FACTORS AFFECTING SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE AMONG THE LGBTQIA+

COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF INFOTECH DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS COLLEGES

INC. ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

Chapter 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Humans evolve as the world continues to revolve through

time. These days, gender is not only classified as boy or

girl. It has developed in the presence of the LGBTQIA+

Community. LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual,

transgender, queer/questioning (one's sexual or gender

identity), intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender. It seeks

to recognize the freedom to express one’s sexual

orientation, gender identity, and expression.

In the present times, social acceptance of this

community is still an issue. Society is not yet fully ready

to accept and adopt the evolution of genders resulting to

various violence and discriminations across the world

towards the LGBTQIA+ Community. According to the William

Institute School of Law, only 56 out of 175 countries are

experiencing increased social acceptance for the community,

while 57 experience decline and 62 countries experience no

change.

In the Philippines, LGBTQIA+ members are continuously

fighting for their rights for acceptance, recognition, and

constitutional rights through campaigns and spreading

awareness. As a result, almost half of the nation is now in

favor of the LGBTQIA+ community advocating gender equality

and combating gender discrimination in the social field,

work, and by the law. Sadly, discrimination and violence

towards the LGBTQIA+ Community are still present in

families, work environment, school, and society. A number of

LGBT members still experience inequalities, discrimination,

violence, and injustice.

         Says the UN experts, bullying, harassment, and

exclusion of LGBT people in educational institutions is a

worldwide problem faced by a significant proportion of LGBT

students. It is often driven by stigma and prejudice; rooted

in deep cultural beliefs about gender roles, masculinity,

and femininity. LGBT students face teasing, name calling and

public ridicule, rumors, intimidation, pushing and hitting,

stealing or damaging belongings, obscene notes and graffiti,

social isolation, cyberbullying, physical and sexual

assault, and even death threats. This occurs in classes,

playgrounds, toilets, and changing rooms, on the way to and

from school, as well as online.

Many studies aim to cultivate society’s manner towards

the LGBTQIA+ community, which caught our attention to

observe and look for factors that affect the societal

acceptance among the members of the LGBTQIA+. It is vital

that we start to combat the stigma of discrimination against

the LGBTQIA+ community and make society understand that

everyone must have the freedom to be who they are, accepted,

recognized, and included.

Infotech Development Systems Colleges Inc. is a very

inclusive institution. Still, it is inevitable that many of

the students who are LGBTQIA+ members are experiencing

bullying, discrimination, and harassment inside and outside

the school. In this light, the researchers decided to

conduct this study to help fight the stigma and forms of

violence towards the members of the LGBTQIA+ and to promote

equality and inclusivity. Through this study, the

researchers want to redirect ideas and attitudes in society

to contribute to making a more open and inclusive society

where everyone can express their color freely and safely by

normalizing the presence of homosexuals and treating them

with equal rights and freedom.

Statement of the Problem

The study is directed towards its main objective of

determining the factors that affect the societal acceptance

among the members of the LGBTQIA+ Community in Infotech

Development Systems Colleges Inc.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondent in

terms of?

1.1 age

1.2 grade or year level

1.3 Gender Identity

1.4 sexual orientation

2. Which of the following are the most common factors that

affect the societal acceptance among the LGBTQIA+

community?

o Cultural beliefs about gender roles

o Masculinity or Femininity

o Religion

3. On the scale of 1-5 how is masculinity or femininity

affects societal acceptance among the members of the

LGBTQIA+ community.

4. Religion is the top factor that hinders societal

acceptance for LGBTQIA+ community.

 o Strongly agree

o Somewhat agree

o Neither agree nor disagree

o Somewhat disagree

o Strongly disagree

5. The main factor that hinders the societal acceptance

for LGBTQIA+ community members is deep cultural beliefs

about gender roles.

o Strongly agree

o Somewhat agree

o Neither agree nor disagree

o Somewhat disagree

o Strongly disagree

Assumption of the Study

The study will be anchored to the following statement.

1. The demographic profile of students in IDSC which are

members of the LGBTQIA+ community varies in terms of

age, grade or year level, gender identity, and sexual

orientation.

2. Most common factor that affects societal acceptance

for the members of LGBTQIA+ community members in IDSC

varies in terms of factors cultural beliefs and gender

roles, masculinity, femininity, and religion.

 3. The scale of masculinity and femininity as factor that

affects the societal acceptance among the members of

the LGBTQIA+ community varies from scales 1 to 5.

4. The degree of agreement of LGBTQIA+ members of IDSC for

religion as the top factor that hinders societal

acceptance for LGBTQIA+ community varies from strongly

agree, somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree,

somewhat agree. Somewhat disagree, and strongly

disagree.

5. The degree of agreement of LGBTQIA+ members of IDSC for

deep cultural beliefs about gender roles as the top

factor that hinders societal acceptance for LGBTQIA+

community varies from strongly agree, somewhat agree,

neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree. Somewhat

disagree, and strongly disagree.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

This study will be confined on finding the factors why

LGBTQIA+ community is experiencing struggle towards societal

acceptance and determine the scale of acceptance there is

today. This will cover the acceptance experiences of

LGBTQIA+ members among their, family, school institution,

and society. The primary subjects of this study will cover

the LGBTQIA+ Community members in Infotech Development

Systems Colleges of Ligao, Albay Bicol academic year 2022 –

2023. The scope of this study will be limited to 20 members

of LGBTQIA+ Community currently enrolled at Infotech

Development Systems Colleges in Ligao city.

Moreover, in connection from identifying the factors

that affect societal acceptance of LGBTQIA+ community, in

this quantitative type of study the researchers will use

survey questionnaires to be answered by the respondents. The

respondents shall give their consent to be the participants

of the study. At the end of the first semester of this

academic year this study is set to be finished.

Significance of the Study

This study provides information regarding the factors

that affect societal acceptance among the members of the

LGBTQIA+ community at Infotech Development Systems Colleges

Inc. The result will be valuable to the following:

The LGBTQIA+ Community. The result of this study will

mostly help the members of the community to be more open and

feel safe about expressing their gender orientation as well

as having confidence in expressing their gender orientation

without fear of being discriminated and harassed.

The school institution. In particular, the school

institution will be more inclusive and a LGBT friendly

environment among the members of the LGBTQIA+ community with

a decrease the acts of bullying, harassment, and will make

the students who are members of the community feel isolated.

The society. By this study, the society will be more

informed and open towards normalizing homosexuality as part

of the modern world where everyone must have equal rights

and access to every service and benefits there is in the

society. The society will be more educated on how to treat

LGBTQIA+ community members with equal rights and freedom.