Heterosexist microaggressions, student academic experience and perception of campus climate: Findings from an Italian higher education context

data from 574 LGBQ+ college students and reported that hearing heterosexist phrases on campus was significantly associated with academic stress among sexual minority students, including difficulty in meeting academic standards, finding courses too demanding, and dis- satisfaction with performance developmental challenge. In the study by Woodford and Kulick [26], which included 381 sexual minority college students, heterosexism on campus was associ- ated with lower academic disengagement, lower grade point average, lower institutional satisfaction, and lower social acceptance for sexual minority students. To date, only a few researchers have examined the impact of heterosexist discrimination on social integration dimensions, also analyzing the impact of this discrimination on all students, regardless of their sexual orientation [5,10]. In a sample of 3,128 college students, Silverschanz and colleagues [5] found that, although sexual minority students were more likely to report experiences with het- erosexism, 39% of heterosexual students reported hearing environmental heterosexist hostility (e.g., hearing others make offensive remarks or jokes about gay people, or call someone homo- phobic names). Furthermore, they found that individuals who experienced discrimination were more likely to report poor mental health (anxiety, depression) and academic outcomes (e.g., social acceptance, instructor relations, school avoidance), independent of their sexual orientation. Similarly, Norris and colleagues [10] found that these environmental microaggres-

sions significantly and negatively predicted perceptions of personal safety, belongingness, and teacher connectedness in heterosexual and non-heterosexual students. There are several rea- sons that could explain why heterosexist microaggressions may impact heterosexual students’ social integration on campus. First, heterosexual students may be directly targeted with micro- aggressions, based on a presumption of sexual-minority status. Otherwise, the effects of het- erosexist microaggressions could be related to students’ relationships with members of the stigmatized group, which would make them more sensitive to discrimination on campus [10]. However, even if heterosexual students are not directly connected to the LGBQ+ community, hearing discriminatory speech or perceiving negativity toward a specific group might interfere with students’ comfort with campus climate, Indeed, seeing minority groups individuals treated as second class citizens, and not as valued members of the campus community, might lead them to believe that they will be treated in the same way when needed [10]. Heterosexism in the Italian context Stereotypical gender roles are more prominent in Italy than in other Western regions [29]. This is mainly due to the relatively high influence that the Catholic Church has in shaping Italian beliefs and attitudes toward homosexuality and deviations from conventional gender roles. Other influ- ences come from the Mediterranean traditions that are deeply rooted through the country, espe-

cially in the Southern, where the current study was conducted, which emphasize the role of honor and shame in shaping masculine and feminine socialization [29]. As a consequence, the recogni- tion of civil rights for homosexual people has progressed and still moves slower in Italy with respect to other Western countries. Some important changes have occurred during the last decade as a part of Italy’s efforts to strengthen measures to contrast discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Same-sex civil unions and unregistered cohabitation were legally recognized on June 2016 and, under the European Union direction, legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the field of both public and pri- vate employment has been introduced. Furthermore, in April 2013 a National Strategy to prevent and contrast discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity (2013–2015) was adopted by a Ministerial Decree, but it wasn’t renewed after 2015, confirming the lack of proper legislation, at both national and local level, to protect and ensure equal rights for sexual minorities living in Italy [30]. PLOS ONE Heterosexist microaggressions and campus climate PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231580 April 16, 2020 4 / 16