從接觸開始：對高齡者進行同志教育的教學實踐

Initiating Dialogue: Implementing LGBT Education for Older Adults in Taiwan

臺灣於2019年5月24日正式成為亞洲第一個同性結婚合法化的國家，揆諸現況，相較於其他年齡群體，高齡者對於同志結婚和成家撫養小孩的反對意見最為強烈。本研究試圖對高齡者進行同志結婚成家議題教學，以及探討對高齡者進行同志結婚成家議題教學所遭遇的困難與反應。本研究參與者為東部陽光（化名）樂齡大學17位學員，課程設計期透過「接觸理論」（contact theory）引發學員「同理心」（empathy），教學策略以故事敘說和課堂對話為主，邀請高齡同志親自敘說同志生命故事與同志結婚成家議題，進行兩次共6小時課程。研究結果顯示，課程有助於參與學員對同志有更多的認識，讓他們有更多角度思考同志結婚成家在臺灣社會所面臨的處境與困境。不過，17位學員對同志結婚成家的態度幾乎維持不變，只有兩位女學員從不同意轉成同意。本次同志課程教學行動雖未能立即改變多數高齡學員對同志結婚成家的態度，但鬆動高齡者對同志過去的看法，讓高齡者從更多元的角度看到性別的差異，以及同志個人對婚姻和成家的需求，透過這次的教學行動，啟動高齡者對同志的認識、瞭解並尊重別人「同志」有選擇自己生活方式的權利。本研究根據教學實踐歷程與結果，提出對高齡者實施同志教育課程應注意之原則。

Background

Taiwan officially became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on May 24, 2019. Despite this progressive step, many older adults in Taiwan continue to exhibit more resistance to same-sex marriage and families than do other age groups. The present study delineated the educational strategies employed in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) education targeting older adults. In addition, the study analyzed the reactions and attitudinal shifts of older adults upon being exposed to the narratives of lesbian and gay individuals and the effects of these narratives on the older adults’ attitudes toward same-sex families. This study used action research (1) to gauge the responses of older adults to same-sex marriage and families through a specialized course and (2) to explore the pedagogical approaches that are effective in teaching older adults about same-sex marriage and families.

Literature Review

The Gender Equality Division of the Executive Yuan in Taiwan reported that as of 2022, 66.7% of Taiwanese older adults aged above 60 years were opposed to same-sex marriage being legal. In addition, 45.1% reported that they believed that “homosexuality is a disease that can be cured with treatment,” 59.6% believed that “marriage between same-sex couples destroys the family system and ethics,” and 46.7% believed that same-sex couples could not raise children as well as heterosexual couples could. These statistics reveal prevailing prejudices, stigmas, and misconceptions about the LGBT community among older Taiwanese adults.

Contact theory, first introduced by Allport in 1954, posits that prejudices and stereotypes can be mitigated through meaningful contact between individuals. In his seminal work The Nature of Prejudice, Allport (1954) argued that direct and appropriate interactions can foster mutual understanding between mainstream (majority) and nonmainstream (minority) groups.

The application of contact theory in educational settings can effectively reduce stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination (Pettigrew, 2021; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Such pedagogical approaches also promote empathy in individuals (Allport, 1954). Empirical studies have indicated that individuals who have had contact with the LGBT community demonstrate more positive attitudes and higher levels of empathy toward this community compared with those without such contact (Brown & Hewstone, 2005; Chang & You, 2012; Han et al., 2010; Norton & Herek, 2013). Specifically, individuals experience increased empathy levels after interacting with LGBT individuals who share information regarding their life experiences and personal narratives. Studies on this topic have primarily focused on younger populations, such as college students (Chang & Huang, 2018; Chang & You, 2012), revealing a substantial research gap in the literature on LGBT education for older adults.

Methods

The present study was conducted at Sunshine University (pseudonym) in Hualien, Taiwan. The criteria for study participation were (1) being 55 years of age or older and (2) self-identifying as heterosexual. The study spanned two sessions, each lasting 3 hours, with the sessions conducted in March and April 2021. The curriculum was designed around the principles of contact theory and empathy (Allport, 1954). In addition, we invited an older adult named Ah Hung (pseudonym), who identified as gay, to share personal stories related to life as a gay person and the problems same-sex families face. The pedagogical approach was primarily focused on storytelling and classroom dialogue (Lee & Lin, 2021). This approach is often employed to expose participants to different forms of family structures, such as those involving different social groups, new immigrants, single or single-parent households, heterosexual couples, gay and lesbian couples, and families with intergenerational caregiving. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and reflective notes provided by the instructors. We used Miles and Huberman’s (1994) process for qualitative data analysis, which includes (1) streamlining data, (2) presenting data, (3) interpreting data, and (4) drawing conclusions.

Results

This study involved 17 individuals. After the course and subsequent data analysis were completed, three central themes emerged: (1) the participants developed a new understanding of the LGBT community, albeit incompletely; (2) the participants’ attitudes toward same-sex marriage and families remained unchanged; and (3) the participants were more willing to adjust their explicit discriminatory attitudes (e.g., I understand why we are different) than their implicit discriminatory attitudes (e.g., I still cannot accept same-sex marriage). We elaborate upon these findings in the following.

The participants gained a new understanding of gay and lesbian people and empathized with the feelings and perceptions of these people through their interaction with Ah Hung. The participants reported a heightened understanding of the challenges gay and lesbian people face in Taiwanese society when marrying and forming families. Taken together, our findings indicate that the course led the participants to empathize with the emotional and cognitive experiences of gay and lesbian people.

Despite the overall increase in empathy, of the 17 participants, only 2 female students experienced a change from disapproving to approving of same-sex families. Some comments from the participants included: “My empathy for homosexuals is not the same as approval of same-sex marriage;” “I respect [the LGBT population], but I still do not accept homosexuals coming out publicly because it can embarrass their parents;” “I understand [the LGBT population’s] difficulties in Taiwanese society, but they must also understand that homosexuals raising children will negatively affect the children.” These reflections indicate that the participants generally offered “politically correct” responses, such as expressions of understanding and respect; their responses often masked implicit discriminatory attitudes, such as the unfounded belief that children raised in gay families might also “become” gay. Moreover, the participants generally did not perceive themselves to be harboring discriminatory or prejudicial attitudes toward the LGBT community. Taken together, our findings indicate that the course did not lead to immediate changes in the attitudes of most participants toward same-sex marriage and families. However, it did soften the perspectives of the participants on gay and lesbian people, broaden their understanding of gender diversity, and increase their awareness of the needs and challenges related to the formation of gay and lesbian families.

Discussion and Suggestions

Although the education program led to minimal change in the attitudes of the participating older adults toward same-sex marriage and family concerns, it did provide insights into their true

perspectives regarding the LGBT community. These insights distinguish the present study from other studies, which have primarily focused on university students or high school students. This study offers the following suggestions for future efforts toward and studies of LGBT education aimed at older adults: (1) initiating contact with a person who identifies as LGBT can be used as a starting point for fostering acceptance among older adults; (2) empathy and contact theory should be incorporated into curricula to broaden the heteronormative perspectives prevalent among older adults; and (3) strategies for combatting implicit discriminatory attitudes in older adults, such as those related to gay rights or relationships, should be incorporated into curricula. The education of this study established a channel of communication by exposing older adults to the narrative of a gay person, which led them to feel empathy. Through such pedagogical approaches, older adults may develop a better understanding of the experiences of gay and lesbian people and recognize these people’s right to make life choices. Our findings indicate that studies and educational practices should be more focused on the development of LGBT educational programs designed for an older population.