical ailments. Besides measuring cortisol, the study's main focus was on whether participants were more depressed or had more thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.
The study incorporated other research showing suicide rates are 14 times higher among homosexuals.
The study's participants were members of lesbian, gay and bisexual support groups. Among this group, levels of cortisol production varied significantly. This may be because some of the participants were more prone to being victimized since they had come out.
"By seeking support, they might become more exposed and become more vulnerable" to verbal and physical attacks, Benibgui noted. "It's a double-edged sword."
And yet parental, family and peer support for a person who is lesbian, gay or bisexual was the greatest countermeasure to cortisol disruption. Such support also strongly affected the person's resiliency.
More widespread study is necessary, Benibgui said, but he said he hopes gay-positive policies can be justified by his findings' implications for the health system, if not on their moral and ethical merits alone.
"This shows that homophobia is bad for your health," said the study's author, graduate student Michael Benibgui.
The newly released study is the first to show a biological link between homophobic bullying and long-lasting physical and psychological conditions, he said.
The study involved 63 Montreal residents between the ages of 18 and 25 who answered questionnaires and provided saliva samples in 2003 and 2004, said Benibgui, who was doing his doctoral thesis at the time. Part of the study was made public in 2005, but Benibgui didn't get around to releasing the rest until now.
The results showed that victims of homophobia had disruptions in their output of cortisol, a hormone released in the brain as a response to stress. Normally, cortisol levels are highest in the morning and lowest in the evening, but those facing homophobic bullying consistently produced higher levels throughout the day, Benibgui said.
While the study did not directly gauge participants' physical side effects, it is well-known that cortisol disruptions can lead to physical ailments. Besides measuring cortisol, the study's main focus was on whether participants were more depressed or had more thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.
The study incorporated other research showing suicide rates are 14 times higher among homosexuals.
The study's participants were members of lesbian, gay and bisexual support groups. Among this group, levels of cortisol production varied significantly. This may be because some of the participants were more prone to being victimized since they had come out.
"By seeking support, they might become more exposed and become more vulnerable" to verbal and physical attacks, Benibgui noted. "It's a double-edged sword."
And yet parental, family and peer support for a person who is lesbian, gay or bisexual was the greatest countermeasure to cortisol disruption. Such support also strongly affected the person's resiliency.
More widespread study is necessary, Benibgui said, but he said he hopes gay-positive policies can be justified by his findings' implications for the health system, if not on their moral and ethical merits alone.
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