Date of Award

11-16-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of Psychology: School Psychology

First Advisor

Steven E Landau

Second Advisor

Daniel G Lannin

Abstract

In the past several years, hundreds of legislative bills introduced across the U.S. have targeted transgender persons, including restricting bathroom use to one’s natal sex (Dey & Harper, 2022; Samar, 2016). Few studies have examined the public’s perceptions of transgender persons in schools accessing bathrooms that align with gender identity, rather than natal sex. This study focused on how three conservative, prejudicial political ideologies (i.e., Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Social Dominance Orientation, Need for Closure; see Jost et al., 2003) influenced the responding of parents of school-aged children when presented with a scenario regarding a hypothetical transgender woman P.E. teacher accessing the girls’ locker room and restroom in the school. Results indicated that all three of these prejudicial ideologies were in some way linked to anti-transgender prejudice in school settings regarding the equal bathroom access debate. Of note, those mothers and fathers stronger in both Right-wing Authoritarianism and Need for Closure reported greater likelihoods that the policy proposed in the vignette would lead to a cascade of adverse outcomes (i.e., increase in bullying and sexual assault in school bathrooms). Implications for school systems and reducing transgender prejudice are discussed.

Comments

Imported from Neitzel_ilstu_0092E_12291.pdf

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2023.20230711063202403316.999956

Page Count

126

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