Mental Health: Global Challenges Journal (Dec 2019)
THE IMPACT OF STIGMATIZATION ON SOCIAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE LGBT-COMMUNITY
Abstract
Introduction. The current stage of society's development is the time to remove taboos. Around the world begin to speak openly on the previously taboo topics. One of them is the issue of non-traditional sexual orientation. It's natural that in every society there is a certain number of people who have a non-traditional sexual orientation. The reasons for the taboo of this topic in Ukraine include the unreadiness of Ukrainian society to openly discuss it, because firstly the older generation`s minds brought up in the ideals of the Soviet era, homosexuality is an inadmissible phenomenon. In addition, in Ukraine, as a Christian state, homosexual relations are openly condemned by the Church. These and other factors affect the fact that manifestations of homophobia and transphobia, stigmatization, discrimination and violations of the rights of people with non-traditional sexual orientation are quite frequent. The issues of homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination of LGBT-people are not underdeveloped, but Ukrainian scientists did not focus on the aspect of stigmatization of LGBT-people. Different types and aspects of stigmatization are investigated in the Ukrainian scientific space: from the stigmatization as a sociocultural phenomenon, to individual manifestations of stigmatization in various spheres of social life. However, there was still no detailed study of stigmatization based on sexual orientation, because the study of this subject by Ukrainian researchers began relatively recently and was carried out within the framework of Western stigma theories (although there are certain empirical researches concerning sexual stigma that make it possible to draw certain conclusions regarding the actions of this mechanism in Ukraine). Based on Western methodologies for studying this phenomenon in Ukraine, given its specificity in our country, it requires modification of these approaches, adapted to modern Ukrainian realities. This determines the theoretical relevance of this topic. The study of this phenomenon in Ukraine, based on Western methodologies, requires modification of these approaches, adaptation to modern Ukrainian realities. This fact determines the theoretical relevance of this topic. In practical terms, the study of this topic is relevant, because it can be a ground for studying the level of tolerance to LGBT-people in Ukraine, problems of that category of people in Ukrainian society and the search for ways to regulate them; it can be a useful material for gender studies and the basis for further research on this topic. Our research will also be relevant to the activities of public organizations dealing with gender issues, issues of equality and human rights because the study of stigma will help prevent social divisions in relations between heterosexual people and representatives of the LGBT community. Thus, the applied dimension of the study is quite obvious: to "remove stress" and overcome the "points of schism" in the modern Ukrainian society, and, consequently, to normalize relations in it by increasing the level of tolerance and trust between different socio-cultural groups of society. Purpose. the analysis of the features of the phenomenon of stigmatization based on sexual orientation in modern Ukrainian society
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