Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

PSY454A
Project Report: Project

Attitute Towards LGBTQ Community

Authors:
Shikhar Mittal(13653)
Supervisor:
Angad Chandhok(13111)
Dr. Kumar Ravi Priya
Shristi(14667)
Natasha Singh(14414)

May 1, 2017
 Acknowledgement
We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all those who have contributed towards
the accomplishment of this project. Last but never the least, I would like to specially mention
Dr. Kumar Ravi Priya, without whose guidance this project would not have reached to its
completion.

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Contents
1 Objective 1

2 Introduction 1

3 Methodology 1
3.1 Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.2 Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.3 Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3.4 Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

4 Discussion 7

5 Conclusion 9

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1 Objective
To understand the awareness, stereotype and attitude towards the LGBTQ through experimen-
tal study on IIT-K students.

2 Introduction
LGBT, or GLBT, is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use
since the 1990s, the term is an adaptation of the initialism LGB, which was used to replace the
term gay in reference to the LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s. Activists
believed that the term gay community did not accurately represent all those to whom it referred.
The initialism, LGBT, is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-
based cultures. It may be used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender,
instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. To recognize this
inclusion, a popular variant adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning
their sexual identity; LGBTQ has been recorded since 1996.
In the world today, there are many views on a persons sexual preference. In the past, the
only acceptable affiliation was heterosexuality. Even today, most of the larger churches do not
support homosexuality.

3 Methodology
3.1 Participants
The participants were students of IITK as well as non-IITK community, all ranging between
19-22 years of age. 55 students took part in the survey.

3.2 Data Collection

The questionnaire was sent to known people over a social networking site. The survey was
anonymous and to further increase anonymity, the questionnaire was posted in a newly formed
group of those 55 members. Since anyone in the group could have seen and completed the
questionnaire at any point of time, the anonymity was assured.

3.3 Questionnaire
In the questions 1 to 10, one had to gave his/her response on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means
Strongly disagree and 5 means Strongly agree. For the 11th question the 1 of the same scale
means Not at all and 5 means Too much. In question number 12, one had to answer 0 to 7.
The questionnaire comprised of the following questions.
Q1 Meaning of LGBTQ?
Q2 Homosexual and transgender mean the same thing.

Q3 Homosexuality is a choice.
Q4 Homosexuality is western culture.

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 Q5 I have told, or participated in, jokes about homosexuals.

Q6 I have ever thought to myself when I found that an attractive person of the other sex was
homosexual-What a waste!
Q7 I would feel flattered if an attractive person of my sex asked me out.
Q8 I am comfortable with sharing a room with someone of opposite sex.

Q9 I am comfortable with sharing a room with someone of opposite sex if that person is a
homosexual.
Q10 My best friend (of your same sex), revealing that he/she is a homosexual will affect our
friendship

Q11 I get offended when someone calls me a gay/lesbian.

Q12 If your room-mate who is of the same sex tells you that he/she is bisexual, how much will
it affect your relationship.
Q13 How many of the following according to you are traits of homosexuality?

A guy wearing pink

A guy walking/acting like a girl
Guys holding hands while walking
Clean shaved guys
High pitched voice
A very muscular and shredded girl
Girls holding hands while walking
Q14 One of your friends tells you that she is very confused about her sexuality. What would
you do?

Tell your friend that he/she is thinking too much and make them understand that
he/she is no different from the rest
Discuss with her/him in depth and understand his/her situation

3.4 Findings
We collected data from 55 students of IITK as well as non-IITK community which is shown
in the histograms below. The 10 histograms show statistics corresponding to the questions
mentioned.

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4 Discussion
1. LGBTQ meaning?
The data collected showed that 44% of the students were aware of the meaning of the
abbreviation LGBTQ. We can infer that only less than half of the community is apprised
and conscious of the meaning.

2. Homosexual and transgender mean the same thing?

The data showed although less percentage of students were aware of the LGBTQ but

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 much higher percentage 77.8% of them understood the difference between the homosexual
and transgender. This can be attributed the recent occurrences(Orlando Bar, protests
and campaigns) worldwide and reforms related to gay rights and marriages. The social
media had a huge impact on addressing and reaching it to the people and increasing the
awareness.
3. Homosexuality is a choice
The data highlighted varied responses related to this idea. For the students who strongly
disagree that homosexuality is a choice belong to that percentage of the crowd who are
aware that it is a natural occurrence by birth. These are their inner feelings and emotions
attached to them which cannot be reshaped according to their will. And those who
strongly agree have a notion that their identity is self created and can reorient themselves
accordingly. The social influence has a major role in this image formation.
4. Homosexuality is western culture
The data showed that 79.6% of the people did not go with the social norm of considering
homosexuality as a western culture. Over the years, this notion has been changed for
good. The possible reason can be the sample consisted of the young college going students
with fresh outlook towards the society.
5. I have told, or participated in jokes about homosexuals
The data conveyed that 48.1% of the students had participated in jokes about homosexuals.
This behaviour can be attributed to their attitude towards the community. They are not
serious towards the existence of the LGBT community. Since they occur in minority, they
do not receive similar respect as the major community does. Hence, they become a matter
of amusement for being different than majority. Even if some people disagree with the
joke and the behaviour towards LGBT, usually in a group in this kind of setting, people
conform and go along the group instead of standing out.
6. I have ever thought to myself when I found that an attractive person of the other sex was
homosexualWhat a waste!
The data highlights the stereotype about the LGBT community where attractive person
comes under the common thinking of being a part of the heterosexual group. For example:
A man with a feminine voice is considered unattractive and often stereotyped as a part of
LGBT. The society has build up some gender specific norms which direct the people to
think in a similar manner.
7. I would feel flattered if an attractive person of my sex asked me out
The data showed that 58.2% of the students would not feel flattered if an attractive person
of my sex asked me out. Typically if a person asks one out, he or she is flattered to find
himself or herself desirable but in this case the prejudice feelings over shadowed the natural
tendency to feel good when approached. They have a negative feeling towards the target
group which can be anger, disgust or pity for them and hesitate in connecting with the
group because of incidental feelings beforehand.
8. I am comfortable with sharing a room with someone of opposite sex
9. I am comfortable with sharing a room with someone of opposite sex if that person is a
homosexual
According to the data collected, the initial disagreement percentage was 58.1% which

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 narrowed down to 29%. This highlighted that their safety viewpoint exceeded over the
fact that the person was a homosexual. This particular situation drives us in the direction
that here the company of a homosexual was desired then the company of a heterosexual.
This indicates the reduced negative attitude in towards another community.
10. My best friend(of your same sex), revealing that he/she is a homosexual will affect our
friendship
According to the data collected only 5.5% felt that their friendship would be affected by the
sexual orientation of their best friend. Since the best friend belongs to different community,
a change in positive attitude may occur towards the other community. Another reason may
be that since the person initially has neutral attitude but may be in a state of ignorance
and may later start maintaining distance as situation permits.

11. If your roommate who is of the same sex tells you that he/she is bisexual, how much will
it affect your relationship
According to the data collected, 14.5% felt that their friendship would affect If your room-
mate who is of the same sex tells you that he/she is bisexual. The percentage difference
in this and the above case is due to stronger commitment in the later case which forces a
person to answer according to a long term non avoidable situation which was not the case
above.
12. I get offended when someone calls me a gay/lesbian
According to the data collected, almost equal percentage of people gave positive and
negative response. The positive may be due to the hesitation to associate oneself with
the other community members due to prejudice and ingroup- outgroup bias. The negative
percentage may be due to the positive attitude towards the other community and accepting
them as a part of the society.
13. The data showed that most of the provided traits above were associated with LGBT. This
hints at the impression formation of LGBT community. Because of their minor occurrence,
not many people are acquainted with them. Hence the image formation is only through
society and social media where LGBT members are portrayed as the above depositions.
The social environment as a major role in stereotyping about the community which is
developed since the childhood from our parents and teachers. Eg:
Pink colour associated with girls Boys hesitate in wearing pink if a boy wears
stereotyped as gay!

14. One of your friends tells you that she is very confused about her sexuality. What would
you do?
The data highlighted that only 9% of the participants will tell their friend that he/she is
thinking too much and make them understand that he/she is no different from the rest and
the rest of them would discuss with her/him in depth and understand his/her situation.
This focuses on the fact that people have started accepting them as a part of the society.

5 Conclusion
As a result of this study, it is our hope that the stereotyping of LQBTQ community is reduced
and attitudes towards them community are better understood. We feel this study was important

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and valuable in addressing this social issue. Observing the lack of information and widespread
ignorance relating to this topic in India,we hope that the results from this study will be used
for enhancing knowledge and attitudes of society in an effort to neutralize any discrimination
based on sexual orientation. We would like to see the social stigma attached to it, especially
homosexuality disappear, and feel education is the best way to make that happen.

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